Big first inning carries Bowling Green to district title victory over top-ranked Highland

SHELBINA, Mo. — By the time Megan Graver delivered her first pitch of the game, she already felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders.

When the Bowling Green softball team’s diminutive right-hander walked to the pitcher’s circle in the bottom of the first inning, her teammates had already staked her to a five-run advantage.

That early cushion proved to be the difference for Graver and Bowling Green, which eliminated Highland 8-4 in the Class 2 District 5 championship game on a chilly Monday night on the artificial turf at South Shelby High School.

The game matched a pair of state-ranked clubs. Highland (27-3) entered No. 1 and Bowling Green (20-8) was close behind at No. 3.

Graver was well aware what she would be facing in Highland, which had defeated Bowling Green in two earlier meetings 11-4 and 8-0. Highland entered with a 19-game win streak, a team batting average of .434 and had blasted 32 home runs in 29 previous games.

“I knew Highland’s whole lineup was strong, one through nine,” Graver said. “I was just trying to keep the ball inside and jam them. I felt I did a good job, but you have to credit our offense for getting that 5-0 lead early in the game.”

Bowling Green coach Craig Smith said the early outburst was no accident.

“I think the girls had something they wanted to prove, and to go out and jump on (Highland) was a key,” Smith said. “We were able to give Megan a big lead and she was able to shut them down.”

Graver (15-2) went the distance, striking out 10 and walking one. She gave up nine hits, but — for the most part — was the game’s dominant figure. Bowling Green built an 8-2 lead going into the bottom of the seventh, when Highland scored two runs and ended the game with the bases loaded.

Highland coach Paul Scifres, whose club had not lost since early September and had scored 10 or more runs in all but two of its previous 12 games, felt as if the Cougars had been hit with a haymaker in the first inning.

“To beat a team three times is tough, and Bowling Green was dialed in early,” Scifres said. “We were a little shell-shocked at first, and I could feel the stress mounting as the game wore on. I think some of our kids were trying to do too much after we gave up those five runs.”

Scifres, however, lauded his club’s late effort.

“It says a lot about our girls, to be down by six runs in the bottom of the seventh and get to the (potential) tying run to the plate.”

Seven different Bowling Green batters hit safely against Highland starter Abby Lay (11-2). Olivia Dawson, a .422-batting lead-off hitter, had two of the Ladycats’ safeties.

Spearheading Bowling Green’s big first inning were a run-scoring double from Emma Niemeyer and an RBI triple from Graver.

Highland had two hits apiece from Olivia Ritterbusch, Emma Harshberger and Keera Rothweiler.

While Lay surrendered all eight of Bowling Green’s runs, she was masterful through the middle portion of the game, once retiring 14 consecutive batters. She struck out 11 and walked four.

Harshberger wound up as Highland’s leading hitter for the season, batting .569. She also topped the Cougars with 41 RBIs.