Highland softball bats go quiet against Waterloo in Mississippi Valley Conference loss

Limited hitting against Waterloo pitching ace Mia Miller and a long first inning for Lady Bulldogs starter Sophia Donoho were Highland’s undoing Monday, April 18, as the Bulldogs dropped a 2-1 Mississippi Valley Conference contest at home to visiting Waterloo.

“We were kind of playing catch up the whole game and we got the one run and unfortunately that’s all we could muster,” said Highland coach Glen Nicholls.

Conference leader Waterloo sent seven batters to the plate in the top of the first against Donoho and scored two runs. Waterloo loaded the bases in the frame and scored its first run off a sacrifice fly and then a wild pitch allowed the second run to score for a fast 2-0 lead.

“She (Donoho) threw 35 pitches in the first inning and after the first inning she was fine and was kind of grooving. But, unfortunately, that first inning they (Waterloo) had bases loaded with no outs and ended up scoring two runs out of it,” Nicholls said.

In the bottom of the third, Highland touched Miller for a run. Maci Miles led off with a single. Breanna Habermehl followed with a double to chase Miles home, cutting the lead to 2-1.

Miles went 1-for-3 with a run scored, while Habermehl had a double and an RBI on the day.

After early scoring, Miller and Donoho settled in on the circle and neither pitcher gave up a run thereafter. Miller allowed only two more hits to HHS as Kelly Fuller turned in a 2-for-3 performance.

That was it for Highland’s bats.

“Miles, Bre Habermehl, and Kelly Fuller — that was pretty much our offense right there,” Nicholls said. “She (Miller) kept us in check.”

Miller went seven innings, struck out eight, and walked one to get the win. Bethanie Ahn went 1-for-3 for Waterloo with a run scored and Maddie Davis also scored a run.

Donoho pitched 6 1/3 innings, fanned 10 batters and walked five.

Highland, which beat Evansville Reitz 9-5 and lost to Johnston City 6-4 in the Johnston City Tournament Saturday, April 16, will host MVC rival Triad at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 20 — weather permitting.

“We went 2-2 in our last four games and we could have easily won all four of them and it’s really a game of inches sometimes,” Nicholls said.

This story was originally published April 19, 2022 at 3:57 PM.