Bluebirds Best Pandas

Highlands Records Road Region Win

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. The Highlands seniors and their families pose before the game against Simon Kenton on Tuesday.

The Highlands Bluebirds softball team faced the arch-rivals in a battle of teams that have combined to win the last five 9th Region titles.

But the Bluebirds (15-10 overall) claimed this one by a 9-6 score over the host Notre Dame Pandas (13-13). Highlands pulled away with five runs in the fourth inning. The Bluebirds scored three times in the first, but Notre Dame senior pitcher Lauren Durstock hit a three-rune home run in the bottom of the inning to tie it up.

"We still have a few items to clean up," said Rob Coffey, Highlands Head Coach. "We made a couple base running mistakes, a couple errors, a couple things, but we're putting hits together now. I think we've finally found a line-up where the girls are comfortable together. They're confident. We have girls executing that are coming off the bench, which is really nice."

Durstock threw a complete game allowing 12 hits, nine earned runs, two walks, two hit batters and one strikeout. Highlands seventh grade pitcher Kennedy Baioni threw the first four innings then retired the last batter in the seventh allowing four hits, three walk, one hit batter and striking out two. Eighth grade pitcher Gracie Schlosser allowed one hit, three unearned runs, two walks and hit two batters pitching the fifth and sixth in addition to two outs in the seventh inning. Highlands had three errors to one for Notre Dame.

Eighth grader Anna Greenwell and sophomore Abby Rust had three hits including a double and two runs batted in. Junior Rachel Gabbard had two singles and two RBI and senior Liz Mairose plated two on one hit. Senior Brooke Dill had one hit and an RBI and junior Morgan Coffey had one RBI.

"I think the thing some of the younger girls are seeing is that we can't go into cruise control when we get into games," Dill said. "The teams we've played not just rivals, but the teams in our region and even out of region. If we get a lead on them, they can still come back at any time. We can't ever take a play off."

Sophomore Kay Suganuma added two hits for Notre Dame. The Pandas have lost four in a row.

Highlands concludes the regular season with home game against Dayton (9-6). Game time is 5 p.m.

Baseball:
Simon Kenton 6, Highlands 5:

The Bluebirds (20-12 overall) could not bring home the win on Senior Day. They have lost two in a row.

Highlands travels to Cooper on Wednesday. Game time is 5 p.m.