The Highland Huskies, Winfield-Mount Union Wolves and Columbus Wildcats are all moving on in the high school softball playoffs after first-round wins last night.

Highland topped Keota 13-1 in Class 1A Region 8 yesterday in Riverside, building on a 2-0 lead after one inning by scoring six times in the second. Two more runs in the third frame and three more in the fourth allowed the Huskies to end the game early.

Senior Sarah Burton came up with two triples and a double while also scoring three runs and putting up two runs batted in for Highland. Sophomore Adisyn Prottsman also had a double as part of a team-high three hits and finished with three RBI.

Junior Lilly Barre smoked both a double and a triple on her way to scoring twice and driving in one run, while senior Peyton Brun had two RBI and scored three runs after hitting a pair of doubles.

Sophomore Mackenzie Davis added two hits, one run scored and another batted in for the Huskies, while eighth-grader Kamryn Fink scored twice to go with one hit.

Senior Grace Prybil pitched all four innings and allowed no earned runs on one hit while also racking up five strikeouts to help Highland improve to 18-8 and send the Huskies to the Region 8 quarterfinals tomorrow night against Calamus-Wheatland. Meanwhile, the season comes to end for Keota with a record of 2-15.

Winfield-Mount Union found itself trailing 4-1 after an inning of play last night against Pekin in 1A Region 6. The deficit would swell to six runs by the bottom of the third, but the Wolves used a seven-spot in the home half of the frame to go in front 8-7.

The Panthers would briefly tie the game with a run in the top of the sixth, but WMU took the lead back for good with one run of their own in the bottom half and would go on to win 9-8.

Freshman Lilly Hecekthorn led the lineup with three hits, including a double, and had one run batted in for Winfield-Mount Union. Junior Josie Nelson also stroked a double as part of two hits, two runs scored and two RBI.

Senior Makiah Lower came up with a pair of base knocks and drove in a pair, while sophomore Kellee Milks had a double, one run scored and another batted in during her two-hit game.

Milks also two stolen bases as the Wolves raise their record to 6-19. WMU will now face Holy Trinity Catholic in the Region 6 quarterfinals tomorrow evening.

Meanwhile, it took until extra innings, but Columbus broke open a tie game last night with West Branch in the 10th and would go on to an 8-4 victory in Class 2A Region 8.

Junior Lily Coil blasted a triple as part of a two-hit night and scored two runs while also driving in one for the Wildcats. Daniela Diaz had two hits and scored twice, while fellow sophomore Jessica Del Rio had two RBI to go with a pair of base knocks.

The best night at the plate for Columbus belonged to junior Aracely Garza, who had team highs of three hits, two runs batted in and two steals. Coil pitched all 10 innings and allowed just one earned run on eight hits while striking out 12.

The victory moves the Wildcats to 8-21. Columbus advances to face Louisa-Muscatine in the Region 8 quarterfinals tomorrow night.