It was rematch time between two teams that reside in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference, the Highland Huskies, and the Hillcrest Ravens. 

With Highland taking the earlier season win, 12-0, the Ravens would be the home team this time around. Despite the different location the result would be the same with Hillcrest falling to Highland, 15-3, on June 22. 

For Highland this win propels its record to 15-8 and its conference record improves to 9-3. With this loss Hillcrest’s conference record now sits at 4-9 and their overall record drops to 7-15

The Huskies would take a 2-0 lead after two innings played and they would add to their lead by scoring three more runs in the fourth and a single run in the fifth. Hillcrest would go scoreless for five innings with Highland’s defense making it difficult for a Raven player to even get on base.  

Stretching their lead to 10 in the sixth the Huskies would begin the inning with a triple from junior Sarah Burton. Up next sophomore Lilly Barre would bunt the ball to bring in Burton for the score. Barre would also eventually score and also scoring this inning would be junior Payton Brun and senior Abbi Stransky. 

After Stranksy scored Hillcrest would make a pitcher change. Coming in for sophomore Malia Yoder would be fellow sophomore Kylee Statler. Once the top of the sixth ended Highland also made a pitcher change, junior Grace Prybil would replace senior Jessica Kraus on the mound. 

  Hillcrest would score for the first time in the bottom of the sixth. Scoring for Ravens would be freshman Adrianne Blauvelt and sophomore Zoey Curtiss. With those two runs scored Hillcrest cut its deficit to eight, avoiding a shutout and not letting the mercy rule come into play.

The top of the seventh would see Highland’s first three batters be walked. While on base an errant pitch from Statler allowed eighth grader Alexa Hahn to steal home. 

Another wild pitch allowed senior Katelyn Waters to come home for the score. Freshman Adisyn Prottsman would then hit a double to bring Brun and Burton home, Prottsman would eventually also go on to score. 

In the bottom of the seventh Statler would score Hillcrest’s third and final run after eighth grader Ruth Witthoft hit a single. 

Leading the Huskies in RBIs with three was junior Abigail Pierson. She also ended her day with three hits, also a team lead. Both Kraus and Prybil finished this game with five strikeouts, with Kraus giving up one hit and Prybil giving up three hits. 

Highland 11, Columbus 5

In a game that saw Highland pull away late the Huskies went on the road to challenge the Columbus Wildcats to a conference battle and left with a 11-5 victory on June 20. 

After three innings the Huskies would hold onto a 3-1 lead and after a runless fourth frame Highland would firmly separate from the Wildcats. Scoring four runs in the fifth and sixth innings the Huskies would take a commanding eight run lead. 

The lead would be too great of a wall for the Wildcats to overcome in just one inning, only scoring two runs in the seventh to ultimately fall to Highland. This would be the 11th time this season the Huskies would post a double-digit score. 

Highland junior Sarah Burton, junior Payton Brun, senior Abbi Stransky, and junior Abigail Pierson were all tied for the team lead for RBIs with two each. Going two for five at the plate Burton scored three times and hit a home run, this was her third home run of the season.

Continuing her stellar senior season on the mound for Highland was Jessica Kraus. Kraus would end her night with 10 strikeouts, giving up nine hits.   

West Burlington 3, Highland 1

The runs were not easy to come by in Highland’s road game against the West Burlington Falcons on June 21. 

Both teams played tough on defense, leading to neither team being able to score after five innings played. After points were finally put on the board in the sixth, it was the Falcons who came out on top over the Huskies, 3-1. 

With no runs being scored after the first five innings this game was parched for runs scored. Highland would be the ones to provide a healthy dose of offense by taking the lead and scoring a single run in the top of the sixth. 

This came about after sophomore Lilly Barre drilled the ball into the outfield for a single. Barre would steal her way to third base and then senior Abbi Stransky would connect with the ball for a base hit, allowing Barre to score. 

Highland’s single run lead would not last long. In the bottom of the sixth the Falcons would score thrice to snatch the lead from the Huskies. Two errors by Highland, one at first base and one in the outfield, proved to be costly. Highland switched pitchers in this inning, going from junior Grace Prybil to freshman Adisyn Prottsman.

Highland was unable to score in the top of the seventh and the game would come to an end. This loss for the Huskies put a halt to a three-game winning streak they were on. 

Up next for Highland (17-10) will be a Class 1A postseason game against a fellow SEISC member, the Lone Tree Lions (9-14), on June 30. The Huskies, having already beaten the Lady Lions twice this season, will be looking to make it three wins in a row over Lone Tree.