The third-ranked McLennan Highlanders picked up a pair of big wins Monday to force a winner-take-all game for the Region V Tournament Championship with Midland on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
McLennan took an extra inning to defeat Grayson 16-11 in the afternoon game with Jared Matheson picking up the win on the mound.
The Highlanders scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Hunter Grimes led off with a triple and scored on a double by Johnson. Cole Fontenelle followed with a single to score Johnson, and Fontenelle scored on a single by Daniel Altman.
McLennan added a run in the second as Hank Bard doubled and scored on a double by Grimes.
Two more Highlander runs scored in the third. Altman walked and scored on a triple by Chase Brown. Brown then scored on a sacrifice fly by Bard.
Grayson scored two in the bottom of the third. Brandon Howell singled and Devin Warner drew a walk. Howell scored on a ground out by Dax Dathe, and Warner scored on a single by Connor McGinnis.
The Vikings added four runs in the fifth. McGinnes waked and Davis Powell singled. Yanluis Ortiz singled to score McGinnes. Chaton Krauss walked, loading the bases. Howell also walked, bringing Powell in to score. Warner then singled to score Krauss and Howell.
Grayson took the lead with two runs in the sixth. Powell and Dalton Beck both singled, and Ortiz walked to load the bases. Powell was out at the plate on a fielder's choice by Noah Brewer. Krauss then singled to score Beck and Ortiz.
McLennan took the lead with five runs in the top of the eighth. Bard led off with a solo home run. Mateo Zeppieri walked and scored on a double by Grimes. Grimes then scored on a single by Johnson. Altman followed with a two-run homer.
The Vikings tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Beck walked and Ortiz was hit by the pitch. Beck scored on an error, and Krauss followed with a fielder's choice, putting Ortiz out at second. Howell walked and Warner followed with a double to score Krauss and Howell.
McLennan sealed the win with five runs in the top of the 10th inning. Fontenelle was hit by the pitch and Altman singled. Elijah Rodriguez was given the intentional walk to load the bases. Lopez singled to score Fontenelle and Altman. Jason Hawkins drew a walk, and Zeppieri singled to score Rodriguez and Lopez. Hawkins then scored on a sacrifice fly by Grimes.
In the nightcap, the Highlanders held off a late-inning rally by the Midland Chaparrals to get the 13-12 victory. Nick Greaney got the win on the mound.
Midland scored first with a Gibrian Pena solo home run.
McLennan responded with four runs in the bottom of the first. Johnson and Grimes both singled. Altman followed with a double to score Johnson, and Grimes scored on a sacrifice fly by Zeppieri. John Ceccoli followed with a two-run homer.
Two more Highlander runs scored in the bottom of the second as Hawkins walked and scored on Grimes' home run.
The Chaparrals added a run in the fifth as Ryan Blackwell walked and scored on a Luke Bumpus double.
McLennan broke the game open with six runs in the bottom of the fifth. Johnson walked and Grimes singled. Fontenelle followed with a three-run homer. Zeppieri and Lopez both singled. Rodriguez followed with a three-run homer of his own.
The final Highlander run came in the bottom of the sixth as Grimes tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Fontenelle.
Midland scored five runs in the top of the seventh. Rhett Clark and Michael Weidner were both hit by the pitch, and Bumpus walked to load the bases. Clark scored on a sacrifice fly by Garrett Williams. Pena followed with a three-run homer, and Tyler Wulfert hit a solo home run.
Four Chaparral runs scored in the eighth. Blackwell walked and Bumpus singled, both scoring on a double by Williams. Pena was hit by the pitch. Wulfert followed with a triple to score Williams and Pena.
Midland rounded out the scoring with a Clark home run in the top of the ninth.
McLennan 16, Grayson 11
McLennan 312 000 050 5 – 16 15 0
Grayson 002 042 030 0 – 11 14 1
Will Clements, Cash McNicholas (5), Will Glatch (6), Jared Matheson (8), Nick Greaney (10) and Hank Bard, Jason Hawkins (9). Dalton Beck, Rye Gunter (7), Dax Dathe (8) and Yanluis Ortiz. WP: Matheson; LP: Dathe. Leading hitters – McLennan: Hunter Grimes (3-6, 2 2B, 3B, 3 RBI), Ty Johnson (2-7, 2B, 2 RBI), Cole Fontenelle (1-3, RBI), Daniel Altman (3-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI), Chase Brown (1-5, 3B, RBI), Izzy Lopez (1-6, 2 RBI), Hank Bard (3-3, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) and Mateo Zeppieri (1-5, 2 RBI); Grayson: Dax Dathe (0-5, RBI), Connor McGinnis (2-6, RBI), Yanluis Ortiz (3-3, 2 2B, RBI), Chayton Krauss (1-5, 2 RBI), Brandon Howell (1-2, RBI) and Devin Warner (3-4, 2B, 4 RBI). Record: McLennan 47-11-1 (28-4).
McLennan 13, Midland 12
Midland 100 010 541 – 12 11 0
McLennan 420 061 00x – 13 13 2
Michael Lindsey, Josh Doelitsch (5) and Ryan Blackwell. Nick Greaney, Cooper Hrbacek (5), Ryan Messick (7) and Jason Hawkins. WP: Greaney; LP: Lindsey. Leading hitters – Midland: Garrett Williams (1-4, 2B, 3 RBI), Gibrian Pena (2-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI), Tyler Wulfert (2-5, 3B, HR, 3 RBI), Rhett Clark (2-4, HR, RBI) and Luke Bumpus (2-3, 2B, RBI); McLennan: Hunter Grimes (4-5, 3B, HR, 2 RBI), Cole Fontenelle (1-4, HR, 4 RBI), Daniel Altman (1-5, 2B, RBI), Mateo Zeppieri (2-4, 2B, RBI), John Ceccoli (1-4, HR, 2 RBI) and Elijah Rodriguez (1-4, HR, 3 RBI). Record: McLennan 48-11-1 (28-4).
