Highland trails, rallies but falls short

LISBON — After a wild night of momentum swings, some clutch hitting sent Lisbon to familiar territory.

Lisbon pushed past Highland, 8-6, in a Class 1A regional final Tuesday, sending the Lions to state for the fourth straight year.

Highland ended season at 22-7, which exceeded expectations at every turn this season. The Huskies made things difficult for the Lions with its young roster. Each of the last five Lisbon runs (three in the fourth, one in the fifth and one in the sixth inning) came with two outs.

“No one expected us to get this far,” Highland head coach Carrie Wieland said. “We were underrated all the time and we just showed them that we can play with anybody. We didn’t come out on top, but I had two great kids pitching. Everybody did their best and I couldn’t ask for anything else.”

The Lions (35-8) qualified for the state tournament for the fourth straight year. They chased Highland starter Grace Batcheller for Jessica Kraus in the second inning while jumping out to an early 3-0 lead.

A Payton Brun RBI double put the Huskies on the board in the top of the third. Kraus gave the Lions a zero in the bottom of the third.

In the top of the fourth, a pair of Lisbon errors led to a Highland run. The tying run came across as Sarah Burton beat out a grounder to short. With runners on second and third, Brun ripped her third double of the game, giving Highland a 5-3 lead.

With all of the momentum in the Highland dugout, Lisbon came right back in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out RBI double and catcher Taylor Techau’s first home run of the year. The blast put Lisbon up 6-5.

The teams traded runs in the fifth and Lisbon added an insurance run in the sixth.

Ryleigh Allgood finished off her complete game of six hits, two walks, six strikeouts, a hit batter and one earned run as the Huskies went down in order in the seventh.

Brun had half of the Huskies six hits. Burton had two and Kayla Cerny one. Batcheller threw four outs with three hits, three runs, two earned, and a strikeout. Kraus threw the last four and two-thirds innings with five hits, five runs, four earned, two walks and a strikeout. With both pitchers returning and a number of talented underclassmen contributors, including freshmen Brun and Burton, hopes will be high for Highland next season.

“We’re coming back,” Wieland said. “Look out.”