Baseball notes: One-loss Huntley making it difficult for opponents to score

Huntley has long tried to play baseball by leaning on strong pitching and defense, and if the Red Raiders put up some big numbers, all the better.

Still, Huntley’s pitching and defense have been remarkable. The Red Raiders are allowing two runs a game with only 30 allowed in 15 games, down 1.5 runs a game from last year.

Huntley (14-1, 7-0 Fox Valley Conference) was in first place, two games up in the loss column after Tuesday’s games. McHenry (42 runs in 15 games) and Hampshire (43 in 13) were next among area teams.

“Our guys, from Day 1, know that we will put the best defensive team out there and we will do our best to manufacture runs,” Raiders coach Andy Jakubowski said. “Pitching and defense will always keep you in a ballgame and our guys have bought into that.

“In our wins, we have eight saves, so we have been in tight ballgames all year minus two games, so our players can play in pressure types of situations.”

Huntley owns a .963 fielding percentage as a team and has committed only 11 errors. Jakubowski credits his pitchers for attacking the strike zone and pitching to contact, along with the charts they keep on teams in previous seasons that help the Raiders to set up their defense.

Mason Leske (4-0, 1.00 ERA), Malachi Paplanus (3-0, 1.05 ERA) and Drew Borkowski (2-0, 0.82 ERA) have been the top starters.

“We knew coming in that we would be strong and deep off the mound,” Jakubowski said. “We have used 11 pitchers in varsity games so far with a few more coming with all of the games that we are backed up on.

“Pitching coach Mike Hlavacek has done a tremendous job of getting them prepared for their next outing as well as going over some of the nuances/sequencing to put them in a spot to be successful.”

Huntley’s offense was one of its best last season at 8.9 runs a game. This season, the Raiders are at 5.5 runs a game, but that has proven to be enough with the pitching and defense nailing everything down.

First baseman AJ Putty (.457, three homers, seven RBIs), designated hitter Kyle Larson (.419, 14 RBIs) and catcher Quinn Drews (.386, eight RBIs) have been the top hitters.

Shortstop legacy: This season will mark the end of an era for Huntley at shortstop when Griffin Goldstein graduates.

Griffin is the third of the Goldstein brothers to man the shortstop position for the Raiders over a total of six seasons. Jordan was Huntley’s shortstop in 2017 and 2018; Lucas played it in 2021 and 2022.

Jordan Goldstein was on the Raiders’ Class 4A state runner-up team. This is Griffin’s second year as Huntley’s shortstop.

“It’s crazy. They helped me with my game just from experience before me,” Griffin Goldstein said. “I’ve known all these coaches for a long amount of years and that’s also helped with relationships and stuff like that.”

Griffin Goldstein says he benefited from being the youngest.

“They hit me balls, my dad [Greg], too,” Goldstein said. “We all played the same position, so we all just worked at it.”

Griffin Goldstein had no doubt who the best shortstop in the family was.

“It’s me,” he said. “It’s me.”

Marengo heating up: Defending Kishwaukee River Conference champion Marengo (12-7, 7-2) has won nine of its past 12 games with new leadoff man Quinn Lechner and slugger Andrew Johnson leading the way.

Lechner moved into the leadoff spot on March 25 against Streamwood and has thrived there. He is hitting .529, with a .610 OBP, 12 doubles, 17 RBIs and 31 runs. Since being moved to the top of the lineup, he’s hitting .614, with a .696 OBP and has scored 25 times.

“He has such a patient approach at the plate and gives us a chance to start the first inning not only with a runner on base, but in scoring position,” Indians coach Nick Naranjo said. “We like to say, ‘If he goes, we go,’ because he gives us a chance to mark early and give our pitchers a chance to work with a lead.”

Johnson already held the Marengo record for season RBIs (41 in 2022) and recently overtook 2023 graduate Caden Vogt as the career leader. Johnson, who recently declared for NCAA Division III Monmouth College, now has 84 career RBIs.

“Andrew has been vital to the success of our offense over the last three years, and a guy that we want at the plate with runners in scoring position,” Naranjo said. “Over the course of this year, we have seen growth in his mentality to put his team first and do everything he can to give us a chance to win.”

Ripping Rockets: Burlington Central coach Kyle Nelson figured his team would produce well on offense with all the experience it has. The top three hitters in Central’s order – Michael Person, Brady Gilroy and AJ Payton – are fourth-year starters. The next two – Jake Johnson and Chase Powrozek – are third-year junior starters.

The Rockets (8-5, 5-2) were in second place in the FVC this week behind unbeaten Huntley. Payton, in particular, has been on a tear at the plate recently. He had eight RBIs and a grand slam in last week’s 13-3 win over Crystal Lake South.

“It’s awesome, especially when you have protection all the way around and you have guys who are going to get the job done,” Payton said. “It’s really nice to be a part of that.”

Gilroy leads the Rockets with a .535, with Johnson at .419. Payton is hitting .340 with a team-high four homers.

Person enjoys hitting leadoff in that lineup.

“All the credit in the world to the guys behind me,” he said. “I feel confident they’re going to get me around and I’m going to score.”

Doesn’t get better: The April 11 game with Cary-Grove at Burlington Central featured a pitchers’ duel that will be tough to top in the area this season with C-G’s Ethan Dorchies against Central’s Person.

C-G won the game 3-1 in nine innings. The Trojans finally scored after Person, who threw 8 1/3 innings, reached the 105-pitch count limit.

Person, a two-time Northwest Herald All-Area first-teamer, struck out 13, walked two and allowed four hits and no earned runs.

Dorchies pitched seven innings, fanned 16, allowed two hits, two walks and no earned runs. He reached the pitch limit after his seven innings.

Hot streaks: Huntley has the area’s longest winning streak at six games, just ahead of McHenry (13-3, 3-2) and Hampshire (11-2, 3-2), which have both won five straight.