Baseball: McHenry leads Huntley in suspended Class 4A Hampshire Sectional title game

HAMPSHIRE – McHenry pitcher Kadin Borck worked his way out of potential first-inning trouble by inducing Huntley batters into a pair of ground-ball outs, then worked a swift, 10-pitch perfect second inning.

Meanwhile, the Warriors used great patience at the plate to work four walks and score twice in the second inning.

McHenry led 2-0 and had runners on first and second in the top of the third inning Saturday when the Class 4A Hampshire Sectional baseball championship was suspended for rain. The game is set to resume at 10 a.m. Monday.

The winner between McHenry (29-7) and Huntley (29-7-1) advances to the Kane County Cougars Supersectional at 6 p.m. Monday against York (30-9). The winner of that game moves on to the Class 4A State Tournament semifinals at Joliet’s Duly Health & Care Field at 7 p.m. Friday.

McHenry coach Brian Rockweiler was uncertain which way the Warriors will go with Monday’s pitcher. Borck threw 23 pitches and can return to the mound or the Warriors can go with someone else.

“We have a lot of options. Everybody’s pretty much available,” Rockweiler said. “We were fortunate getting some early runs. They struggled with command early and we’ll take it.”

Borck finished with two strikeouts in his 10-pitch second inning.

“You just have to go up there and be confident,” Borck said. “I know I got a bunch of dudes behind me who have my back. I’m trying to just throw strikes, let them hit it, and do my thing.

“I’m not sure (who will throw Monday). I’d love to. They make great decisions, they’re going to do what’s best for the team and I’m right there for it.”

Huntley starter Malachi Paplanus worked out of trouble in the first inning, leaving runners on second and third, both of whom reached on errors, with a strikeout and a fly to right field.

Paplanus, who will pitch at NCAA Division I Wright State, struggled with command in the second as he pitched through rain, and walked four batters.

McHenry’s Connor McLean singled to lead off the second and Kyle Maness walked. Kamrin Borck struck out, but Carson Weidner, Ryan Nagel and Payton Sensabaugh drew walks to bring in two runs.

Dylan Visvadra replaced Paplanus and the Red Raiders turned a 6-4-3 double play to end that inning.

“We struggled off the mound early. We struggled defensively early,” Huntley coach Andy Jakubowski said. “The positive thing is we get to hit a reset button, flush it, and hopefully be ready to go and make some plays on Monday and find a way to chip back.”

Owen Micklinghoff walked to lead off McHenry’s third and Kaden Wasniewski singled, which is where the game will resume on Monday.

“I had a lot of issues with all the dirt on my shoes,” Kadin Borck said about the elements. “Gripping it was fine, I kind of tightened my grip a little bit and trusted my stuff. I had a lot of stuff on the bottom of my shoes, it kind of weighed me down a little bit. It’s baseball, things happen, you have to overcome it.”

McHenry played York in a supersectional two years ago. Huntley is looking for its first sectional title since 2018, when it was 4A state runner-up.