---

It took nine innings to decide the regional champion of the Highland/Riverdale Division 5 baseball game.
Unfortunately for the top seeded and host Cardinals, it was Riverdale who pushed across the game's lone run for the 1-0 win.
Highland's JR Linscheid was tossing a no-hitter through the first five innings. He struck out 10 and walked three. The Chieftain batters were patient and fouled off a lot of pitches, so Linscheid was stopped after five frames by the 100 pitch count rule.
He was relieved by his brother Spencer, who struck out four and walked two (one intentionally). He allowed three hits and the one run.
The top of the ninth started when Riverdale's Dalton Haile singled on a grounder back up the middle. He stole second and then came a walk to Ethan Haffner, an intentionl walk, a fly out to right and then Caleb Johnson was hit by a pitch to force in the run.
Riverdale's Michael Schaefer was as tough as the Cardinal hurlers, allowing just four hits.
He got out of his toughest situation in the fifth when Paden Kosharek singled, Drew Hennessey doubled, but a ground out back to the pitcher and a strikeout ended that threat.
Highland also loaded the bases in the seventh on a Conner Rusch hit, a Spencer Linscheid hit and an intentional walk to Hennessey. But a fly out to right ended that frame.
Hennessey, Rusch, Kosharek and Spencer Linscheid had the four hits for Highland.
Hennessey and Mitchell Welsh both were intentionally walked twice on the day. Also, the Cards stole four bases in the game. Paden Kosharek stole two while Spencer Linscheid and Drew Hennessey each had one theft.
Cardinal batters struck out 12 times in the contest.
"It was a tough way to go down," said Highland coach Terry Cool. ""It was an exciting game. We had a few too many errors though."
It was definitely a pitchers' day as Highland left 13 runners on base while Riverdale left 12 stranded.
Highland concluded its season with a 17-5 mark.