Highlanders top Walters State

The McLennan Highlanders stayed alive at the JUCO World Series with an 18-13 thriller over Walters State in Grand Junction. Logan Harris picked up the win on the mound for the Highlanders, and Cade Waibel got the save.
 
McLennan jumped out early, scoring five runs in the top of the first. Sherman Johnson walked and Daniel Harden singled. Marcus Smith followed with a sacrifice fly to score Johnson, and Deiten Lachance doubled to score Harden. McClane Helton walked, and Owen Smith singled to score Lachance. Helton and Owen Smith advanced on a double steal, and Brody Chyr reached on an error to score Helton. Owen Smith then scored on a wild pitch.
 
Walters State got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Kole Fenton singled and Nate Conner walked. A fielder's choice by Jack Vogele put Conner out at second. Tyler Matt followed with the three-run homer.
 
The Highlanders responded with four runs in the second. Marcus Smith doubled and Lachance was given an intentional walk. Helton followed with a double to score both runners and then scored on an error. Owen Smith singled and advanced around to third on a pair of walked pitches before scoring on another error.
 
The Senators added a run in the second. Jack Torbett and Fenton both singled. Torbett then scored on a sac fly by Conner.
 
Three more Walters State runs score in the third. Myatt tripled and scored on a single by Holden Pantier. Walker Morgan walked and Torbett doubled to score Pantier. Morgan then scored on a ground out by Taylor Harris.
 
McLennan exploded for six runs in the fourth. Lachance singled and Helton walked. Helton was out at second on a single by Owen Smith. Chyr followed with a three-run homer. Abdiel Hernandez-Sostre walked and moved around to third on an error and a failed pickoff. Cage McCloud then singled to score Hernandez-Sostre. Johnson followed with a two-run homer.
 
Two more Highlander runs scored in the fifth. Lachance singled but was out on a fielder's choice by Helton. Owen Smith was hit by the pitch and Chyr walked, loading the bases. Helton scored on a wild pitch and McCloud walked. Johnson also walked, scoring Owen Smith.
 
The Senators scored one in the bottom of the fifth as Pantier singled and scored on a triple by Torbett.
 
The Highlanders' final run came in the top of the seventh. Hernandez-Sostre singled and Harden was hit by the pitch. Marcus Smith walked, loading the bases. Lachance also walked, scoring Hernandez-Sostre.
 
Four Walters State runs scored in the bottom of the seventh. Kenny Cox reached an error, and Atticus Gooden was hit by the pitch. Torbett walked, loading the bases. Harris singled, scoring Cox and Goodson. Fenton walked, and Conner singled to score Torbett and Harris.
 
The Senators rounded out the scoring with a run in the eighth. Pantier was safe on a dropped third strike, and Cox singled. Goodson was hit by the pitch. Pantier then scored on a sac fly by Torbett.
 
McLennan 18, Walters State 13
McLennan 540 620 100 – 18 16 1
Walters State 313 010 410 – 13 15 4
Gage Goldman, Logan Harris (2), Ty Waid (7), Cade Waibel (8) and Deiten Lachance. Tyler Welch, Matthew Porchas (1), Reilly Byers (1), Riley Franklin (2), Rowan Park (4), Tyler Peterson (5), Ryan Smith (6), Lorenzo Atwell (7), Ryder Moye (7), Drew Blalock (8) and Carson Cabbage. WP: Harris; LP: Welch; SV: Waibel. Leading hitters – McLennan: Sherman Johnson (2-5, HR, 3 RBI), Marcus Smith (3-5, 2B, RBI), Deiten Lachance (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI), McClane Helton (1-3, 3B, 2 RBI), Owen Smith (3-5, RBI), Brody Chyr, (1-4, HR, 3 RBI) and Cage McCloud (1-4, RBI); Walters State: Nate Conner (3-4, 3 RBI), Tyler Myatt (3-6, 3B, HR, 3 RBI), Holden Pantier (2-6, RBI), Jack Torbett (3-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI) and Taylor Harris (1-4, 3 RBI),
Record: McLennan 49-17 (23-9).