Highlanders wallop Weatherford to advance to JUCO World Series

The 17th-ranked McLennan Highlanders punched their ticket to the 2025 Junior College World Series with a 19-7 victory over the No. 3 Weatherford Coyotes in the Region V/Southwest District Championship. John Carmichael picked up the win on the mound.
 
McLennan jumped out early, with two runs in the top of the first. Sherman Johnson led off with a single and Spencer Butt walked. Butt was caught stealing and Daniel Harden followed with a two-run homer.
 
The Highlanders added three in the second. Owen Smith singled and Cage McCloud walked. Johnson then doubled to score Owen Smith, and McCloud scored on a wild pitch. Marcus Smith then singled to score Johnson.
 
Weatherford got on the board with Mason Ashlock's home run to lead off the bottom of the fourth.
 
McLennan responded with four runs in the top of the fifth. Harden and Deiten Lachance both singled. McClane Helton walked to load the bases. Brody Chyr singled to score Harden, and Lachance scored on a sac fly by Owen Smith. McCloud's sac fly brought Helton in to score, and Chyr scored on a single by Johnson.
 
The Coyotes put three on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Ashlock walked and scored on a triple by pinch hitter Blake Martinez. Clark Springs walked, and both runners scored on a double by Uriah Walters.
 
Two Highlander runs scored in the seventh. Owen Smith walked and McCloud followed with a two-run homer.
 
McLennan added another run in the eighth. Harden and Chyr both walked. Owen Smith then singled to score Harden.
 
Weatherford scored three more in the eighth. Cayden Byrd and Martinez both singled. Springs then singled to score Byrd, and Uriah Walters singled to score Martinez. JT Davis followed with a single to score Springs.
 
The Highlanders exploded for seven runs in the top of the ninth. Johnson was hit by the pitch, Marcus Smith singled and Harden walked to load the bases. Lachance followed with a grand slam. Helton singled and Owen Smith was hit by the pitch. Abdiel Hernandez-Sostre then doubled to score Helton, and Owen Smith scored on the throw. Johnson then doubled to score Hernandez-Sostre
 
McLennan 230 040 217 – 19 20 1
Weatherford 000 103 030 – 7 11 1
Isaac Godard, John Carmichael (3), Griffin Lewis (6), Stevie Doty (8) and Deiten Lachance. AJ Miera, Logan Simmons (2), Kade Irons (5), Gabriel Lewis (6), Jalen Rogers (7), Jason Davis (9), Dylan Buechele (9) and Jonathan Christner (9) and Clark Springs. WP: Carmichael; LP: Miera. Leading hitters – McLennan: Sherman Johnson (4-6, 2B, 3 RBI), Spencer Butt (2-5, 2B), Marcus Smith (2-6, RBI), Daniel Harden (2-3, HR, 2 RBI), Deiten Lachance (3-5, HR, 4 RBI), Brody Chyr (2-5, RBI), Owen Smith (2-3, 2 RBI), Cage McCloud (1-2, HR, 3 RBI) and Abdiel Hernandez-Sostre (1-2, 2B, 2 RBI); Weatherford: JT Davis (1-5, RBI), Mason Ashlock (1-3,HR, RBI), Blake Martinez (2-3, 3B, RBI), Clark Springs (1-3, RBI) and Uriah Walters (2-4, 2B). Record: McLennan 45-16 (23-9).