Big inning lifts Huntley to regional crown

ROCKFORD - One big inning was all Huntley needed.

Baffled by DeKalb pitcher Lisa Oller for most of the day, the Red Raiders broke loose for 3 runs in the fourth inning. That was enough to defeat the Barbs 3-2 and win the Class 4A Rockford Guilford regional.

Huntley plays Hononegah on Thursday in the Woodstock sectional. The Red Raiders won their second straight regional title and third in the last four years.

"She had us thrown off-balance," said Huntley coach Mark Petryniec of Oller. "Usually, one time through the order and we can adjust. We still really weren't making adjustments. We got real lucky to be able to hit her."

While Oller kept Huntley (24-12) in check the Raiders' pitcher, Sam Clemons, wasn't bad, either. She held the Barbs to just 4 hits while walking only one.

After getting just 1 hit through three innings, the Raiders broke through against Oller in the fourth. Oller got the inning started by walking Clemons. Doubles by Jenna Mychko and Deana DeBosschere, a single by Alex Albanese, and a couple of DeKalb errors led to the 3 Huntley runs.

The Red Raiders did get a bit of luck. Mychko's hit dropped just inside the right field line and DeBosschere's was nearly a mirror image to left field. Albanese's single was just out of the reach of second baseman Elizabeth Jilek.

Clemons shook off a first-inning homer by Rachel Lux that traveled more than 218 feet to left field. Clemons retired 9 of the next 10 batters. The one batter to reach was thrown out stealing by Mychko.

"I just tried not to let them get in my head and to pitch my game," said Clemons. "I wanted to at least keep my team in the game, and I wasn't going to let her get to me any more."

DeKalb got its first 2 runners on base in the fifth, but Clemons escaped the jam with no damage.

The Raiders had a chance to get an insurance run in the fifth when Sarah Clancy and Clemons beat out infield hits with one out, but Oller got 2 strikeouts to get out of the inning.

The Barbs cut the lead to one on Vicki Vonbergen's double in the sixth, but could get no closer.