As far as defeats go, this one was about as excruciating as they come.

Leading by two runs and one out away from a third-consecutive trip to the regional semifinals, that final out never arrived for the Highland softball team.

“Walks, the walks,” Highland Coach Carrie Wieland lamented after the Huskies surrendered three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and lost to Wapello, 3-2, in a Class 1A regional quarterfinal Wednesday night at the Wapello Athletic Complex. “We had a plan and we needed that out. ... Too many people on base. We just can’t give up those walks. It is a free base, and it kills you every time. And we did not score enough runs. We had people on base almost every inning and we didn’t score.”

A Highland fielding error, a walk and an infield hit allowed Wapello to load the bases in the final fateful frame. With two outs, a second free pass to Wapello’s Mya Wagner brought home a run that cut the Arrows’ deficit to 2-1 before Wapello’s hottest hitter – Tatum Wolford – who had already lined out hard and singled twice, stepped to the plate with a chance to win the game.

Wolford delivered. Her sharp two-run single to right field appeared to stun even her own home bench. Instead of charging onto the field in celebration, the Arrows paused as if to process how they went from one out away from their season ending to emerging victorious in a span of two batters.

“After that one batter, that first batter got on ... I think that is where we just struggled a little bit,” Highland junior shortstop Sarah Burton said. “Trying to find our comfort zone and on defense, our communication fell apart a little bit, as well.”

Wapello (22-10) fell two nights later at No. 8 Sigourney, 2-0, in a regional semifinal.

For Highland (18-11), the regional quarterfinal loss erased a strong pitching performance from senior Jessica Kraus, who allowed seven combined runs in a pair of losses to Wapello earlier in the season. This time, Kraus held the Arrows scoreless, allowed just two base hits and struck out three batters before exiting the game with a 2-0 lead and two outs in the fifth inning.

“Jess had a good game,” Wieland said. “It wasn’t so hot tonight, so she could hold on to the ball a little better.”

Highland senior Katelyn Waters was a pivotal factor in both Huskies’ runs. In the top of the third inning, she was hit by a pitch and later scored from second base on Lilly Barre’s sacrifice bunt via some savvy baserunning.

“I saw the second baseman on first base stutter-stepping and not getting her footing on first base,” Waters said. “So, I just was like, ‘Well, it’s now or never.’ So, I took home.”

Two innings later, Waters followed up Maddie Beeson’s leadoff double with a single that scored Beeson and extended the Huskies’ lead to 2-0.

“Maddie started off that inning great, getting that base hit and that just kind of lit a fire under me,” said Waters, who will study diet and exercise at Iowa State University in the fall. “I was like, ‘I am going to score her.’ (Wapello pitcher) Ada Boysen threw a pitch that I just love so much, and I just drove it out to right field.”

Waters and Kraus are part of a senior class that graduates four starters along with outfielder MyLei Smith and third baseman Abbi Stransky.

“They are just good kids,” Wieland said. “The juniors need to take that. They need to take that and go with it. They are rule-followers, they like each other, and they have got good families.”

Of the aforementioned juniors, Burton (.358 batting average, 34 hits, 34 steals, 40 runs, four home runs, 21 runs batted in) headlines a talented group of Huskies that will return next season.

In addition, junior first baseman Payton Brun (.389 batting average, 31 runs, 26 runs batted in, team-high 35 hits), junior pitcher Grace Prybil (2.91 earned run average, 33 strikeouts), junior utility player Abigail Pierson (27 runs batted in) and sophomore second baseman Lilly Barre (team-best .402 batting average along with 33 hits and 28 steals) will all be back.

And it’s probably safe to assume the fashion in which this season ended will not be forgotten.

“Making it this far and then making it even further next year hopefully,” Burton said. “Just because we know that we can easily fill those positions with who we have coming up and I think it will be even better next year.”