The top-ranked McLennan Highlanders clinched the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference Championship with a pair of victories over the Vernon Chaparrals this afternoon.
McLennan took game one 8-5 with Kynlei Chapman getting the win in the circle.
Trinity Allen began the scoring with a solo home run for the Highlanders in the bottom of the first.
The Chaparrals tied the game with a run in the second. Leila Lopez walked and advanced around to third on a wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt by Cadence Verona before scoring on a passed ball.
McLennan took the lead with three runs in the third. Tehya Pitts reached and came around to score on a Vernon error. Mickayla Tosch then walked and score on another Allen home run.
Three more Highlander runs scored in the fourth. Aynsli Lawson led off with a solo home run. Pitts singled and MJ Nicholson walked, both scoring on a triple by Macie Jansky.
The final McLennan run came in the bottom of the fifth. Alyssa Moreno and Pitts both singled. Tosch then singled to score Moreno.
Vernon rounded out the scoring with four runs in the seventh. Gabree-Ella Orosco and Lopez both singled, and Verona walked to load the bases. Emrie Ashcraft walked, scoring Orosco. Kynlee Lewis then singled to score Lopez and pinch runner Zariah Liufau. Kamden Hutton followed with a double to score pinch runner Kylie Phillips.
Game two was a 9-1 run-rule victory for the Highlanders with Natalie Klenda going five innings in the circle.
Vernon scored one in the first. Avery Pemberton, Morgan Yeager and Hutton all singled. Pemberton was out a home on a fielder's choice by Anita Gonzalez. Yeager then scored on a fielder's choice by Orosco.
The Highlanders tied the game with a run in the bottom of the inning as Pitts walked, stole her way around to third and scored on around out by Tosch.
McLennan took the leads with two runs in the third. Allen hit another home run, her third of the day. Nicholson then singled and scored on a double by Lilli Piersons.
The Highlanders secured the run rule with six runs in the fifth. Pitts singled and stole second. Tosch followed with a double to score Pitts. Nicholson singled to score Tosch, and Piersons singled. Delanie Roeder came in as a pinch runner for Nicholson, and Madison Levsey walked to load the bases. Madison Garcia tripled to score all three runners, and Garcia scored on a sac fly by Ally Thompson to end the game.
McLennan 8, Vernon 5
Vernon 010 000 4 – 5 7 1
McLennan 103 310 x – 8 12 0
Giovanca Frias, Abby Maetche (4) and Cadence Verona. Kynlei Chapman, Cydney Whitacre (7), Chapman (7) and Macie Jansky. WP: Chapman; LP: Frias. Leading hitters – Vernon: Kamden Hutton (2-4, 2B, RBI), Emrie Ashcraft (0-0, RBI) and Kynlee Lewis (2-3, 2 RBI); McLennan: Tehya Pitts (2-3), Mickayla Tosch (1-3, RBI); Trinity Allen (2-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI), MJ Nicholson (2-3, 2B), Macie Jansky (1-4, 3B, 2 RBI), Ally Thompson (2-4, 2 2B) and Aynsli Lawson (1-3,HR, RBI). Record: McLennan 45-5 (25-2).
McLennan 9, Vernon 1
Vernon 100 000 – 1 4 0
McLennan 102 06 – 9 10 0
Kadey Hatley and Danielle Powell. Natalie Klenda and Lilli Piersons. WP: Klenda; LP: Hatley. Leading hitters – Vernon: Gabree-Ella Orosco (0-2, RBI) and Morgan Yeager (2-3); McLennan: Tehya Pitts (2-2), Mickayla Tosch (1-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Trinity Allen (2-3, HR, RBI), MJ Nicholson (2-3, RBI), Lilli Piersons (2-3, 2, RBI), Madison Garcia (1-2, 3B, 3 RBI) and Ally Thompson (0-0, RBI). Record: McLennan 46-5 (26-2).
