Box Score Highland softball opens the NJCAA Division II National tournament on positive note grabbing 7-2 win over Kankakee.

Scotties despite falling behind 1-0 early used a pair of home runs in the bottom of the first to secure the lead and ultimately the game over Kankakee in the first round of the National tournament beating the Cavaliers for the second team at the National tournament (other time in 2013).

Kankakee worked the bases loaded in the first inning but the Scotties limited them to one run and then answered in the bottom of the first scoring four runs on two home runs. After Chevelle Sartin was hit by a pitch and Kami Zimmerman walked, Alexis Hodapp tattooed a ball out of the ballpark for a three-run home run her 15^th of her career to make it 3-1. Hannah Schmidt followed in the next at bat with a solo home run and the Scotties led 4-1 after one inning.

Kankakee got their only other run in the game by plating one in the third capitalizing on an error and three hits but once again the Scotties minimalized the damage giving up just one run and the Cavaliers stranded three runners. Scotties got the run back on four walks in the bottom of the third as Sirena Salazar drew a bases loaded walk to bring the run making 5-2.

In the fourth Highland tacked on two more runs highlighted by a RBI single from Hodapp and used that cushion to go on and win 7-2 as Kelly Uthe and the Scottie defense had a pair of one-two-three innings defensively to finish the game.

Bailey Lacy earned the win in three innings giving up two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks, while striking out two and Uthe tossed the final four innings giving up no runs on one hit and one walk, while striking out three.

At the plate the Scotties managed only three hits but took advantage of six walks and a hit batter to score seven runs. Hodapp went 2-3 with a three-run homer, walk, four RBI's and run scored, while Zimmerman was 1-2 with a pair of walks and three runs scored. Schmidt and Cassidy Greer each had a hit, while Sartin added a pair of runs scored, hit by pitch, reach on an error and walk.

With the win the Scotties move to 34-10 on the season and win the opening round of the National tournament for the fourth time out of their seven trips. Highland will now take on Itawamba out of Mississippi in a winner's bracket game on Thursday, may 23^rd at 3:30pm; catch the game on the Scottie Sports Network.