Highlanders drop close game in season opener

The McLennan Highlanders come up short in a back-and-forth battle with State College of Florida at the Panama City Beach College Baseball Classic with the Manatees taking the 10-9 win.

McLennan got on the board early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Sam Flores singled and Phoenix Meza drew a walk. Deiten Lachance followed with a three-run homer in his first career at-bat.

The Highlanders added a run in the second as Xander McAfee walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a single by Flores and scored on a single by Meza.

State College of Florida got on the board with a run in the bottom of the second as Hayden Gustavson doubled and scored on a single by Allan Gil-Fernandez.

Another McLennan run scored in the third. Daniel Harden singled and advanced around to third on an error. Marcus Smith then singled to score Harden.

The Manatees tied the game with four runs in the bottom of the third. Jalen Hairston singled to lead off the inning. Pip Smalley and Luke Boykin both walked, loading the bases. Gustavson was hit by the pitch, scoring Hairston, and Gil-Fernandez singled to score Smalley and Boykin. Santiago Ordonez reached on an error, a fielder's choice by Daniel Hartley scored Gustavson.

Highlanders took the lead with two runs in the fifth. Smith walked, stole second and scored on a single by Landon Underhill. Flores was hit by the pitch, and Meza singled to score Underhill.

State College of Florida responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead. Ordonez reached on an error, Hartley walked, and Luis Garrido singled, loading the bases. Hairston singled to score Ordonez and Hartley, and Smalley was hit by the pitch. Garrido then scored on a sacrifice fly by Boykin.

McLennan added a run in the sixth. Harden and Aidan Kuni both walked. Underhill then singled to score Harden.

The Manatees added another two runs in the sixth. Ordonez doubled and Garrido was intentionally walked. Hairston singled to score Ordonez, and Smalley singled to score Garrido.

The Highlanders rounded out the scoring with a run in the top of the seventh. Lucas Kelly tripled, and Mac Rose then singled to score Kelly.