The Highland Huskies will be looking to move a step closer to the state softball tournament tonight when they travel to take on BGM in the Class 1A Region 4 semifinals.

After an 8-0 victory over English Valleys in the first round Monday, Highland defeated 2023 state champion North Linn 8-2 on Wednesday for their sixth straight win, improving their overall record to 15-9.

Senior Lilly Barre and freshman Kamryn Fink combined to score six runs on three base hits against North Linn and have been the engines of the Huskies’ lineup all season long.

Fink is the table setter with a .449 batting average, 33 runs scored and 36 stolen bases, while Barre brings the power to the plate, hitting .317 with four doubles, five home runs and 25 runs batted in.

Rookies have also stepped up for Highland in the second half of the season. Eighth-graders Sienna Bell, Kinzie Ruess, Adley Sweeting and Ella Schlabaugh are all batting over .300 and have combined to score 43 runs while also posting 11 doubles, two triples, a homer and 46 RBI.

Mix in the pitching of eighth-grader Jillian Stransky, who has a team-low 2.81 earned-run average and 68 strikeouts in just over 87 innings of work, and it’s all coming together for the Huskies at the right time. To continue forward in the postseason, Highland will have to get through a BGM team that is 18-6.

Young players are also leading the way for the Bears, like pitcher Cara Ament, who has a 2.58 ERA, 118 strikeouts and 17 wins in the circle, and fellow freshmen Emersyn Minnaert and Mya Beck, who are combining to bat .410 with 11 doubles, 41 runs batted in and another 48 runs scored.

First pitch between Highland and BGM is set for 7 o’clock this evening from Brooklyn.