The Ravens came to town to face off against Highland in a Southeast Iowa Super Conference softball showdown. Dating back to 2011 the Huskies have defeated Hillcrest 21 times in a row. This win streak would not be broken after Highland (5-4) defeated Hillcrest (3-4), 12-0, on June 6. 

This victory makes it back-to-back wins for the Huskies, something they welcome with open arms after a three-game losing streak. For the Ravens this loss makes it the first time this season they have suffered back-to-back losses. 

Highland thoroughly took control of this game from the jump, scoring four in the bottom of the first to take an early lead. After no runs scored in the second the Huskies would score eight in the bottom of the third to end the game early and secure a mercy rule win. 

“It’s good, we needed to start putting a few together,” Highland coach Carrie Wieland told KCII after the game about her team’s baserunning. “We have all the speed that we need on the bases and we have runners now that we have worked into the program so we really needed to just put the ball into play and I think that helped tonight and hopefully we’ll just keep rolling forward with that.” 

With the game shortened because the score became too lopsided Hillcrest ended up with only one batter recording a hit. Sophomore Morgyn Nafziger hit a single in the top of the third and managed to steal second base before the inning came to an end. 

Up to this point pitching for Hillcrest in games has been sophomore Malia Yoder, but in the bottom of the third a pitcher change occurred. Making her season debut in the pitcher position for the Ravens was sophomore Kylee Statler.

Scoring one run, two runs, and three runs respectively for Highland was junior Sarah Burton, sophomore Lilly Barre, and junior Payton Brun. 

Burton would end the night with the team lead in RBI’s, with two runs driven in, and hitting two triples. Barre would go one for two at bat, hitting a double and stealing two bases. 

“Lilly, my number two hitter,” Wieland said about who impressed her in this game. “I put her in there knowing she could have to bunt sometimes to move Sarah, but I think that now that we have it down a little bit better, we know some of the tricks of the trade that we can get Sarah to second and Lilly hit the ball well tonight, she really puts the ball into play well.”

Senior Jessica Kraus continues to pitch exceptionally well for Highland this year. Kraus would end the night with six strikeouts, one hit allowed, and allowed only two Hillcrest batters to walk.     

“She really wants the team to win, and she works hard to be better. She is excited when somebody makes an out and we get excited for her when she strikes somebody out,” Wieland said about Kraus. “I think the team aspect of it all is really coming together.”

Highland 4, Holy Trinity 3

It took extra innings to settle this battle between the Huskies and the Holy Trinity Catholic Crusaders but in the end, it was Highland who earned a hard-fought 4-3 victory on June 7. 

This win pushes Highland’s win streak to three and its overall record improves to 6-4. For the Huskies this was the first game they have played this season that needed extra innings to finish.

After scoring in the second inning Highland held onto a single run lead until Holy Trinity was able to score in the fourth to knot up the game at 1-1. Each team would score twice in the next inning and the score would remain tied at 3-3 for the rest of the game, leading to an eighth inning needing to be played. 

The Huskies would score once in the top of the eight and shut out the Crusaders in the bottom of the eighth to take the victory. 

Scoring one run each for Highland was sophomore Lilly Barre, junior Payton Brun, junior Abigail Pierson, and junior Madison Beeson. Junior Grace Prybil, who pitched six innings, struck out three batters and senior Jessica Kraus, who pitched two innings, also struck out three batters. 

Highland 6, Louisa-Muscatine 5

Rolling. This would be the most fitting word to describe Highland softball as of late. Notching its fifth win in-a-row, Highland was able to knock off the Louisa-Muscatine Falcons in a Southeast Iowa Super Conference matchup, 6-5, on June 9. 

Winning by a single score the Huskies were able to flip the script from a game earlier in the season where the Falcons defeated them by a single score, 8-7, on May 23. By virtue of this win Highland improves its conference record to 5-2 and its overall record now sits at 8-4. 

Leading the team in runs scored for Highland was junior Sarah Burton and senior Abbi Stransky, they both scored twice. Stransky also led the team in hits with three and recorded two RBI’s. 

The pitching duties for the Huskies was split between senior Jessica Kraus and junior Grace Prybil. Kraus pitched in 4.2 innings and finished with four strikeouts, giving up three hits. Prybul pitched in 4.1 innings and ended with two strikeouts, giving up eight hits. 

Highland (9-6) faced off against Pekin (0-11) on June 13 and they battled Van Buren (12-5) on June 14. Next up for the Huskies will be going on the road to matchup against Wapello (9-6) on June 15 and then they will stay home to host Winfield-Mt Union (4-7) on June 16. Ending their busy week, the Huskies will stay home to compete against New London (0-13) on June 19.