#17 Highlanders top #3 Weatherford to advance to championship game
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
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0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | X | 9 | 11 | 1 |
The 17th-ranked McLennan Highlanders advanced to Saturday's championship game with a 9-6 victory over #3 Weatherford. John Carmichael picked up the win on the mound, and Cade Waibel got the save.
Weatherford took the early lead with two runs in the top of the first as Trace Mazon singled and scored on Manuel Salas' home run.
McLennan got on the board with a run in the bottom of the second. McClane Helton and Brody Chyr both singled. Helton then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Owen Smith.
The Highlanders took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third. Sherman Johnson walked, Spencer Butt singled and Marcus Smith singled to load the bases. Johnson scored on a fielder's choice by Daniel Harden that put Marcus Smith out at second, and Butt score on a ground out by Deiten Lachance.
The Coyotes went back on top with two runs in the fourth. Mason Ashlock singled and Caden Mitchell walked. Cayden Byrd doubled to score Ashlock. Mitchell then scored on a passed ball.
McLennan added two runs in the bottom of the fourth to retake the lead. Cage McCloud walked and scored on a double by Johnson. Johnson advanced on defensive indifference and scored on a single by Butt.
Weatherford scored two in the sixth to go back in the lead. Uriah Walters singled and Byrd followed with a two-run homer.
The Highlanders took the lead once again with three runs in the seventh. Butt led off with a single and Marcus Smith followed with a two-run homer. Harden was hit by the pitch and Lachance walked. A fielder's choice by Helton put Harden out at third, and a fielder's choice by Chyr put Harden out at second. Owen Smith was hit by the pitch, and McCloud walked to score Lachance.
McLennan tacked on another run in the eighth. Marcus Smith singled, advanced to second and third on a pair of passed balls and scored on a single by Harden.
McLennan 9, Weatherford 6
Weatherford 200 202 000 – 6 8 0
McLennan 012 200 31x – 9 11 1
Trent Collier, Jonathan Christner (7), Rodney Pena (7) and Caden Mitchell. Logan Harris, Mason Cook (4), Gage Goldman (7), John Carmichael (7), Cade Waibel (8) and Deiten Lachance. WP: Carmichael; LP Christner; SV: Waibel. Leading hitters – Weatherford: Manuel Salas (1-3, HR, 2 RBI), Mason Ashlock (2-4) and Cayden Byrd (2-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI); McLennan: Sherman Johnson (1-4, 2B, RBI), Spencer Butt (4-5, RBI), Marcus Smith (3-5, HR, 2 RBI), Daniel Harden (1-3, 2 RBI), Deiten Lachance (0-4, RBI), Owen Smith (0-2, RBI) and Cage McCloud (0-2, RBI). Record: McLennan 44-16 (23-9).