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Huskies toppled by Wayne
Highland suffers loss in quarterfinal round
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
FORT DODGE — The Highland softball team might be the least experienced team in the Class 1A field, but the Huskies certainly didn’t show the least amount of fight.
Eighth-seeded Highland made top-ranked Wayne sweat, but the Falcons battled out a 7-4 victory.
“It’s definitely something different,” said eighth-grader Kinzie Ruess, one of the many Highland underclassmen. “Seeing all the read out there, and playing in front of all these teams is definitely a learning moment, but it’s also very fun.”
Wayne used some nifty base running to score two runs in the first inning, but Highland starter Jillian Stransky was able to shut the Falcons down in the second to buy the offense some time to get the runs back.
“It was a good challenge for me to test myself,” said Stransky. “Especially with being so young.”
The third inning was Highland’s big one, and it all started with the Top-2 batters in the order. Kamryn Fink got on with a double on a blooper to right field. Lilly Barre singled Fink over, and took second on the play when Wayne failed to cover the base.
“I’m so pumped, with all the adrenaline and all the hype and everything,” said Fink. “I was just doing what I could to keep everyone on their toes.”
Adley Sweeting would score one run on an RBI infield single, and Adisyn Prottsman brought two in with a two-out double to right-center, giving Highland the lead.
The Falcon bats, though, were hard to quiet down. Wayne scored two runs in the bottom of the third and added two in the fourth to take a 6-3 advantage, and then added one insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.
Highland kept hitting the ball, but had trouble putting runners across the plate. The Huskies did score once more, when Fink lined a single up the middle, stole second and came all the way around to score on a throwing error.
The runs, unfortunately, stopped there. Wayne starting pitcher Izzie Moore was able to settle down and get the final three outs, and the Huskies were knocked to Wednesday’s consolation round.
“I think they proved everything we needed to prove,” said Highland head coach Carrie Wieland. “We’re just a little more green, and they’re a little more seasoned. but I know we put a big scare in their pants.”
Fink finished the game 3-for-4 with a double and a stolen base. Prottsman was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, and Sweeting finished 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Barre, Sienna Bell and Kayce Schnoebelen all had hits in the loss. Barre and Ella Schlabaugh each stole a base.
Stransky went all six innings, giving up seven runs (five earned) on 11 hits and one walk, while striking out six batters.
Highland fell to 17-10 with the loss. The Huskies took on fifth-seeded Newell Fonda (24-12) on Monday, a game that ended in a 7-6 loss. The game story on that consolation matchup will be online before the weekend and in Tuesday’s edition of The Union.
