Gallery • 3 Photos

Kent Arnold

Seniors Macey Johnson and Piper Tedrow pose before their softball game.

The Highlander softball team faced the Wakefield Warriors on Friday, March 25. The game, held at McLean, led to a loss of 9-6 for the Highlanders.
McLean started hot at the end of the second inning with a score of 1-0, but their lead quickly went downhill. By the top of the seventh inning, McLean was losing 9-3.
“We definitely need to work on not leaving as many runners on base, and if it’s a tough inning and we’re getting hit on a lot, we have to remain calm and make the easy plays,” senior catcher Lily Brumbaugh said.
The pitcher for Wakefield, senior Abby Kohan, was particularly strong, so the Highlanders knew they were up for a challenge.
“We never gave up. Wakefield’s pitcher was really good and we knew that coming in,” Burmbaugh said. “We were still able to put a good bat on the ball and have good at bats.”
The Highlanders stayed positive throughout the game, despite the score and brutally cold weather.
“Even though we were down by six runs, we still tried to keep scoring and didn’t give up,” Brumbaugh said.
McLean made a final comeback attempt in the last inning, scoring three runs, but they still fell short. The final score was 9-6 in favor of the Warriors.
“It was an even game between two good teams, and it was fun to see the girls rally in the last inning,” parent Deborah Connor said.
The cold, windy weather affected the results of the game. There were three deep hits in one inning that were all kept in by the strong wind blowing against the players.
“Our offense was shut down by ourselves. Wakefield had some double plays so avoiding those will help,” senior center fielder Piper Tedrow said.
The Highlanders are optimistic that their performance will improve as the season progresses. It’s still the beginning of the season, and unfavorable conditions meant the game was not fully indicative of the team’s ability.
“I think we will be really good this year. We have a lot of strong underclassmen, which is rare on a varsity team, so it’s fun to watch them develop,” Brumbaugh said. “I’m really excited for the playoffs and our senior night against Langley.”
The team will be hosting many events in the future and is urging fans to attend games, which tend to be sparsely attended.
“Come to the games, they’re super fun,” Brumbaugh said. “We have a competitive district and I think we’ll be really good this year.”