Playing on a big stage Thursday night in Cedar Rapids, the Hillcrest Raven softball team made big plays in a 9-8 win over Columbus at Mount Mercy University. 

The top of the order came through consistently as Evelyn Gerber, Esther Hughes, and Malia Yoder all reached base three times with Gerber and Hughes scoring three runs each. 

Senior Leah Bontrager tied a career high with nine strikeouts in the win.

Coming off of two winless seasons, the Ravens (2-6) have now won two of their last four games, and fell to Pekin by just one run while Hughes was unavailable. 

“I think we have seen improvement and more competitiveness in all facets of the game — pitching, defense, and hitting,” Hillcrest coach Kent Blossom said. “Probably what stands out is our aggressiveness and team speed on the basepaths and a bend don’t break kind of attitude defensively and in the circle.”

Hughes singled and scored on a Norah Yoder’s single in the first inning, but the Ravens trailed 3-1 after two and a half innings. 

The Ravens sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the third and took a 6-3 lead on Delaney Shaw’s two-out RBI triple. Gerber had a hit while Malia Yoder and Grace Miller came through with RBIs during the five-run inning. 

The Ravens led 7-6 in the sixth with two outs when the top of the order came through again. Gerber reached base and scored on a Hughes single. Malia and Norah Yoder followed with two more singles and the Ravens took a 9-6 lead to the seventh. 

Those insurance runs proved crucial as the Wildcats put the first two runners on in the final inning. Both scored on sacrifice outs, but Bontrager retired the next three batters to keep the tying run off the bases. 

The Ravens were looking for back-to-back wins the next morning with a trip to New London (0-9), but the game was postponed due to rain.