Big offensive innings helped propel the No. 3 Highland Huskies softball team (23-5 overall) into the next round of postseason. As heard of FM 106.1 and KCIIRadio.com, the Huskies hosted the Class 2A Region 5 quarterfinal bout against the North Cedar Knights (5-23 overall). Highland scored five or more runs in two seperate innings last night, defeating North Cedar 13-2.

A coin flip gave North Cedar home field advantage on the scoreboard and Highland jumped out to an early first inning lead. The Huskies sent 10 batters to the plate to lead off the game, scoring six runs on five hits for an early 6-0 cushion. The score stayed the same through three full innings. Highland produced another big offensive inning in the fourth, adding five more runs on four additional hits, ballooning the lead to 11-0.

The score held until the bottom of the fifth when North Cedar, needing two runs to extend the game, brought the deficit below 10 runs with two runs on three hits to cut Highland’s lead to 11-2. The score remained unchanged until the top of the seventh when Highland struck their final two runs on two hits for a 13-2 advantage. North Cedar went down one-two-three in the seventh, falling 13-2 to the Huskies.

Eight of the nine Huskies starters scored at least one run in the quarterfinal victory. Sophomore Kelsey Hora score three of the runs, and her three stolen bases helped set a new single season record with 45 swiped bases in 47 attempts so far this season. Junior Cheyann Adamson was the only other player with multiple runs scored last night, touching home plate twice in the win.

The victory advances the Huskies into the Class 2A Region 5 semifinal against the No. 8 Durant Wildcats (25-9 overall) in Riverside Friday evening. Durant extended their season last night, defeating the Wilton Beavers, 14-5. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. tomorrow and KCII will have live play-by-play coverage beginning with the Washington Hy-Vee Pregame show at 6:30 p.m. on FM 106.1 and KCIIRadio.com.