McHenry’s Kaden Wasniewski, Zach Readdy shut down Huntley

HUNTLEY – Always-ready Zach Readdy is relishing his relief role.

Really.

“I like closing a lot,” the Saint Xavier University-bound pitcher-corner infielder said Friday after finishing off McHenry’s 6-1 win over three-time defending Fox Valley Conference champion Huntley with three no-hit, scoreless innings. “I feel like I can get loose a lot and find my groove. I like being in command and being able to shut the door.”

It was Readdy’s second save in four days after his perfect seventh inning completed a combined no-hitter with starter Brandon Shannon in a 2-0 win over visiting Hampshire on Tuesday.

Readdy struck out six of the 11 batters he faced Friday, as McHenry (8-1-1) improved to 2-0 in the FVC, while dropping Huntley (7-3) to 2-1 in the conference.

Readdy has made four appearances in relief this season and has not started a game on the mound.

“He’s been that guy [in the closer role] so far, and it looks like he’s bought into it,” McHenry coach Brian Rockweiler said of the senior right-hander. “He’s throwing strikes with multiple pitches. ... Somebody might hit him, but it doesn’t faze him.”

McHenry sophomore starter Kaden Wasniewski showed he, too, is unflappable. The hard-throwing righty pitched four innings for the win, striking out nine, while allowing three hits (all singles) and two walks.

The Warriors staked Wasniewski to an early lead, thanks in large part to freshman Carver Cohn’s opposite-field grand slam to left field in the second inning. Nathan Niedhardt (2 for 2) reached on an infield single, driving in Kyle Maness (leadoff walk) to put the visitors up 6-0 in the third.

But after Wasniewski struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the third, T.J. Jakubowski legged out an infield single, and Illinois-bound AJ Putty reached on an error. Wasniewski walked the next two batters, including Dylan Visvadra with the bases loaded, but got the third out on his sixth strikeout.

He struck out the side in order in the fourth, ending his day.

“He’s a warrior,” Rockweiler said of Wasniewski, who’s a second-year varsity player. “He just competes on the mound. It’s hard to believe he’s only a sophomore.”

Huntley never threatened again.

“I was happy that our guys got (Wasniewski’s) his pitch count up and got him out in the fifth,” Red Raiders coach Andy Jakubowski said. “But Zach Readdy did a really, really nice job keeping us off balance with his three-pitch mix.”

Cohn’s grand slam, after Huntley starter Drew Borkowski hit two batters and walked one after one out, was his second in seven days. He had an inside-the-park grand slam against Larkin on April 5. The lefty-hitting Cohn hit a Borkowski pitch high in the air and watched it sail over the fence near the foul pole.

“When I hit it, I was like, ‘Oh, I missed it,’ ” Cohn said. “But then I was like, ‘OK, you got an RBI [sacrifice fly].’ And then [left fielder] kept going back, and then he looked up, and [the ball] went over. I was kind of amazed that it went out. I didn’t think I caught it that well.”

Cohn also walked twice as he continues to be a catalyst from the leadoff spot.

“Some kids on our freshman team are older than him,” Readdy said with a laugh. “He’s been hitting the cover off the ball. It’s crazy.”

Donovan Christman added a double for McHenry. Readdy, who started the game at first base, had a single and an RBI walk.

“We’ve been struggling a little bit with freebies,” Jakubowski said after his Raiders walked five batters, hit three, threw four wild pitches, committed four two errors and allowed two stolen bases. “You give a good team like McHenry [that many] freebies and you’re going to put yourself in trouble.”