Clutch hitting key for Huntley
A Huntley baseball team thirsty for the key hit took a big drink from the fountain of clutch in a 9-3 victory over visiting Dundee-Crown Saturday.
The Red Raiders scored 4 second-inning runs on 4 consecutive two-out hits to overcome a 2-0 deficit, and Nebraska recruit Bryce Only belted an opposite-field grand slam to cap a 5-run fourth inning.
“The last eight innings — the seventh inning (Friday) and seven innings today — we’re seeing the ball a lot better,” Huntley coach Andy Jakubowski said. “I think our guys have found more of an approach.”
The victory completed a 2-game sweep for Huntley (13-11 6-6) in the Valley Division of the Fox Valley Conference. On Friday, the Red Raiders scored 5 runs in the top of the seventh inning to back pitcher Bryan Doherty’s no-hitter.
Dundee-Crown (6-14-1, 3-9) committed 4 errors, including an error at third base with two outs in the fourth. Huntley cashed in for 4 unearned runs as Jake Wagner, Colin Lyman, Jordan Chiupek and Nick Corpolongo each followed with run-scoring singles.
“This year either we hit and we don’t play defense, or we pitch well and we don’t hit,” D-C coach Tommy Parisi said. “You need three parts. You need to catch, throw and hit to win a baseball game, and we always seem to have two of the three.”
Huntley loaded the bases in the fifth inning against Chargers starting pitcher Erik Brewer (2-4) via a single by Lyman, a fielder’s choice, a Dundee-Crown error and a single by Mark Skonieczny.
Only, who entered the game hitting .246, then blasted his first home run of the season to right-center field on a 1-1 pitch. With one swing he upped his RBI total from 8 to 12.
“I was just trying to go up there and hit something hard,” Only said. “We had the bases loaded there. I tried to get something out of the infield and lift. The wind was blowing out to right center. I guess the ball got up and carried over the fence. It felt good.”
“His approach has been getting a lot better,” Jakubowski said. “He’s hitting the fastball more, sitting on the off-speed more, and he’s getting himself into a positive count.”
Huntley starting pitcher Justin Gundlach (3-3) was the beneficiary of the Red Raiders’ 13-hit outbreak. He held the Chargers to 3 runs on 6 hits in 5 innings, struck out 3 and walked none. Reliever Dan Lowry pitched 2 scoreless innings with 3 strikeouts to close out the win.
The bottom three hitters in the Huntley order went 5-for-11 with doubles by Kameron Salee and Brandon King.
“I think hitting’s contagious,” said King, who went 3-for-4. “When everyone’s hitting, we’re all going to do well.”
D-C catcher Dylan Kissack hit a two-out run-scoring single in the first inning, and Jake Romano, a Miami (Ohio) recruit, continued to swing a hot bat. He collected 2 hits and a sacrifice fly to improve his area-best batting average to .556 (35-for-63).
“I’m just seeing the ball and hitting the ball,” Romano said. “I just feel good out there.”
The Chargers will attempt to snap a 7-game skid against FVC teams on Tuesday at Woodstock North. Huntley goes for its third straight win Monday at Burlington Central.