Highlands baseball, softball teams have little trouble in postseason openers

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior Shelby Graybill connects in Wednesday's game against Newport. The Ladybirds won 12-1 to advance to the district championship at Winkler Field.

The two teams did not expect to have any issues moving on to the next round and proved it with sound victories in the 36th District Tournament semifinals to open the postseason.

The Highlands Bluebirds baseball team (28-6 overall) and the Ladybird softball team (21-8) run-ruled their semifinal opponents to find a spot in the 9th Region Tournament and play for district championships. The Bluebirds handled the Dayton Greendevils, 10-0 in five innings at Bellevue and the Ladybirds beat the Newport Ladycats, 12-1 in five innings at Winkler Field.

The Bluebirds pounded out 12 hits against the Greendevils with Ricky Raisor and Lou Bunning combining for a no-hitter. Raisor threw the first four innings and Bunning pitched the fifth. The two struck out 11 Dayton batters.

At the plate, Todd Ramey, D.J. Mills, Joseph Martin, Luke Hennigan and Grayson Heck had two hits each for Highlands. Ramey scored three times and Mills batted in three. Mills homered and Heck had two doubles. Conner Kreeger and Ramey added doubles.

The Ladybirds outhit the Ladycats, 9-3. Brennah Dutcher doubled three times in three at-bats, scored three runs and had one RBI. Shelby Graybill went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Bailey Spencer and Haley Coffey added doubles with Dutcher and Abby Rust stealing one base each.

Spencer threw another complete game for Highlands. She allowed three hits, walked none and struck out 10.

Both teams play Newport Central Catholic for district championships Thursday. The baseball game starts at 5 p.m. at Bellevue and the softball game starts at 5:30 p.m.