Ottensmeier, Miscik’s big bats propel streaking Highland past Bellleville East
Jake Ottensmeier and Matt Miscik have been swinging hot bats at the plate of late for the Highland baseball team.
On Monday (May 23) at Belleville East, the duo continued that trend as Ottensmeier went 4-for-4 with a two-run home run and Miscik doubled twice and drove in three runs as the Bulldogs jumped to an early 5-0 lead and held on for a 9-6 nonconference victory over the Lancers.
Entering Wednesday’s Class 3A Regional at Highland on a seven-game winning streak made Miscik and HHS (24-9) feel good about the direction the club is trending as the playoffs start.
“I think it (the win) sets our minds right for the playoffs where we’re going in on a couple of big wins last week and then tonight another good, big win over a good team,” Miscik said.
Miscik’s two-run double of East starter Ean DiPasquale staked the Bulldogs to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
“I was just looking for a fastball, something over the middle of the plate,” Miscik said.
Tyler Griesbaum followed with an RBI hit for a 3-0 margin.
Mason Emig singled to left to start the second inning and then with one out, Ottensmeier hammered an 0-1 pitch high over the right-field fence for a two-run homer that stretched the cushion to 5-0. The homer was Ottensmeier’s first-ever.
“I was just waiting on it, got a good swing on it and it carried,” Ottensmeier said. “It felt good to get my first home run ever, so it was cool.”
Ottensmeier led the Bulldogs’ 14-hit attack with his four-hit day.
“I was really just looking to do damage and whatever I could do to help the team,” said Ottensmeier, who scored three runs and drove in two. “Today I saw the ball really well and just helped the team get a win.”
Bulldogs add insurance, hold off Lancers
Belleville East (25-8) rallied to within 5-3 thanks to a three-run surge in the bottom of the second inning.
In the top of the sixth, the Bulldogs plated three more runs to take control. Luke Darling and Miscik provided the big blows with a single and a double.
“To be able to tack on those three runs in the sixth inning, that was huge,” Highland coach Joel Hawkins said. “We had some good baserunning in there with the double steal for one (of those runs).”
Blaise Pearson singled home a run in the top of the seventh to make it 9-3.
Down 9-4 in the bottom of the seventh, East pulled within 9-6 on a two-out, two-run single by Kannon Cates. The rally was quickly halted as catcher Blayne Kapp threw out Cates as he tried to reach second on the throw to home.
Entering postseason on a high note
Overall, Highland’s showing in the regular-season finale pleased Hawkins.
“It was a good mix of stuff to get those runs up there and I kind of thought Matt’s big blow in the first was a big shot of relief for us,” Hawkins said. “All in all it was a good win and that’s what you want — a springboard game to go in on.”
Hudson Wiegman scored two runs for HHS, while Miscik started and earned the win, throwing three innings and allowing just two earned runs.
Alan Mason and Kannon Walker each had two hits apiece to lead Belleville East, while DiPasquale took the loss.
Highland opens the Class 3A regional at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, at home with a semifinal game against Mississippi Valley Conference foe Civic Memorial.
This story was originally published May 24, 2022 at 10:08 AM.