The #2 McLennan Highlanders picked up a pair of wins over the #20 Cowley Tigers.
The opening game was a defensive bottle with the Highlanders getting the 1-0 walk-off victory. Cade Waibel picked up the win on the mound in relief of starter Alex Wallace.
McLennan scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Jackson Irons singled and was replaced by pinch runner McClane Helton. Sherman Johnson was hit by the pitch, and AJ Goytia walked, loading the bases. Owen Smith was also hit by the pitch, bringing Helton in to score.
Both teams found their offense in game two with the Highlanders coming out on top 10-6. Kadyn Leon got the start and the win for McLennan.
Cowley began the scoring with a run in the top of the first. Cade Baldridge was hit by the pitch and Dax McCaskill singled. Logan Smith then singled to score Baldridge.
McLennan took the lead with six runs in the bottom of the inning. Smith, Daniel Harden and Ty Waid all walked. Irons singled to score Smith, and Johnson was safe on an error, scoring Harden. Cage McCloud then tripled to score Waid, Irons and Johnson. McCloud then scored on a single by Goytia.
The Highlanders added a run in the third. Johnson singled and McCloud walked, both advancing on fly out by Goytia. Johnson then scored on a wild pitch.
The Tigers scored one in the fourth. Creed Muirhead walked and Logan Groh singled. Muirhead advanced to third on an error, and scored when Drake Fittro hit into a double play.
Four more Tiger runs scored in the seventh. Groh walked, Fittro singled and Baldridge was hit by the pitch to load the bases. Kade Sheldon walked, scoring Groh, and Fritto scored on a passed ball. Smith then singled to score Baldridge and Sheldon.
McLennan rounded out the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Waid singled and Irons walked. McCloud was given the intentional walk, loading the bases. Pinch hitter Walker Freeman then doubled to score all three runners.
The teams will complete the three-game series with a nine-inning game Saturday at 1 p.m.
McLennan 1, Cowley 1
Cowley 000 000 0 – 0 4 0
McLennan 000 000 0 – 1 3 1
Russ Smith, Barrett Morgan (4), Blake DeLong (6) and Carter Freeland. Alex Wallace, Owen Egan (5), Cade Waibel (7) and Deiten Lachance. WP: Waibel; LP: DeLong. Leading hitters – Cowley: Cade Baldridge (2-3); McLennan: Owen Smith (0-3, RBI). Record: McLennan 4-0.
McLennan 10, Cowley 6
Cowley 100 100 400 – 6 8 1
McLennan 601 000 30x – 10 10 1
Kyler Zagar, Delton Roberts (3), Mark Hoffman (5), Ethan Horton (5), Jack Hamm (6), Mitchell Johnson (7) and Creed Muirhead. Kadyn Leon, Griffin Lewis (4), AJ Ripley (7), John Carmichael (7), Stone McCaughey (8) and AJ Goytia. WP: Leon; LP: Zagar. Leading hitters -- Cowley: Kade Sheldon (1-2, RBI), Logan Smith (2-4, 3 RBI) and Drake Fittro (1-4, RBI); McLennan: Jackson Irons (2-3, RBI), Cage McCloud (2-2, 3B, 3 RBI), AJ Goytia (1-4, RBI), and Walker Freeman (1-1, 2B, 3 RBI). Record: McLennan 5-0.
