Highland baseball team traveled south again this time only to Fort Scott and opened KJCCC play as the Scotties scheduled for a home and home series with the Greyhounds played all four games in Fort Scott due to the snow still covering Highland Community ballpark.

While the Scotties got the offense moving in the right direction pumping out some hits and runs in the series Fort Scott's bats packed too much punch for Highland to match. Scotties fell on Thursday 13-7 and 15-7 playing as the home team in those games, while on Friday Fort Scott topped Highland 8-1 and 8-0.

Highland falls to 1-14 on the season and 0-4 in KJCCC play the Scotties are set for games next week to continue the season but unsure where contests will happen due to weather.

Thursday – Game One
In the first game of the series Fort Scott struck first with a run in the first and second inning to lead 2-0 but the Scotties busted out for six runs in the bottom of the second inning to take the advantage in their favor. Highland capitalized on four walks, a hit batter and a pair of balks in the second inning to score their six runs getting singles from Justin Rieschick and Conner Fiene in the inning. Fort Scott however tied the game in the top of the third with a four-run half inning and the game remained tied until the top of the fifth when Fort Scott put forth another four-run inning to lead 10-6. Greyhounds added three more runs in the top of the seventh, while the Scotties attempted a late rally getting three straight singles in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game Highland managed to just get one run on a bases loaded walk drawn by Avery Miller to finish the game 13-7 in favor of Fort Scott.

Scotties notched nine hits in the loss, with Rieschick and Fiene each getting a pair, while the team drew five walks and had three hit batters in the contest. On the mound Jake Schrock got the start going one and a third inning, while Austin Gottula and Dylan Arnett each tossed two plus innings in the game and Noah McClanahan also saw action.

Thursday – Game Two
Like game one Fort Scott struck first plating three runs in the top of the first including a two-run homer but the Scotties answered with a two run bottom of the first scoring each run on passed balls. Highland took the lead with a three-run bottom of the second inning scoring off a three-run homer by Nick Schifftner. In the third inning each team notched a run in the frame Scotties getting an RBI single by Avery Miller to plate their run. Fort Scott push the lead firmly in their favor by scoring three runs in the sixth and five more in the seventh before Highland got on the board again with a run in the seventh on a Victor Sanchez RBI double. Fort Scott tacked on three runs in the ninth and secured the 15-7 over Highland.

In the loss the Scotties registered nine hits as Dalton Burt and Sanchez each had a pair of hits, while Schifftner finished with a three-run homer. On the mound Rieschick tossed five innings as the starter giving up four runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out four. Four other Scotties saw action on the mound including two innings from Max Milligan.

Friday – Game One
Fort Scott once more took the early lead with a two-run homer and three-run homer in the first and second innings to lead 5-0 before the Scotties got on the board as Jordan McClellan was hit by a pitch and moved around the bases on a single, walk and scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-1. The Greyhounds did the rest of the scoring plating a run in the fourth of their own and then two more in the fifth to secure the 8-1 win over Highland.

In the loss the Scotties were out-hit 13-3 with Schifftner, Burt and Jackson Rehkow notching the three hits, while on the mound Burt got the start and tossed two innings giving up five runs on seven hits. Drake Seetin tossed two and one-third innings and Schrock worked an inning and two-thirds of relief.

Friday – Game Two
The final game of the four-game set went the way of the host team also as Fort Scott held the Scotties off the board. Fort Scott plated a run in the first then put up a five spot in the second and a run in the third and fourth innings, while the Scotties managed just three hits and have five errors in the matchup.

McClellan, Burt and Fiene each had a hit for the Scotties in the loss, while on the mound Milligan tossed two innings as the starter giving up seven runs only four earned on five hits. Jared Wells worked two innings of relief and Noah McClanahn went four innings of relief giving up just one hit, a walk and struckout three.