Softball: Huntley takes pitchers' duel over Dundee-Crown

With two tough pitchers in the circle and the wind blowing in, runs figured to be hard to come by for Huntley and Dundee-Crown Tuesday.

But the Red Raiders were able to make the most of the opportunities they got to take the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division softball showdown in Huntley, 3-0.

Huntley's Tiffany Giese and D-C's Sydney Ruggles were in charge for most of the afternoon, allowing a combined 4 hits.

Huntley's aggressive baserunning allowed the Raiders to make the most of just 3 hits.

"With the wind blowing in the way it was today, we knew it was going to be something small, put the ball in play and hope for something good," said Huntley coach Mark Petryniec. "Tiff threw one of the best games of the season against a decent-hitting team, and she did a really good job of holding their lineup down today."

Ruggles held the Raiders (15-5, 5-0) hitless for 3 innings before they finally broke through in the fourth. Rylie Porretto grounded a single through the right side. Hayley O'Mara followed with a screaming line drive past the first-base bag, putting runners on the corners. One run came in on Sofia Tenuta's infield out, and a second scored when Autumn Kasal reached on an error.

"Before we were all just hitting it right at them, said O'Mara. "Then we all started finding gaps and getting lucky and landing on base."

That was more than enough support for Giese, who was nothing less than dominant. But any Jake Arrieta-like thoughts she may have had evaporated in the first inning. Claire Weeks lofted a high drive off the top of the left-field fence. It bounced back into the field of play, holding Weeks to a double. She made it to third but was stranded there.

The Chargers' defense, solid all night, suddenly deserted them in the sixth, when 3 miscues led to an insurance run for Huntley.

Leadoff hitter Jessica Shields reached base 3 times for Huntley, with 2 walks and a single.

"I thought we played well today," said Chargers coach Tracy Beatty, whose team dropped to 12-12 overall and 2-4 in the conference. "They're a decent team, and last time we played them it was 8-2 and we let it get away from us. Defensively, we stood strong. They hit the ball, they're fast, and I thought we did a good job with it."