Louisa-Muscatine did not have much success at the plate on Wednesday — until the Huskies pulled starter Chase Schultz after five innings. 

Three hits, two walks, and one error later the 4-1 lead was gone and the bases were loaded. 

So the Huskies went back to their junior ace. 

Schultz struck out the Falcon leadoff batter on three pitches to strand three runners and keep the game tied. 

After Logan Bonebrake reached base with a leadoff single and scored the go-ahead run on a balk in the bottom half of the sixth, Schultz retired the side on 12 pitches to preserve the 5-4 Highland victory. 

Schultz struck out 13 without walking a batter. He allowed just one run on three hits over 6 and 1-3 innings. 

“I was able to locate (the fastball really well tonight, and the outside pitch was working well,” Schultz said. “They were having a tough time sitting back on it, So I just thought if I could pound the outside corner — and my curveball was working well, down the middle and in the dirt. So, everything just kind of came down to execution.”

Since a 15-5 loss to Highland on May 28, L-M has proven it can play with, and beat, some of the best teams in the conference. The Falcons suffered one-run losses at Mediapolis and West Burlington, and defeated Pekin 12-1 on June 8. 

“We knew that L&M, they’ve been doing good the last couple of weeks,” Schultz said. “Beating really competitive teams, and those coaches have that team coached well. They’re a lot better than they were the first time that we played them.”

Brenton Bonebrake and Schultz each had a two-out single as Highland took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Bonebrake doubled and scored along with Luke Miller on a single from Schultz in the third. 

“For us to score in the first, and then to add a couple more, it put some pressure on them to do something,” Highland coach Seth Milledge said.

“They came back and they played a really good game today and sort of put us on the ropes a little bit too, but then we answered and put ourselves in a position to have them make a mistake for us to win the game there.”

Highland led 4-0 until Jared Worely hit a leadoff home run in the fourth inning.

Schultz leads the conference in wins, and among pitchers in the conference with at least three starts, he has the best earned run average (1.13) and is second in total strikeouts (46) and third in WHIP (1.00).

“Chase does what he’s supposed to do, he’s one of, if not the best, pitcher in this conference in my opinion,” Milledge said. “I think the stats sort of show that. It's just a testament to the type of work he puts in and the effort that he gives us on the mound. He gives us a chance to win every time he goes out there.”

Kaige Vonnahme was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Peyton Yeggy was 1 for 1 with a walk. 

Highland 8, Lone Tree 0

Connor Grinstead, Peyton Yeggy, and Bryce Thomson combined for a one-hit shutout of Lone Tree on Tuesday, June 15. 

Logan Bonebrake had two hits and drove in two runs as Highland completed a two-game season sweep of rival Lone Tree with an 8-0 win. 

Chase Schultz was hit by pitch twice. He also had a hit and drove in two runs for the Huskies. Kaige Vonnahme had a hit and a walk and scored twice. Thompson and Grinstead each had a hit and a walk as well. Luke Miller drew three walks and scored a run. 

Grinstead was credited with the win. He went 3 and 1-3 innings and without giving up a hit or a walk. He struck out five.