Softball: Huntley flashes its depth in pair of wins
It's a luxury any coach would want, and Huntley's Mark Petryniec sure is glad he has it.
Not only do the Red Raiders have a talented starting nine, they can go to their bench and keep playing stellar softball.
Huntley displayed that depth in its second game of the day Saturday, a 14-4 win over Bartlett.
Freshman Jori Heard started in the circle and dominated through five innings, holding the Hawks to 1 hit while retiring 14 straight at one point.
Heard now is 3-0 complementing ace Bri Bower, who stuck out 10 in 6 innings in Huntley's first game Saturday, a 5-0 win over Elkhorn, Wis.
"She's doing a nice job for us," Petryniec said. "With Bri being a power pitcher we're going to need a couple pitchers on staff. We don't want Bri to extend her legs out. When Jori has come in she's done a nice job for us."
After taking an early 6-0 lead with three runs in the first and second innings, Petryniec replaced four of the first five hitters in the lineup, giving more of his bench a chance.
The group responded with 4 hits including a pair from Madeline Rainey.
"The depth of our program is showing because the girls who came in did a real nice job offensively and defensively today," Petryniec said. "We're just fortunate enough to have a lot of quality softball players in our program."
Huntley (9-3), who stole 10 bases in the win over Elkhorn, continued running wild early against the Hawks. The Red Raiders had 4 steals in the first inning, which Reese Hunkins capped with an RBI double to left center.
Lindsay Morgan and Grace Kutz delivered run-scoring hits in the second inning. Morgan led Huntley going 4-for-5 including her fifth home run of the season for a 9-0 lead in the sixth.
"It was right where I like it and I just got ahold of it," Morgan said. "We fielded very well. Hitting wise everybody did so good, everybody contributed. Our whole team is so good and everyone can hit when we need to."
Bartlett, who lost 6-2 to Elkhorn, is missing its top pitcher Lizzie Jacoby and one of its top bats, Gianna Campo, with injuries.
Coach Jim Wolfsmith used three pitches against Huntley, Kaitlyn Edwards, Vanessa Rincon and Nicki Campo.
"It's been a rough start to the year," Wolfsmith said. "We've got some injuries to key people. I think we've played some good softball against some good softball teams. We've got to find our stride to get some wins. I like the way we're progressing."
The Hawks ended Heard's shutout in the sixth on a walk to Anna Tomillo, a double by Charlotte Linnartz and Riley Scrivner's 2-run single. Rincon also singled home a run.
Both teams get into conference play Monday, Bartlett at home against Glenbard South and Huntley hosting Dundee-Crown.
The Hawks will try to build on the final two innings when they scored four runs.
"You are going up against quality teams and sometimes when you are struggling as a team you carry it to the plate and you are not swinging at good pitches," Wolfsmith said. "Second half of the game I thought they started swinging at good pitches, driving the ball. Unfortunately it was after we were down 8, 9 runs."