The Highlanders came from behind to take game one 10-2 with Clayton Freshcorn picking up the win on the mound.
Temple scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the first inning. Jake Weaver singled and Cole Tabor reached on an error. Wilson Woodcox walked, loading the bases. Weaver scored on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Ermis. Mason Ashlock then doubled to score Tabor and Woodcox.
The Highlanders got on the board with two runs in the third. Landon Underhill and Mac Rose both singled. Aidan Kuni then singled to score Underhill, and all runners were safe on a fielder's choice by Deiten Lachance to load the bases. Brodey Williams then walked to score Rose.
McLennan tied the game with a run in the fourth. Owen Smith walked and Daniel Harden walked. Rose then singled to score Smith.
The Highlanders took the lead with a run in the fifth as Williams walked, advanced on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on a ground out by Smith.
McLennan added four runs in the sixth. Brecken Menuet and Harden both walked and advanced on a wild pitch. Rose then singled to score both runners. Kuni singled and both runners advanced on a passed ball. Williams walked to load the bases, and Flores walked to score Rose. Smith then singled to score Kuni.
The final two Highlander runs score in the top of the seventh as Harden walked and scored on Rose's homer.
Game two was a back-and-forth affair with Temple coming out on top 3-6. Jonah Conradt took the loss on the mound for McLennan.
McLennan scored one in the second. Williams singled but was out at second on a fielder's choice by Flores Walker Freeman then doubled to score Flores.
The Highlanders added another run with Flores' home run in the top of the fourth.
Temple tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Woodcox singled and Ashlock doubled. Ty Marthiljohni singled to score Woodcox, and Kolvin Davis was hit by the pitch. Cash Russel then doubled to score Ashlock, and Davis scored on a sacrifice fly by Sebastian Arauz.
McLennan tied the game with solo home runs by Harden and Kuni in the fifth.
The Leopards took the lead again with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Tabor walked and Woodcox singled. Tabor was picked off at second, and Ermis walked. Ty Marthiljohni then singled to score Woodcox.
The Highlanders tied the game with a run in the top of the eighth as Smith singled and scored on a double by Menuet.
Temple took the lead again with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Arauz reached on an error. Weaver and Tabor drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Woodcox singled to score pinch runner Andon Petty, and Weaver scored on a wild pitch. Tabor scored on a sacrifice fly by Ermis, and Ashlock reached on an error to score Woodcox.
McLennan rounded out the scoring with a run in the top of the ninth. Rose and Kuni both singled, and Lachance walked to load the bases. Rose then scored on a ground out by Williams.
McLennan 10, Temple 3
McLennan 002 114 2 – 10 10 2
Temple 300 000 0 – 3 3 1
Clayton Freshcorn, Nick Greaney (6) and Brodey Williams. Mason Peters, Colin Huspen (6), Wade Denton (7) and Ty Marthiljohni. WP: Freshcorn; LP: Peters. Leading hitters – McLennan: Mac Rose (4-5, HR, 5 RBI), Aidan Kuni (2-4, RBI), Brodey Williams (0-1, RBI), Sam Flores (2-4, RBI) and Owen Smith (1-4, 2 RBI); Temple: Jake Weaver (2-4), Andrew Ermis (0-1, RBI) and Mason Ashlock (1-3, 2B, 2 RBI). Record: McLennan 18-10 (7-2).
Temple 9, McLennan 6
McLennan 010 120 011 – 6 12 3
Temple 000 410 04x – 9 12 1
Kade Bing, Cade Waibel (5), John Carmichael (5), Jonah Conradt (7) and Deiten Lachance. Cole Marthiljohni, Eric Tenery (7), Garrett Baumann (9) and Andrew Ermis. WP: Tenery; LP: Conradt. Leading hitters – McLennan: Daniel Harden (1-4, HR, RBI), Mac Rose (2-5), Aidan Kuni (3-4, HR, RBI), Brodey Williams (1-5, RBI), Sam Flores (1-5, HR, RBI), Walker Freeman (1-3, 2B, RBI), and Brecken Menuet (1-4, RBI). Record: McLennan 18-11 (7-3).
