Highland started fast and never eased up Monday, rolling past East Chicago Central 13–0 in a five‑inning playoff shutout on June 1.
The Trojans set the tone immediately with a run in the first inning, then blew the game open with an eight‑run second and added three more in the third to take full control.
The offense ran efficiently and relentlessly. Nate Phillips delivered a perfect day at the plate, driving in three runs and setting the tone in the middle of the order. Brady Boyd crossed the plate three times, added an RBI, and swiped a base as Highland kept pressure on East Chicago Central throughout the afternoon. Additional run production came from Logan Finch, Logan Scheeringa, Damian Castellanos, and Ayden Bouchee, each contributing to the steady scoring.
Highland’s pitching staff matched the offense with complete command. Five Trojans combined for a shutout, with Phillips earning the win behind two scoreless innings. Jakob Cameron struck out two in a sharp relief appearance, while Joe Stephan, Cam Anderson, and Jake Slaven each delivered clean work to finish the game.
East Chicago Central’s five defensive errors only widened the gap as Highland controlled every phase from start to finish.
