McLennan Highlanders triumph over Indian Hills at JUCO World Series

The McLennan Highlanders stayed undefeated at the JUCO World Series with a come from behind 13-11 win over the Indian Hills Warriors tonight in Grand Junction. Riggs Threadgill picked up the win on the mound and Landry Wideman got the save.
 
Indian Hills took the early lead with two runs in the top of the first inning. C.J. Castillo singled and scored on a single by Noel Perez. Pier-Olivier Boucher drew a walk, and Ricard Van Grieken singled to score Perez.
 
McLennan took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the first. Miguel Santos led off with a single. Blake Jackson and Garrett Martin followed with back-to-back home runs to put the Highlanders up 3-2.
 
The Warriors responded with five runs in the top of the second. Samuel Fortier drew a walk and Castillo singled. Tucker Ebest singled to score Fortier. Perez followed with a three-run homer. Boucher then walked, stole second and scored on a single by Van Grieken.
 
Indian Hills added a run in the fourth as Ebest walked, advanced around to third on an error and scored as Boucher hit into a double play.
 
The Highlanders scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the 9-8 lead. Alex Lopez led off with a solo home run. Jaylen Williams was hit by the pitch and Marquis Jackson followed with the two-run homer. Izzy Lopez singled and Martin drew a walk. Mason Greer doubled to score Izzy Lopez. Dominic Tamez then singled to score Martin and Greer.
 
The Warriors took the lead again with three runs in the fifth, 11-9. Dave Janssen bunted for a single and Arturo Rodriguez was hit by the pitch. Ren Tachioka walked, loading the bases. Castillo followed with a single to score Janssen and Rodriguez. Tachioka then scored on a catcher interference.
 
McLennan took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Tamez and Alex Lopez both walked, and Williams singled to load the bases. Tamez scored on a wild pitch and Santos walked to reload the bases. Blake Jackson followed with a single to score Alex Lopez and Williams.
 
The Highlanders rounded out the scoring with a run in the eighth. Tamez reached on an error but was out at second on a fielder's choice by Alex Lopez. Williams then doubled to score Alex Lopez.
 
McLennan advances in the winner's bracket and will face either San Jacinto or Central Arizona at 8:30 p.m. (CT) Wednesday.
 
McLennan 13, Indian Hills 11
Indian Hills 250 130 000 – 11 13 1
McLennan 300 600 31x – 13 12 2
Wyatt Wendell, Nick Marshall (4), Douglas Rojas (5), Charles Lefebvre (7) and Dave Janssen. Brady Rose, Gray Harrison (2), Riggs Threadgill (5), Richard Brinson (8), Jack Williams (8), Landry Wideman (9) and Dominic Tamez. WP: Threadgill; LP: Lefebvre; SV: Wideman. Leading hitters – Indian Hills: C.J. Castillo (4-6, 2 RBI), Tucker Ebest (2-4, RBI), Noel Perez (3-5, HR, 4 RBI) and  Ricardo Van Grieken (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI); McLennan: Miguel Santos (1-4, HR, RBI), Blake Jackson (2-5, HR, 4 RBI), Garrett Martin (1-4, HR, RBI), Mason Greer (1-4, 2B, RBI), Dominic Tamez (2-4, 2 RBI), Alex Lopez (1-4, HR, RBI), Jaylen Williams (2-3, 2 2B, RBI) and Marquis Jackson (1-3, HR, 2 RBI). Record: McLennan 44-16 (24-7).