The Ravens traveled to Riverside to compete against the Huskies in what would be a playoff rematch from last year. Last year Hillcrest’s baseball season came to an end when they lost to Highland in the second round of the postseason. 

Flipping the script and getting some revenge, Hillcrest defeated Highland, 10-4, on June 6. This win for Hillcrest keeps them perfect on the season, 7-0, while this loss for Highland drops them to 5-4. 

Hillcrest started off the scoring in this contest, courtesy of senior Luke Schrock. Third in the batter order, Schrock stepped up to the plate in the first inning after two of his teammates were struck out by Highland senior Ethan Paisley. 

Paisley looked to strike out three Ravens in a row, but Shcrock had other plans, walloping the ball past the fence for a lone home run. Hillcrest would double up their score in the second inning when sophomore Mason Bender sprinted home after his teammate senior Josiah Beachy hit a single. 

Entering the third inning with a 2-0 lead the Ravens would start to really put the pressure on the Huskies. Sophomore Seth Ours would run in for a score after a catching error at home plate, Schrock would score again by sliding into home while narrowly avoiding a tag from the Highland catcher, and Mason would score again off senior Grant Bender’s double. 

After giving up three runs Highland decided it was time for a pitcher change. Senior Peyton Yeggy would take over pitching duties. Hillcrest would score one more time in the third, courtesy of Grant, to take a commanding 6-0 lead.  

When up to bat in the bottom of the third the Huskies would go strikeout, strikeout, and a pop-fly being caught. Schrock was the pitcher for Hillcrest and his pitching was a big reason why Highland was scoreless up to this point. 

In the top of the fourth after Yeggy hit a Hillcrest batter, causing him to walk which made the bases loaded, Highland made another pitcher change. Coming into pitch would be freshman Bryce Hazelett. 

This was a stressful situation Hazelett would be put into, bases loaded with no outs, but he was able to handle it. The next two Hillcrest batters would hit pop-flies that were caught and Hazelett would strikeout the next batter to end the inning, the first inning of the game where Highland did not give up any runs.  

The bottom of the fifth is where Highland scored their first points of the game. 

After getting hit with the ball senior Aiden Paisley would get on base and after hitting the ball into the outfield sophomore Ryker Miller would also get on base. Senior Ethan Simpson would also get hit by the ball, allowing him to get on base, making the bases loaded for the Huskies. 

The next batter for Highland, sophomore Logan McFarland, would step up to the plate and drill the ball in between second and third base, bringing in Aiden and Miller for Highland’s first and second runs scored of the game. The inning would end with Highland trailing 6-2.

Highland would make another pitching change before the sixth inning began. Replacing Hazelett would be eighth grader Landon Roling. 

Hillcrest freshman Rowan Miller got onto base after hitting a single and after senior Jace Rempel scored off Grant’s double the bases would be loaded once more after Beachy was walked to first. The bases being loaded prompted Highland to change their pitcher once again. Coming into pitch would be eighth grader Garrett Beeson. 

Hillcrest Phoenix Anderson would hit a double after the Highland pitcher change, bringing in Grant and Miller, making the score 9-2, which would be the score the inning would end on. 

In the final inning Hillcrest would score for the last time when Ours stole home after a wild pitch from Beeson. This caused Highland to change their pitcher for the last time of the game. Replacing Beeson would be senior Tyler Thompson. Thompson only faced one Hillcrest batter, who hit a pop-fly that was easily caught by Highland.

Trailing by eight the Huskies had one last chance to tie or take the lead in the bottom of the seventh. They would start off great, with Yeggy hitting a ball deep into the left outfield for a double. Miller would follow this up by hitting a single. 

After two Highland batters were struck out, McFarland would step up to the plate and hit a single which brought in Yeggy and Miller to score. Highland’s next batter, sophomore William Dunbar, would be struck out to end the game and Hillcrest would win, 10-4.

Highland 9, Louisa-Muscatine 1

Getting back into the swing of things the Huskies were able to pick up their second consecutive victory, after three losses in-a-row, when they went on the road and defeated the Louisa-Muscatine Falcons, 9-1, on June 9. 

Not only was this a game between two teams in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference but it was also a rematch from a game earlier this season, a game in which Highland also won. With this second win over the Falcons, Highland improves its conference record to 4-3 and its overall record to 6-6. 

Highland took an early lead after scoring twice in the first inning and after holding the Falcons to zero points through three innings the Huskies scorched five runs in the fourth to take an emphatic 7-0 lead. They would build upon this lead even more in the next inning by scoring two more runs. 

The Falcons were able to avoid getting shut out completely by scoring their first and only point in the bottom of the sixth. 

A trio of Huskies were able to score twice in this game; sophomore William Dunbar, eighth grader Landon Roling, and sophomore Ryker Miller. Senior Peyton Yeggy, who scored once, recorded two RBI’s, the team lead. 

On the pitching mound for five innings for Highland was senior Ethan Paisley. Paisley struck out 11 batters in 61 pitches thrown and only allowed two hits. Highland’s other pitcher was Dunbar, who pitched in two innings and struck out one Falcon batter. 

Highland (6-6) faced off against Pekin (4-10) on June 13 and they battled Van Buren (14-1) on June 14. Next up for the Huskies they will go on the road to face off against Wapello (1-9) on June 15 and they head home when they host Winfield-Mt Union (4-7) on June 16. Capping off its week, Highland will continue to stay home when they compete against New London (4-9) on June 19.