The Highland Huskies (9-7, 6-3) held off a last-minute rally by the Winfield-Mt. Union-Columbus Wolves (4-12, 4-7) to hang on for a 3-2 victory, ending the Huskies’ five-game losing streak.

The Huskies jumped ahead early at their first opportunity, as senior Logan McFarland hit a single and swiped two bases to reach third base, setting up sophomore Landon Roling to knock him in with an RBI single and establish an early 1-0 Highland lead.

Roling walked and scored the second run of the game off a ground ball by Caleb Wheeler in the third, doubling Highland’s lead.

Roling, who was the starting pitcher Thursday night, held the Wolves scoreless through three innings, stranding two runners in each of the second and third innings. Placed on a strict pitch count by head coach Allen Rath, he was pulled after three innings of work in favor of Hunter Siebel, who kept the wolves down for two more innings.

In the meantime, WMU reliever Lane Genkinger locked down Highland in the fourth and fifth as three runners were cut down at the plate on a mental mistake by McFarland, who was tagged out as he decided not to slide at home plate following a passed ball by catcher Trevor Phillips, and a pair of pinpoint throws to the plate made by left fielder Kohlby Newsom, each of which kept the Huskies at two runs scored.

The Wolves finally broke through in the top of the sixth, as Kason Dopler reached on an error by Siebel, Parker Wilson reached on a walk, and both came across on an error by Highland shortstop Bryce Hazlett to knot the game at two.

In the bottom of the sixth, though, the Huskies got one back. Third baseman William Dunbar got hit by a pitch and was pinch ran for by freshman Dawson Bell, who got knocked in by an RBI groundout to second by McFarland to give Highland a 3-2 lead. McFarland described his approach in the at-bat, “I always try to hit it toward the left-center gap because it’s easier to pull it, but there I was trying to hit it to right center because I thought hitting it [to the opposite field] would be better. I got it the right direction, just not the right height.”

Siebel got into trouble again in the bottom of the seventh, as a single and two walks with two outs put the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on second with the bases loaded brought WMU-Columbus catcher Trevor Phillips to the plate.

Phillips struck a line drive into center field, but the ball was hit directly to McFarland, who made the catch to secure the win for Highland.

Siebel earned the win for his efforts, giving up two runs, neither of which were earned, on two hits and three walks in four innings of work. Roling received no decision for his efforts after allowing five hits and one walk in three scoreless innings.

Genkinger, who hit Dunbar and was responsible for the go-ahead runner before being swapped out for Riley Kaalberg, received the loss. Genkinger was responsible for one run, which was earned, one hit and one walk in 2+ innings of work. Starter Kason Dopler threw three innings, giving up two runs, one of which was earned, on four hits and one walk.

Both teams return to action on Friday as the Wolves host Burlington Notre Dame and the Huskies hit the road to take on the Louisa-Muscatine Falcons.