Highlanders bombard Blinn to advance at JUCO

The McLennan Highlanders kept their run at the JUCO World Series alive with an 18-9 bombarding of the Blinn Buccaneers this afternoon in Grand Junction. Stevie Doty picked up the win on the mound for the Highlanders.
 
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the first. Ryder McDaniel singled and Caden Ferraro walked. Both runners advanced on a fly out by Matt Quintanar. McDaniel scored on a fly out by Bennett Fryman, and Ferrero scored on a single by Ethan Gonzalez.
 
The Highlanders tie the game with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Sherman Johnson led off with a double and scored on a triple by Marcus Johnson. Harden then scored on a sac fly by Marcus Smith.
 
McLennan broke the game open with six runs in the second. Owen Smith led off with a solo home run. Brody Chyr walked and scored on a double by Cage McCloud. Johnson singled, and McCloud scored on a ground out by Harden. Marcus Smith singled, and Deiten Lachance singled to score Johnson. McClane Helton walked, and Owen Smith singled to score Marcus Smith and Lachance.
 
Blinn added a run in the third. Ferraro, Quintanar and Fryman all singled. Brady Sullivan then drew a walk, scoring Ferraro.
 
The Highlanders responded with five runs in the bottom of the third. Abdiel Hernandez-Sostre led off with a single. Johnson singled, and Harden singled to score Hernandez-Sostre. Johnson then scored on a wild pitch. Marcus Smith followed with a two-run homer. Helton then doubled and scored on a single by Owen Smith.
 
Two Buccaneer runs scored in the fourth as Kason Atkins singled and scored on a McDaniel's home run.
 
Three more Blinn runs scored in the fifth. Gonzalez led off with a solo home run. Sullivan then singled and scored on a Trey Craig home run.
 
The Buccaneers final run scored in the top of the sixth. Quintanar and Gonzalez both singled. Sullivan then singled to score Quintanar.
 
McLennan secured the run rule with five runs in the bottom of the sixth. Hernandez-Sostre was hit by the pitch and advanced on a wild pitch. McCloud walked and Hernandez-Sostre moved to third on another wild pitch. Johnson and Marcus Smith both walked, scoring Hernandez-Sostre. Lachance followed with a grand slam.
 
The Highlanders advance to Thursday's semifinal round to face Lake Land or Walters State at 7 p.m.
 
McLennan 18, Blinn 9
Blinn 201 231 0 – 9 16 0
McLennan 265 005 x – 18 16 0
Hudson Melaerts, Cadyn Shaw (2), Reece Wagner (3), Hayden Morris (6) and Matt Quintanar. Isaac Godard, Stevie Doty (1), John Carmichael (3), Griffin Lewis (5), Gavin McCullough (6), Cade Waibel (7). WP: Doty; LP: Melaerts. Leading hitters – Blinn: Ryder McDaniel (3-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI), Caden Ferraro (2-3), Matt Quintanar (2-4), Bennett Fryman (1-5, RBI), Ethan Gonzalez (3-5, HR, 2 RBI), Brad Sullivan (2-3, 2 RBI) and Trey Craig (1-2, HR, 2 RBI); McLennan: Sherman Johnson (3-4, 2B), Daniel Harden (2-5, 3B, 2 RBI), Marcus Smith (2-3, HR, 4 RBI), Deiten Lachance (2-5, GS, 5 RBI), McClane Helton (1-3, 2B), Owen Smith (3-5, HR, 4 RBI), Abdiel Hernandez-Sostre (2-3) and Cage McCloud (1-2, 2B, RBI). Record: McLennan 48-17 (23-9).