Baseball: Huntley rallies with 4-run eighth
Huntley simply refused to lose and end its season.
An RBI single by Kamrin Hoffman completed a 4-run eighth inning and the Red Raiders rallied for a 6-5 win in semifinal action of the Class 4A McHenry sectional Thursday night.
The Red Raiders (30-6) will take on Barrington (23-7-2) for the sectional title Saturday at 11 a.m. The Broncos advanced to the finals with a 5-3 win over Guilford.
"These kids always believe they can win," said Andy Jakubowski. "I told the kids in the eighth lets get some people on base and give ourselves a chance to win. We did a great job of grinding out at-bats. I am at a loss for words. We have had great comebacks before but this ranks up there."
Hoffman got the pitch he wanted to deliver the game-winning hit.
"I was looking fastball and got a good swing," said Hoffman. "Coach (Jakubowski) told us to keep grinding at-bats and get runners. We never stopped believing we could win. We have great teamwork on this team and everybody contributed to the win."
Down 5-2 entering the bottom of the eighth, Hunter Rumachik drilled a running-scoring double to right field to make the score 5-3. The Raiders sliced McHenry's lead to 5-4 on an RBI single by AJ Henkle. Jordan Goldstein, who tied the game at 2-2 in the seventh with a 2-out RBI single, walked with the bases loaded to knot the game at 5.
"Jordan showed the leadership of a senior with 2 great at-bats in the seventh and eighth," said Jakubowski. "He got his pitch to hit in the seventh and was selective in the eighth and grinded out a walk."
The Red Raiders tallied a run in the first to take a 1-0 lead on a run-scoring single by Matt Rodriguez.
The Warriors (26-11) tied the game at 1 on a solo homer by Garrett Gillund in the third. McHenry took a 2-1 lead on an RBI double by Owen Patzin in the fifth.
Warrior junior pitcher Joe Kaminsky blanked the Red Raiders until the seventh when Goldstein delivered an RBI single to tie the score at 2.
McHenry seized control of the game with 3 runs in the eighth off Huntley reliever Nick Laxner. Jake Evans collected an RBI single and Nolan Shannon drilled a 2-run double to give the Warriors a 3-run lead.
Grant Yakmisky, who retired the last 2 batters of the innings, earned the win while Patzin suffered the loss for the Warriors.
Hoffman led the 9-hit attack for the Red Raiders with 2 hits including the game-winner.