Huntley outlasts Grayslake North 1-0

Pitchers Sam Clemons and Kristina Gandy knew it would come down to a hit.

Clemmons (13-7), Huntley's starting ace, shut down Grayslake North, while Gandy (2-3) allowed Sarah Clancy to nail a sacrifice fly to give host Huntley a 1-0 victory in Fox Valley Conference Fox Division softball matchup Friday in Huntley.

Clancy's sacrifice allowed Arianna Albanese to score from third and snap a 2-game losing streak for Huntley (14-9, 4-2).

"Our team did well hitting," said Huntley's Jenna Mychko, who finished the game 3-for-3 with a double. "I think we got our confidence back big time."

A young Grayslake North team has also built some confidence as of late. The Knights (6-12, 2-2) were riding a 2-game winning streak coming into Friday's game. The Knights used a solid defensive effort to strand 6 Huntley runners through the sixth inning. Gandy finished the game allowing just 1 run off of 7 hits and 4 strikeouts.

"I figured it would be a pitcher's duel," Knights' coach Molly Jones said. "We have a young team and we are improving on things. We work on staying in every game."

Grayslake North had runners in scoring position in both the fifth and sixth innings, with Carly Borders advancing to third base in the sixth. Clemons and the Huntley defense prevailed both times without allowing the visiting Knights to take a lead.

The Red Raiders looked to go ahead in the sixth after Mychko got a one-out single. After a flyout, Deana DeBosschere doubled to advance Mychko to third. Gandy then stepped up and caught Amanda Wisniewski looking to get her team out of the inning.

"Gandy did a great job out there," Huntley coach Mark Petryniec said. "We didn't hit too solidly off of her. Grayslake North's defense did a great job. Luckily Jenna Hogue comes in and gets a base hit."

After Arianna Albanese reached base, pinch hitter Hogue jacked a shot to left field that allowed Albanese to reach third and eventually score. Prior to the final inning, the Red Raiders' No. 6-9 batters were a combined 0-for-8 on the day.

"We worked on staying in every game," Jones said. "Staying in every pitch. We knew it was a one-pitch game, that one pitch could change it."