Highlanders outrun Ponies
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Panola College
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
|
McLennan Community College
|
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 0 |
The 18th-ranked McLennan Highlanders improve their overall record to 38-14 with a 14-4 run-rule victory over the Panola Ponies this afternoon at Bosque River Ballpark.
Panola took the lead with three runs in the top of the first lead. Luke Paxton and Liam Richards both walked. JM Long followed with a double to score Paxton, and Richards scored on a ground out by Aidan Welsh. Gage Driskell then singled to score Long.
McLennan responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Daniel Harden walked, Aidan Kuni was hit by the pitch and Sam Flores walked, loading the bases. Gavyn Jones singled to score Harden, and Owen Smith was hit by the pitch, scoring Kuni. Flores scored on a sacrifice fly by Brodey Williams. Jones and Owen Smith both stole a base. Jones then scored on a balk, and Owen Smith stole home.
The Ponies final run came in the top of the fourth. Dominic Archila and Driskell both singled. Raphael Smeenk was hit by the pitch, loading the bases. Archila then scored on a ground out by Connor Cassano.
The Highlanders added five runs in the fifth. Flores and Jones both walked, and Owen Smith singled. Flores scored on a sacrifice fly by Brodey Williams. Landon Underhill walked, and Jones scored on a fielder's choice by Marcus Smith that put Underhill out at second. Harden singled to score Owen Smith and Marcus Smith, and Harden scored on a single by Kuni.
Two McLennan runs scored in the sixth. Flores walked and Owen Smith singled, both scoring on double by Underhill.
The Highlanders secured the run rule with two runs in the seventh. Marcus Smith reached on an error, and Harden doubled. Both runners scored on a pair of wild pitches to end the game.
McLennan 14, Panola 4
Panola 300 100 0 – 4 6 1
McLennan 500 052 2 – 14 10 0
Easton Ballard, Andrew Rivera (2), Aidan Anthony (5), Blake Linsey (6) and Dominic Archila. Devin Bennett, Kyndall Cassidy (3), Isaac Godard (4), Blake Hansen (6), Gavyn Jones (7) and Brodey Williams. WP: Bennett; LP: Ballard. Leading hitters – Panola: JM Long (1-3, 2B, RBI), Gage Driskill (3-3, RBI), Aidan Welsh (0-3, RBI), Connor Cassano (0-3, RBI) and Liam Richards (1-2, 2B); McLennan: Daniel Harden (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI), Aidan Kuni (1-1, RBI), Gavyn Jones (2-3, RBI), Owen Smith (3-3, RBI), Brodey Williams (0-2, 2 RBI), Landon Underhill (1-3, 2B, 2 RBI) and Marcus Smith (1-4, RBI). Record: McLennan 38-14 (22-6).