McLennan Softball opens conference play with win at Cisco

The McLennan Highlassies opened conference play with a 13-12 victory over the Cisco Lady Wranglers this afternoon in Cisco. Emily Klanika picked up the victory in the circle and Carla Torres got the save.
 
McLennan began the scoring with two runs in the top of the first inning. Genisa Marrero-Carter led off with a double and came around to score on ground outs by Olivia Lantigua and Kaitlin Richards. Sophie Wideman then doubled and scored on a single by Emeri Eubanks.
 
Cisco tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the first as Amanda Contreras was hit by the pitch and scored on a Sarah Welsh home run.
 
The Highlassies scored four runs in the second to take the lead. Arianna Perales singled, Brooke Arnold walked and Kaelin Morkisch bunted to load the bases. Marrero-Carter followed with a triple to clear the bases. Marrero-Carter then scored on a single by Olivia Lantigua.
 
The Lady Wranglers added a run in the bottom of the second as Trinity Dudley singled, moved to second on a McLennan error, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out by Yamilex Valdez.
 
McLennan scored one in the third as Eubanks walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a Cisco error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Madison Hill.
 
Another Highlassie run scored in the fourth as Lantigua singled, moved to second on an error, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out by Richards.
 
Cisco tied the game at eight with five runs in the bottom of the fourth. Destiny DeLeon walked, Dudley singled and Valdez was safe on an error, loading the bases. DeLeon scored on a sacrifice fly by Lauren Guerrero. A double by Contreras scored Dudley and Valdez. Dionne Pierre reached on an error, and Taylor Epperson doubled to score Contreras and Pierre.
 
The Lady Wranglers took the lead with two runs in the fifth. DeLeon reached on an error and Dudley singled. Valdez followed with a fielder's choice, putting DeLeon out at third. Dudley scored on a single by Contreras, and Valdez scored on a double by Pierre.
 
McLennan scored five runs in the sixth to take the lead. Lantigua doubled and Richards reached on an error. Wideman also reached on an error, bringing Lantigua in to score. Perales singled to score Richards and Wideman. Perales scored on a triple by Arnold, and Arnold scored on a wild pitch.
 
Cisco rounded out the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Contreras was hit by the pitch, and Pierre reached first and moved to second on an error. Both runners scored on a double by Epperson.
 
The second game of today's doubleheader with Cisco was postponed due to weather conditions. McLennan returns to action Saturday, traveling to Ranger for a noon doubleheader.
 
McLennan 13, Cisco 12
McLennan 241 105 0 – 13 13 5
Cisco 210 520 2 – 13 13 5
Emily Klanika, Carla Torres (7) and Kaitlin Richards. Ileana Ortega, Erin Michael (7) and Yamilex Valdez. WP: Klanika; LP: Ortega; SV: Torres. Leading hitters – McLennan: Genisa Marrero-Carter (2-5, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI), Olivia Lantigua (3-5, 2B, RBI), Kaitlin Richards (0-5, 2 RBI), Sophie Wideman (2-5, 2B), Emeri Eubanks (1-3, RBI), Arianna Perales (2-4, 2 RBI), Brooke Arnold (1-3, 3B, 2 RBI) and Kaelin Morkisch (2-4); Cisco: Amanda Contreras (3-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Dionne Pierre (1-5, 2B, RBI), Ileana Ortega (1-4, 2B), Sarah Welsh (1-5, HR, 2 RBI), Taylor Epperson (3-5, 2 2B, 5 RBI), Yamilex Valdez (0-4, RBI) and Lauren Guerrero (0-3, RBI). Record: 10-7 (1-0).