Friday night the Highland softball team made short work of the Hillcrest Academy Ravens in the opening round of the 1A tournament, scoring a 13-1 regional win in four innings. The Huskies took a 3-0 lead in their first at bat with Jessica Kraus and MyLei Smith supplying RBI as Sarah Burton, Payton Brun and Jenna Waters all raced around to score. Hillcrest got their lone tally in the second when Evelyn Gerber came around the bases on a Highland error. The Huskies then lit up the scoreboard with a 12-batter, eight run outburst in the third, highlighted by a three RBI, pinch-hit triple from Adeline Krotz and a two run homer from Sarah Burton to make the score 11-1. The Huskies would finish it one frame later when Madison Beeson connected on a two RBI single to score Mackinze Hora and Smith. After the game, Highland players Krotz and Burton joined the KCII postgame show to talk about their big night at the plate.

Krotz said, “When I made contact and saw it go out there, it was such a relief. Being in a 1-2 count, really had me nervous.”

Burton added, “She actually struck me out the one before, so I knew that I had to get her back. I had to get on top of it and score the runner that we had on. That’s what I focused on doing. I think we all connected (in the third inning) and getting the bats going more, which helped a lot because if we get the bats going we’re unstoppable.”

Highland’s offense finished with 12 hits while Grace Batcheller recorded the win in the circle working four frames, allowing three hits and one unearned run. Esther Hughes, Norah Yoder and Leah Bontrager all had hits for the Ravens, Bontrager took the loss in the circle for Hillcrest. The Ravens end their season at 4-19 and say goodbye to seniors Grace Miller, Esther Hughes, Norah Yoder, Evelyn Gerber and Leah Bontrager. Highland improves to 20-8 and will play in the regional quarterfinals of 1A on Wednesday at home against English Valleys.