High school softball: Conklin leads Huntley over Barrington

BARRINGTON – Huntley starting pitcher Kateri Conklin couldn't help but get in some trouble on Monday afternoon against a dangerous Barrington lineup, but time and time again the sophomore carefully found her way to a third out and escaped unscathed.

The righty didn't allow a run until the top of the seventh and even then she stranded the potential tying runners to finish off a complete-game 3-1 victory on the road over Barrington.

"As a sophomore, that was her best pitching performance," Huntley coach Mark Petryniec said. "She's young, she's learning out there and she put down a pretty good hitting team today and got herself out of a lot of jams today."

Conklin stranded at least one Barrington baserunner in every inning, thanks in part to seven walks. She struck out six and surrendered just four hits.

"I really just had to focus and make sure I was hitting my spots because my team was out there to back me up and I just had to really relax and make sure everything was going the same as it was the rest of the game," Conklin said.

Conklin's first close encounter came in the bottom of the third when Barrington was inches from taking a 3-0 lead. A single and a walk put runners at first and second with two outs. Then, with a 2-2 count, Barrington clean-up hitter Liz Sweeney turned on an inside pitch and hit a towering fly ball to left field.

The ball easily cleared the outfield wall but it hooked just outside the foul pole. On the next pitch, Conklin got Sweeney swinging to end the inning still scoreless.

Barrington starter Keenan Dolezal was perfect through three innings but in the top of the fourth the Red Raiders manufactured a lead. Shannon Walsh led off with a walk then stole second and, barely, third. Jessica Shields dropped a double down the left field line to make it 1-0 on the Red Raiders' first hit of the game.

Huntley (3-2) tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Shields led off with an infield single before a pair of walks loaded the bases. Autumn Kasal lined a double to the right-field wall, making it 3-0.

Barrington loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth but couldn't score.

Down to their final three outs, the Fillies came out swinging in the bottom of the seventh. Kelly Katis drove Conklin's first pitch of the inning over the center field fence, quickly cutting the lead to 3-1.

Conklin hit the next batter and then issued a walk to put the tying runner on with no outs before another close call with the left-field foul pole. Jenna Fingerman lifted what would have been a walk-off homer down the left-field line but it sailed foul. Conklin responded by changing speeds to strike Fingerman out.

She got the second out on a pop up in foul territory and then finished the game with her sixth strikeout.

"It feels really good as a team because I think this was one of our best team efforts so far," Conklin said. "And I think we all did a really good job today so it feels pretty good and I think we're going to have a lot more success throughout the season as well."

Dolezal pitched all seven innings for the Fillies (8-2), giving up just three hits and striking out 13.

"When you're playing the caliber of team of Barrington and the pitcher we were facing, you just look for the at bats to not get frustrating," Petryniec said. You know she's going to get her strike outs, we had some quality at bats, got some walks and got a couple timely hits."

The game ball:

Kateri Conklin, Huntley, Soph., RHP

The sophomore starter gave up just one run, a solo home run in the seventh, in a complete-game victory. She struck out six, walked seven and worked out of trouble in multiple innings.

The number: 11

runners left on base for Barrington.

The big moment:

The Red Raiders loaded the bases in the top of the sixth and with a 2-2 count, Autumn Kasal cracked a line-drive double to the right field wall, scoring two. Kasal's double made it a 3-0 Huntley lead and ended up providing the game-winning runs.

Huntley 3, Barrington 1

Huntley 000 102 0 – 3 3 2

Barrington 000 000 1 – 1 4 1

WP: Kateri Conklin (7IP, 4H, 7BB, 6K, 1R, 1ER)

LP: Keenan Dolezal (7IP, 3H, 6BB, 13K, 3R, 1ER)

Top hitters:

Huntley –  Jessica Shields 2-4 (RBI 2B, R), Autumn Kasal 1-2 (2 RBI 2B), Shannon Wilson 0-2 (2BB, 2SB, R).

Barrington – Kelly Katis 2-2 (HR), Rachel Krzysko 1-4, Dolezal 1-3.