The No. 8 McLennan Highlanders took both games of today's doubleheader with the No. 19 New Mexico Thunderbirds to get the three-game series sweep.
The Highlanders won the opener 9-4 with Wyatt Cheney getting the win on the mound.
New Mexico scored three runs in the second inning. Luis Gonzalez singled and scored on a Rafael Gross home run. Lorenzo Morresi then singled, advanced to second on a ground out by Thomas Schreck and scored on a single by John David Moreno.
The Thunderbirds added a run with a Gonzalez home run in the third.
McLennan got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the third. Izzy Lopez doubled and Hunter Grimes drew a walk. Ty Johnson followed with a single to score Lopez, and Grimes scored on a wild pitch. Johnson then scored on a sacrifice fly by Daniel Altman.
The Highlanders took the lead with two runs in the fifth. Grimes singled, advanced to third on an overthrow and an error, and scored on a ground out by Altman. Cole Fontenelle and Ravaughn Morgan both singled. Marquis Jackson then singled to score Fontenelle.
McLennan rounded out the scoring with four runs in the sixth. Lopez, Grimes and Johnson all walked to load the bases. Fontenelle also walked, bringing Lopez in to score. Grimes scored on wild pitch. Morgan then singled to score Johnson, and Fontenelle scored on a single by Jackson.
McLennan defeated New Mexico 13-4 in seven innings of game two with Gray Harrison getting the win on the mound.
The Thunderbirds scored one run in the top of the first as Stanley Tucker singled, stole second and scored on a single by Gonzalez.
The Highlanders responded with seven runs in the bottom of the first. Grimes tripled and Fontenelle walked. Cash McNicholas followed with a single to score Grimes. Drew Messick then singled to score Fontenelle. Morgan walked and Rodric Black reached on an error, bringing McNicholas in to score. Jackson was hit by the pitch, scoring Messick. Jason Hawkins also reached on an error, allowing Morgan to score. Grimes then reached on the third Thunderbird error of the inning, scoring Black and Hawkins.
New Mexico's final three runs came in the sixth. Morresi walked and Schreck singled. Moreno followed with a fielder's choice, putting Schreck out at second. Lugo singled to score Morresi, and Tucker singled to score Moreno. Lugo then scored on a single by Gonzalez.
McLennan also added three runs in the sixth. Hawkins walked, Grimes singled and Johnson bunted for a singled. Hawkins and Grimes scored on an error. Johnson then scored on a sacrifice fly by McNicholas.
The Highlanders sealed the run rule with three runs in the seventh. Chase Brown singled and Elijah Rodriguez walked. Jackson followed with the three-run walk-off home run.
McLennan begins conference play Wednesday, hosting Ranger for a noon doubleheader.
McLennan 9, New Mexico 4
New Mexico 031 000 0 – 4 8 1
McLennan 003 024 x – 9 10 0
Kade Benavidez, Jesus Tovar (6) and Lorenzo Morresi. Wyatt Cheney, Jared Matheson (7) and Hank Bard. Leading hitters – New Mexico: Luis Gonzales (3-3, HR, RBI), Rafael Gross (1-3, HR, 2 RBI) and John David Moreno (2-3, RBI); McLennan: Hunter Grimes (2-2), Ty Johnson (2-3, RBI), Daniel Altman (0-3, 2 RBI), Cole Fontenelle (1-1, RBI), Ravaughn Morgan (2-4, RBI), Marquis Jackson (2-2, 2 RBI) and Izzy Lopez (1-2, 2B). Record: McLennan 12-5-1.
McLennan 13, New Mexico 4
New Mexico 100 003 0 – 4 7 4
McLennan 700 003 3 – 13 10 0
JT Tackett, Josh Akers (5), Max Swenson (6) and Lorenzo Morresi. Gray Harrison, Austin Ford (5), Will Clements (6), Nick Greaney (6) and Jason Hawkins. WP: Harrison; LP: Tackett. Leading hitters – New Mexico: Aaron Lugo (1-5, RBI), Stanley Tucker (2-3, RBI) and Luis Gonzalez (2-2, 2 RBI); McLennan: Hunter Grimes (2-4, 3B, RBI), Cash McNicholas (1-3, 2 RBI), Drew Messick (1-2, RBI), Chase Brown (2-2), Rodric Black (0-3, RBI), Marquis Jackson (1-3, HR, 4 RBI) and Jason Hawkins (0-2, RBI). Record: McLennan 13-5-1.
