The No. 3 McLennan Highlanders hammered the Vernon Chaparrals this afternoon in Vernon to take the conference series 3-1.
McLennan smashed the Chaparrals 25-0 in game one with Wyatt Cheney getting the shut-out win on the mound
The Highlanders scored two runs in the top of the first as Hunter Grimes walked and scored on Cole Dillon's home run.
McLennan added seven runs in the second. Hank Bard walked, Izzy Lopez singled and Elijah Rodriguez walked, loading the bases. Bard scored on a wild pitch, and Grimes singled to score Lopez and Rodriguez. Ty Johnson singled and Cole Fontenelle walked, loading the bases again. Dillon then singled to score Grimes and Johnson. Daniel Altman walked to load the bases for the third time in the inning. Chase Brown was then hit by the pitch to score Fontenelle. Bard then walked again, scoring Dillon.
The Highlanders exploded for 12 runs in the third. Fontenelle, Dillon and Altman all walked. Brown was hit by the pitch again, scoring Fontenelle. Lopez followed with a grand slam. Rodriguez walked and Grimes singled. Johnson singled to score Rodriguez, and Fontenelle followed with a three-run homer. Dillon reached on an error and Altman walked. Brown followed with a three-run homer.
Four more McLennan runs scored in the fifth. John Ceccoli singled and Rodric Black walked. Mateo Zeppieri followed with a three-run homer, and Johnson hit a solo home run.
McLennan's dominance continued into the nightcap with the Highlanders handing Vernon the 34-9 loss. Jared Matheson picked up the win on the mound for McLennan.
The Highlanders jumped out to the early lead with five runs in the first. Grimes reached on an error and Johnson singled. Fontenelle's fielder's choice put Grimes out at the plate. Johnson scored on a fielder's choice by Zeppieri. Katcher Halligan followed with a three-run homer. Lopez walked and Altman singled. Lopez then scored on an error.
Three more McLennan runs scored in the second. Grimes singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Johnson. Fontenelle and Zeppieri both walked. Johnson scored on a sacrifice fly by Halligan. Lopez then singled to score Fontenelle.
Vernon's first two runs came in the bottom of the second. Dillon Flores hit a solo home run. Sergio Ortiz reached on an error but was out on a fielder's choice by Brandon Smith. Elvis Rumaldo was hit by the pitch, and a fielder's choice by Cole Miears scored Smith.
The Chaparrals added two more runs in the third. Pierre-Emanuel Planes and Jayden Hill both singled. Flores walked, loading the baes. Ortiz was hit by the pitch, scoring Planes., and Hill scored on a fielder's choice by Rumaldo.
McLennan added six runs in the fourth. Zeppieri walked and Halligan singled. Ravaughn Morgan singled to score Zeppieri, and Lopez singled to score Halligan. Altman reached on an error, scoring Morgan, and Jason Hawkins' fielder's choice put Lopez out at third. Grimes then tripled to score Altman and Hawkins. A sacrifice fly by Johnson brought Grimes in to score.
Vernon added a run in the bottom of the fourth as Miears walked, advanced around to third on a single by Zak Skinner and scored on a single by Hill.
Three more Vernon runs scored in the sixth. Skinner walked and Planes doubled. Flores reached on an error, bringing both runners in to score. Flores then scored on a ground out by Ortiz.
Morgan hit a solo home run in the seventh to add a McLennan run.
The Chaparrals final run came in the bottom of the seventh. Espinal and Skinner both singled. Planes followed with a single to score Espinal.
McLennan rounded out the scoring with 19 runs in the eighth inning. Grimes single but was out on a fielder's choice by Johnson. Fontenelle followed with a two-run homers. Marquis Jackson doubled and Halligan walked, both scoring on a Morgan three-run homer. Lopez doubled and scored on a double by Altman. Hawkins then singled to score Altman. Hawkins advanced to second on an overthrow and moved to third on a wild pitch. Cash McNicholas then singled to score Hawkins. Johnson was hit by the pitch and Fontenelle walked, loading the bases. Jackson followed with a grand slam. Ceccoli doubled and Rodric Black walked, both scoring on a double by Altman. Hawkins followed with a two-run homer. McNicholas doubled and scored on a double by Johnson. Fontenelle followed with a two-run homer.
McLennan travels to Navarro Monday for a 2 p.m. non-conference matchup.
McLennan 25, Vernon 0
McLennan 2 7 12 04 – 25 16 0
Vernon 000 00 – 0 5 2
Wyatt Cheney and Hank Bard, John Ceccoli (4). Zak Taylor, Hank Hudson (2), Wade Van Der Bergh (2), Tyler Coakley (3), Branden Garza (3), Connor Donathan (4) and Dillon Flores. WP: Cheney; LP: Taylor. Leading hitters – McLennan: Hunter Grimes (2-3, 2 RBI), Ty Johnson (4-6, HR, 2 RBI), Cole Fontenelle (2-3, 2B, HR, 3 RBI), Cole Dillon (2-5, HR, 4 RBI), Chase Brown (1-3, HR, 5 RBI), Hank Bard (1-2, RBI), Izzy Lopez (2-3, HR, 4 RBI) and Mateo Zeppieri (1-1, HR, 3 RBI). Record: McLennan 26-8-1 (12-3).
McLennan 34, Vernon 9
McLennan 5 3 0 6 0 0 1 19 0 – 34 29 2
Vernon 0 2 2 1 0 3 1 0 x – 9 11 4
Gray Harrison, Jared Matheson (4), Will Glatch (6), Austin Ford (8) and Jason Hawkins. Angel Diaz, Ryan Avalos (4), Nicolas Yglesia (8), Ashton Smith, (8), Tyler Daniels (8) and Dillon Flores. WP: Matheson; LP: Diaz. Leading hitters – McLennan: Hunter Grimes (3-6, 3B, 2 RBI), Ty Johnson (4-6, 2 2B, 3B, 3 RBI), Cole Fontenelle (3-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI), Mateo Zeppieri (0-2, RBI), Katcher Halligan (2-4, HR, 4 RBI), Ravaughn Morgan (4-6, 2 HR, 5 RBI), Izzy Lopez (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI), Daniel Altman (3-7, 2 2B, 4 RBI), Jason Hawkins (2-7, HR, 3 RBI), Marquis Jackson (2-3, 2B, HR, 4 RBI) and Cash McNicholas (2-2, 2B, RBI); Vernon: Alvaro Espinal (2-3), Cole Miears (0-4, RBI), Zak Skinner (2-3), Pierre-Emmanuel Planes (3-5, 2B, RBI), Jayden Hill (2-5, RBI), Dillon Flores (1-4, HR, 2 RBI), Sergio Garcia (1-4, 2 RBI) and Elvis Rumaldo (0-4, RBI). Record: McLennan 27-8-1 (13-3).
