Highland ends Lone Tree?s season with a shutout

RIVERSIDE ? The Highland Huskies baseball team ended the Lone Tree Lions? season in a dominating fashion Thursday evening.

The final score was 10 - 0, with Highland advancing to play New London at 7 p.m., Saturday evening, at the Highland baseball field.

In the first inning Chase Rath took to the mound to pitch for the Huskies. Three batters had hits but didn?t make it to first base because of the team?s strong defense.

The first person to score for Highland was Spencer Wieland. He stole second base and came home after Rath hit the ball to center field at the bottom of the first inning.

The second inning would be when Highland gets a big lead over Lone Tree.

Rath?s pitching was no match for Lone Tree as all but one batter struck out.

Wieland would be the first to come to bat for Highland. He would hit a pop fly ball to center field and would score after Lone Tree had several fielding errors.

Garrett Colbert would also score for Highland after being walked at bat.

Rath hit the ball to center field and would score.

Caleb Brase hit the ball to right field and got to second base. He would be the final scorer for Highland this inning. Highland would be up 7 - 0 against Lone Tree.

At the top of the third, Lone Tree players tried to score their first run, but the Highland defense proved to be too much for them.

Wieland would be the only batter to score for Highland, making it 8 to 0.

At the top of fourth inning, all the Lone Tree batters would be out before they even made it to first base.

In the bottom of the fourth, Highland would score two more runs.

Brase had a hit to left field, stealing second and third base. Josh Michel would get hit by the ball and get walked and would successfully steal second base.

Trey Lasek would be walked.

His brother, Trent Lasek, would hit the ball to left field and courtesy base runner Robert Yoder would score. Brase also scored.

The score would finish at 10 - 0.

The umpires called the game after Lone Tree had one last chance to bat.

Last year, Lone Tree defeated Highland in the second regional game. Rath said the experience from that loss last year helped the Huskies come out on top this year.

?It?s helped us a lot because everybody has been playing,? Rath added. ?We?re used to the varsity atmosphere.?

This is the game Highland was looking forward to the most, Weiland said.

?Just to get that revenge feel,? he said. ?It feels really great to be able to upset them, to beat them and take it over, especially as big as we did, 10 to 0. It feels even better.?

The last two games Highland has played more consistently at the plate, Weiland added.

?We weren?t making little mistakes, and once we got on the plate we were just trying to do everything right just to make sure we get this game in the bag,? Wieland said.

The last time Highland faced New London the score was 4 to 3, Highland winning. Wieland expects the match-up Saturday night to be the same.

?It should be another good game,? he said. ?Hopefully we can win it again ? that would be great, but it should be a good game and it will be hard-fought. We?ve got to show up to play to win.?

Highland will face New London at their home field Saturday evening. The game will begin at 7 p.m.