Softball: Huntley beats Rockford Auburn, reaches another sectional final

Huntley is no stranger to the big stage.

The Red Raiders advanced to their first sectional final in 2017 and have been back every year since.

Top-seeded Huntley kept that impressive streak going Wednesday with a 5-3 win over fourth-seeded Rockford Auburn in a Class 4A Barrington sectional semifinal.

Huntley (29-9) advances to face second-seeded Barrington in the championship at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Barrington’s Field of Dreams. Barrington, which beat Hononegah 7-3 in the second semifinal, has eliminated the Raiders from the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.

With so much success also comes pressure.

“Yes, but it’s a good pressure,” said third baseman Christina Smith, one of three seniors on the Red Raiders. “It’s not, ‘Oh, what if we lose?’ It’s, ‘Oh, what if we win?’ We’re focusing on how we can keep going, how we can keep improving and just doing better every time.”

“At this point, it’s only us who can bring us down. We’re all just ready. I hope it all comes out on the field (Friday).”

Huntley had 13 hits while junior pitcher Gretchen Huber held the Knights to only four in Wednesday’s win. Huber, who struck out six and walked three, issued a one-out walk in the bottom of the seventh and fell behind the next batter 2-0.

She recovered by getting a forceout at second base and then struck out No. 2 hitter Eva Ostergaard for the final out to send the Raiders into Friday’s championship.

Huber remained unfazed no matter the situation.

“If you see an emotion out of Gretchen, that’s surprising,” Raiders coach Mark Petryniec said. “It’s her first time on the big stage and she handled it really well today.”

Huber’s teammates appreciate the easy-going nature of their pitcher.

“She’s one of the calmest pitchers I have ever met,” Smith said. “She can be in the most tense of situations and just smile and act like it’s a regular Wednesday. As a defense you see that and it calms you down. She is just so cool.”

Huber has enjoyed a bigger role this season.

“I think it’s fun to be a part of it,” Huber said. “Last year I was on the (varsity) team but I get to make more of an impact this year. Just take any opportunity I can and try and do my best with it. I know any other pitcher on this team can pitch just as good.”

Twelve of the Raiders’ 13 hits went for singles Wednesday, and they also put pressure on Auburn’s defense and starting pitcher Alyssa Lowery, a St. Ambrose commit, with four steals. Lowery struck out three and walked one.

Junior left fielder Ajai Bonner put Huntley ahead 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning, lacing a one-out, two-run single into center field to score pinch runners Lana Hobday and Makayla Rasmussen. Bonner was thrown out trying to to stretch the hit into a double.

After a dropped fly ball with two outs, junior second baseman Sadie Svendsen tallied an RBI hit to score Ellie Winter for a 3-0 lead. Huntley added to the lead in the fifth, going up 4-0 on a sacrifice fly by Lyla Ginczycki.

Smith finished 3 for 4 with a double, Winter, a senior right fielder, scored two runs and junior catcher Madison Rozanski tallied an RBI hit in the sixth for Huntley’s fifth run. Sophomore shortstop Aubrina Adamik was 2 for 4 and made multiple tough plays in the infield, including a diving grab in the fourth.

Auburn (18-14), which earned its first regional title in program history and set the team record for wins in a season, scored two of its three runs on a two-run, two-out double by sophomore second baseman Za’Kayia Hudson in the sixth.

Knights coach Jessica Palos said the Raiders’ style of play is tough to defend.

“They make a lot of good contact, a lot of those duck-snort hits that drop in and you can’t do anything about,” Palos said. “They don’t go down without a fight.”

Now the Raiders will try and earn their first sectional championship since 2021. That year, they placed third at state.

“This is huge for us,” said Bonner, who was 3 for 4. “At this point, it’s only us who can bring us down. We’re all just ready. I hope it all comes out on the field (Friday).”