Highland’s postseason run came to a close Saturday with an 8–1 loss to NorthWood in the Class 3A regional, ending the Trojans’ season at 13–17 overall.
Highland, which finished 4–8 in the Northwest Crossroads Conference and went 3–6 at home, 7–9 on the road, and 3–2 at neutral sites, entered the matchup looking to extend a late‑season surge that included sectional wins over Bishop Noll and East Chicago Central.
The Trojans briefly gained early momentum when Damian Castellanos singled and later scored in the third inning, giving Highland its lone run of the afternoon. But NorthWood answered with a steady offensive push, scoring twice in the second, adding two more in the fifth, and breaking the game open with a three‑run sixth. Highland managed just three hits—one each from Castellanos, Cash Washick, and David Klapkowski—while NorthWood collected 12 hits and seven RBIs.
On the mound, Cash Washick worked five innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts. Jakob Cameron and Joe Stephan combined for the final two innings, but NorthWood continued to apply pressure, finishing with eight total runs.
Despite the loss, Highland closed the year with a positive run differential (191–172) and a postseason showing that highlighted the team’s growth and competitiveness.
