Softball: Huntley's tough schedule continues with loss to Marist

Huntley hasn't shied away from playing some of the best teams in the state to start the season. Friday was no exception.

The Red Raiders traveled to play Marist, a team Huntley lost to in the Class 4A semifinals last season and which went on to win the state championship.

Marist once again showed how fundamentally sound it is Friday and handed Huntley some learning lessons in a 2-0 loss.

"For us, it's great to get to see one of the better teams in the state and in the country each year," Huntley coach Mark Petryniec said. "It's only going to make us better in the long run."

Neither team threatened in the first two innings until Marist (3-0) struck first in the third. Kaitlyn Wright drove in the game's first run with a single that went through the middle of the infield. Sierra Sass scored from second base after she stole from first earlier.

Marist added an insurance run in the fifth when the Red Raiders caught Sass in a rundown between first and second, which allowed Maia Pietrzak to score from third to give her team a 2-0 lead.

"Marist is fundamentally sound," Petryniec said. "They're going to do the little things correctly, they're going to be quick on the base paths."

Huntley's best threat came in the fourth when Jori Heard just missed a home run on a ball that dropped at the center field fence and gave her a double. She advanced to third on a groundout, but Marist starter Brooke McNichols struck out Ava McFadden to end the threat.

The Red Raiders again threatened in the fifth with runners on first and second with two outs, but McNichols got Katie Mitchell to groundout to escape the jam.

McNichols pitched a complete game and struck out 10 batters, including the side to end the game. She allowed three hits and walked two batters as Huntley struggled to attack McNichols after she settled into a groove later in the game.

"Our schedule, if you're a good pitcher in Illinois, you're on it," Petryniec said. "We want them to see everything so there are no surprises at the end of the season."

Heard threw six innings for Huntley (1-4), allowing two runs on six hits. She struck out eight batters and didn't allow a walk.

Heard thought she pitched well, with Marist making the most of the opportunities it had against her.

"I felt like I did good," Heard said. "I was a little off, but I felt pretty good."

The Red Raiders will travel to Springfield on Saturday to take on Sacred Heart-Griffin before starting conference play at home against Crystal Lake Central on Monday.

While the record might not be exactly what the Huntley coaching staff wanted five games in the season, they're focused on what their team learns from playing some of the best teams in the state.

"We're struggling a little bit, but we're competitive against some of the better teams in the state," Petryniec said. "As long as we are learning from it, we are going to be OK."