The Highland softball team may not have played the best game they played all season, but it got the job done and the win.

Highland won their first round of the playoffs 8-1 last night over Van Buren.

The Huskies got the bats going early with a single from Cheyann Adamson, and an RBI single from Bridget Murphy to make the score 1-0. Murphy scored later on an error to make it 2-0 Huskies after one. Katie Springer helped her own cause in the second, striking out the side.

In the bottom of the second it was Seaira Drish who led things off with a single, and then an RBI triple from Adamson scored Drish and moved Adamson into scoring position, and she eventually scored off an error to make it 4-0

The third inning got dicey for the Huskies as Kadie Meek got a hit off of Springer, and an error on Bonnie Saunders put two on. A sacrifice bunt put them both into scoring position, but Highland found a way to get out of the inning and keep it 4-0, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long. Highland doubled their lead in the third inning off three hits and two walks. Morgan Craig, Bailey Walsh, Drish and Jordan Rath all scored runs thanks to a sacrifice RBI by Adamson, and a two RBI single by Kelsey Hora to make the score 8-0.

Both teams sat down quietly in the fourth, but in the fifth, Van Buren made another charge, this time taking away the shutout. The Warriors had two reach on an error and had a single to load the bases with one out. They got the second out when Springer got Caitlin Millard to ground into a 3-2 fielders choice, but an RBI single from Taylor Murguia scored one before the inning was over and made the final 8-1 score.

Highland head coach Carrie Wieland talked after the game about needing this game to shake off some of the rust from being off for a week.

“I think step-by-step we needed to get this game in, and it’s been a long time waiting for it and you can tell at the beginning that we were a little rusty I think, and weren’t very patient in the box, but we’re glad to have the win and ready to move on,” Wieland said.

Highland was led at the plate by Adamson going 2-3 with two runs and two RBI’s, Hora was 2-4 with two RBI’s and three stolen bases, and Drish was 2-4 with two runs. Springer threw all seven and gave up five hits, one run and it was earned, a walk, and struck out six.

Highland will play Wapello for the third time this season on Friday at home. The Huskies have beat Wapello both times in the regular season.