Highland softball team cruises in IHSA state semifinals

A fast start in their first-ever state semifinal gave the Highland Lady Bulldogs softball club and their senior ace pitcher Sam Miener all they needed to move into the IHSA Class 3A championship game.

Thanks to a four-run first inning and another dominant circle performance by Miener, Highland rolled to an 8-1 victory over Sterling in the Class 3A semifinals Thursday morning at Louisville Slugger Softball Complex in Peoria.

“The way that we’ve been playing all season long if we score three runs in a game we’re like hey we’re good,” Highland coach Glen Nicholls said. “We jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and that team (Sterling) didn’t know what hit them. We were ready for that first game.”

Miener was nearly unhittable as she allowed just one run in the top of the fourth inning. The righthander struck out 10 Golden Warriors hitters and walked just one to pick up the complete-game win.

Maci Miles led the HHS offense with two hits, an RBI, and two runs scored. Miener, Emma Strubinger, Sydney Parkerson, Faith Hickam, and Brianna Habernmehl each had two safeties as the Lady Bulldogs banged out 14 hits.

Eleven of those hits came at the expense of Sterling starter Elizabeth Palumbo. Parkerson drove in four runs.

Up 4-1 after three innings, Highland put the game away in the bottom of the fourth with another four-run explosion which extended its lead to 8-1.

This story was originally published June 17, 2021 at 12:36 PM.