Schuck on a Truck: Highland’s Abby Lay discusses state championship, Player of the Year honor

LEWISTOWN, Mo. — As good as Abby Lay was throughout the regular season at keeping hitters off-balance and wriggling out of trouble, she was exponentially better in the postseason.

Just consider this: the Highland softball team’s junior ace did not allow an earned run in the final seven games of the season, including each of the five postseason games.

It’s why the Cougars celebrated their second state championship in program history.

Lay guided Highland to a 4-1 victory over Mid-Buchanan in the Class 2 state title game at the Killian Softball Complex in Springfield, Mo. It was the first time since 2005 the Cougars played in a state title game, and Lay played a significant part.

She fashioned a 1.29 ERA with 213 strikeouts in 162 ⅔ innings, compiling a 24-5 record and earning first-team Class 2 all-state honors from the Missouri High School Fastpitch Coaches Association. She held opposing hitters to a .187 batting average.

Offensively, the 2024 Muddy River Sports Missouri softball Player of the Year hit .454 with a .711 slugging percentage, four home runs and 41 RBIs.

Lay joined Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman via Zoom — winter weather ruined the chance for them to sit on the truck tailgate — to discuss the Cougars’ success for this episode of “Schuck on a Truck,” brought to you by Shottenkirk Toyota.