The Hillcrest Academy Raven baseball team outlasted rival Highland in an offensive shootout Wednesday afternoon in Kalona by a final of 8-6 in the Area Game of the Week.

The first of 18 total hits between the Huskies and Ravens arrived on the first pitch of the game when Highland senior Logan McFarland launched a deep fly ball to left center field for a standup double. The next three Highland batters would reach before Hillcrest pitcher Rowan Miller settled in and recorded his first strikeout. After one more hit in the frame on a two-RBI double by junior Bryce Hazelett, the Huskies sent the Ravens to the bats for the first time staring at a 4-0 deficit. However, Hillcrest would have the response, sending eight to the plate and scoring their first three runs on four hits to pull back within a run heading into the second. After a blank slate in the second, the Huskies would add on two more in the third, only to see the Ravens plate five and take the lead in the bottom half on five additional hits. Hillcrest and their defense would pitch a shutout in the remaining four frames to hold on for the comeback win.

Unofficially, Hillcrest scored eight runs on nine hits and committed two errors. Highland scored six runs on nine of their own hits and also had two errors. Lincoln Miller and Lawson Schrock led the Ravens with a combined four singles, two runs and four RBI. Miller picked up the win on the mound, spinning the first five frames and allowing all six Highland runs, three earned, on all nine Huskie hits, gave out three walks and had five punchouts. Liam Schrock recorded a save in relief, tallying three Ks in his six outs of work. Schrock joined KCII Sports postgame to talk about his performance down the stretch on the bump.

“I started off good, but then beaned a few obviously and that just kind of set it off bad,” Schrock said. “Thankfully I was able to get a few calls and struck two out in a row to get me out of it.”

Highland was led for the second straight game by sophomore Landon Roling’s three singles, one run and an RBI. McFarland pitched the complete game in six innings, taking the loss and allowing all eight Raven runs, three earned, on all nine of their hits, no walks and two strikeouts.

Hillcrest now sits alone atop the north division of the Southeast Iowa Superconference at 10-6 overall and 9-2 in league play. Meanwhile, Highland now sits alone in second place in the north standings, dropping to 8-7. The Ravens are in action tonight, hosting Burlington Notre Dame, while Highland plays host to the Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union Wolves this evening in a game you can hear live on the KCII3 Stream beginning with pregame coverage at 5 p.m.