Highlanders fall to Rose State, move to elimination bracket

The second-seed McLennan Highlanders fell to the 18th-seed Rose State Raiders 6-4 in the second round of the NJCAA Division I Softball Championship in Yuma, Arizona. Natalie Klenda took the loss on the mound.
 
Rose State scored five runs in the top of the fourth inning. Madalynn McFarland walked and advanced on a sac bunt by Dallas Morrison. Lauren Holmes and Kaysie Lee also walked to load the bases. Baylie Allen walked to score McFarland, and Madi West then walked to score Holmes. Mackinzie DeLong singled to score Lee, and Chole Broussard walked to score Allen. West then scored on a sac fly by Mia Corres.
 
McLennan responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. MJ Nicholson and Macie Jansky both singled. Delanie Roeder replaced Nicholson as the runner at second. Ally Thompson singled to scored Roeder, and Jansky was out at the plate. Aynsli Lawson walked, and Madison Levsey doubled to score Thompson and Lawson.
 
The Highlanders added a run with Nicholson's home run in the bottom of the sixth.
 
The Raiders rounded out the scoring with a run in the top of the seventh. McFarland reached on an error, and Holmes singled. Lee walked to load the bases, and Brooklyn Langford singled to score McFarland.
 
McLennan will face McCook at 7:45 p.m. CT Tuesday in an elimination game.
 
Rose State 6, McLennan 4
Rose State 000 500 1 – 6 6 0
McLennan 000 301 0 – 4 8 2
Rosie Perez, Keylee Beckwith (4) and Mackinzie DeLong. Natalie Klenda, Landrie Harris (4), Addyson Canfield (4) and Macie Jansky. WP: Perez; LP: Klenda. Leading hitters – Rose State: Mia Cores (0-3, RBI), Dallas Morrison (3-3). Brooklyn Langford (1-3, RBI), Baylie Allen (0-0, RBI), Madi West (0-0, RBI), Mackinzie DeLong (1-3, RBI) and Chloe Broussard (0-0, RBI); McLennan: MJ Nicholson (2-3, HR, RBI), Ally Thompson (1-3, 2B, RBI), Aynsli Lawson (1-2, RBI) and Madison Levsey (1-2, 2B, 2 RBI). Record: McLennan 52-7 (30-2).