The McLennan Highlanders fell to the Andrew Tigers 5-2 in the morning game of day two at the Panama City Beach College Baseball Classic. Devin Bennett took the loss on the mound for the Highlanders.
Andrew scored three runs in the top o the first inning.Carter Brady hit a solo home run. Maddox Mueller and Mitch Cowan both singled. JT Whatley followed with a single to score Mueller. Austin Wright then singled to score Cowan.
McLennan responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Elijah Rodriguez singled and Ty Johnson doubled. Rodriguez scored on a ground out by Blake Hansen. Britton Moore followed with a single to score Johnson.
The Tigers added a run with Whatley's home run in the fifth.
Andrew rounded out the scoring with a run in the sixth. Trevor Gruszka reached on an error and Thomas Murcia walked. Mueller was hit by the pitch, loading the bases. Gruszka then scored on a fielder's choice by Cowan.
The Highlanders bounced back into the win column with a 4-3 over the Wabash Valley Warriors in their second game of the day at the Panama City Beach College Baseball Classic. Trey Cehajic picked up the win on the mound in relief.
Wabash Valley scored the first run in the top of the second inning as Aidyn Coffey walked and scored on a doubled by Yamil Torres.
McLennan tied the game with a run in the bottom of the second. Blake Hansen drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a ground out by Katcher Halligan. Hansen then advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a single by Karson Krowka.
The Highlanders took the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Hansen walked and Krowka singled, both advancing on a Warrior error. Hansen then scored on a passed ball.
Another McLennan run scored in the bottom of the fifth. Jake D'Altrui walked to lead off the inning and Cole Dillon singled. Chase Brown also walked, loading the bases. D'Altrui then scored on a sacrifice fly by Elijah Rodriguez.
Wabash Valley tied the game with two runs in the sixth. Nicklas Williams reached on an error, advanced to second a wild pitch and moved to third on a balk. Landon Johnson then singled to score Williams. Michael Lareau came in as a pinch runner for Johnson and scored on a triple by Coffey.
The Highlanders sealed the win with Hansen's home run in the bottom of the sixth.
Andrew 5, McLennan 2
Andrew 300 011 0 – 5 10 0
McLennan 200 000 0 – 2 6 3
Seth Crowe, Hogan Mayhew (7) and Brent Burford. Devin Bennett, Connor Zaruba (4), Tolbert (6), Jack Smith (7) and Jason Hawkins. WP: Crowe; LP: Bennett. Leading hitters – Andrew: Carter Brady (1-5, HR, RBI), Mitch Cowan (2-4, RBI), JT Whatley (2-3, HR, 2 RBI), and Austin Wright (1-3, RBI); McLennan: Ty Johnson (2-3 , 2B), Blake Hansen (0-3, RBI) and Britton Moore (1-3, 3B, RBI). Record: McLennan 3-2.
McLennan 4, Wabash Valley 3
Wabash Valley 010 002 0 – 3 8 1
McLennan 010 111 x – 4 7 1
Stefan Stahl, Jackson Mayo (3), Trey Cehajic (6) and Cole Dillon. Mike Sokol, Aidan Deakins (4), Manuel De Garcia (5), Maddox Pennington (6) and Daniel Contreras, Dalton Fiveash. WP: Cehajic; LP: De Garcia. Leading hitters – Wabash Valley: Richard Bonomelo (2-4), Landen Johnson (1-1, RBI), Aidyn Coffey (1-2, 3B, RBI) and Yamil Torres (1-3, 2B); McLennan: Cole Dillon (2-2, 2B), Elijah Rodriguez (0-2, RBI), Blake Hansen (1-1, HR, RBI), Landon Johnson (1-4, 2B) and Karson Krowka (3-3, RBI). Record: McLennan 4-2.