By David Sharp
Highland scored seven first inning runs during their March 21, season opening baseball contest at Highland. The Cougars handed Monroe City a 13-3 run rule loss in five innings.
Drew Smith pitched four and two thirds innings with ten strikeouts on three hits for the win. Zander Johnson tossed the final inning for Highland. Ryan Moss started the game for Monroe City and took the loss. Moss gave nine runs, five earned on seven hits with eight strikeouts. Carter Jones pitched the final inning, yielding four runs on three hits with two strikeouts.
Zach Favre was hit by a one out pitch in the first inning. Favre scored on an error for the opening run. Anthony Walter plated two Cougar runs with an RBI hit. Seth Evans scored on a wild pitch making the Highland lead 4-0 in the first inning.
Devin Stutsman squeezed home another run for a five score advantage. Zander Johnson made the score 7-0 with a two out RBI hit. The Cougars led 7-0 until the teams traded two run fourth innings.
Dylan Ross led off the Panther fourth frame with a base hit. Corey Weiss followed with another hit. Carson Miller drove Ross home with an RBI hit. Weiss score on a passed ball for a 7-2 Highland lead after three and a half innings.
Seth Evans evened the inning with a two RBI hit for a 9-2 Highland lead after four full innings. Zander Johnson put Highland on top 10-3 with an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Cooper Bliven plated another run with an RBI hit. Aidan Lay drove home the winning run, scoring Cooper Bliven for the 13-3 win in five innings.
Highland scored 13 runs on ten hits. Zander Johnson was 2-4 at bat with 3 RBI. Cooper Bliven was 3-4 at the dish with three runs scored and another batted in. Aidan Lay went 2-3 with two runs scored and two more batted in.
Seth Evans and Anthony Walter had a hit and two RBI’s each.
Monroe City had three runs on three hits. Carson Miller, Corey Weiss and Dylan Ross had a Panther hit each.
