by Alan Hoskins
Highland lived up to its No. 12 Division II softball ranking Wednesday, sweeping Kansas City Kansas Community College 9-2 and 3-0.
The losses dropped the Blue Devils’ overall record to 24-10 and Jayhawk mark to 12-10 as they hope to rebound with a pair of home conference doubleheaders against Cloud County Friday at 2-4 p.m. and Brown Mackie Saturday at noon-2 p.m.
Highland put the opener away in the first inning, scoring five runs on just two hits – a double and 3-run home run off Leslie Ford and then added four runs in the sixth.
KCKCC collected nine hits but could score only in the fourth on doubles by Hanna Baarnhart and Morgan Dike and a single by Ashley Henington. Mierra Morisette with a double and single and Justice Scales with two singles were the only Blue Devils with more than one hit.
The Lady Blue Devils were limited to just five hits in the 3-0 nightcap to nullify a strong pitching performance by Elizabeth Seimears, who allowed five hits and struck out six.
The only run in the first five innings off Seimears came on a leadoff home run in the second.
Three of the Scotties’ five hits came in the sixth when they added their final two runs. Lacey Santiago’s 2-out triple in the fifth was the only extra base hit for KCKCC.