McLennan baseball wins Region V tournament to advance to the NJCAA world series

WACO, Texas (KWTX) – The McLennan Highlanders claimed the Region V Championship and punched their ticket to the 2024 JUCO World Series with a 9-5 victory over the Midland Chaparrals this evening at Bosque River Ballpark.

Nick Greaney picked up the win on the mound. Midland took the early lead with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Brock Tijerina walked and Kyle Lewis singled. Tijerina scored on a wild pitch, and Lewis scored on a double by Parker Ibrahimi. Trace Holcomb was hit by the pitch, and Jake Martinez singled to score Ibrahimi. McLennan got on the board in the top of the fourth with back-to-back doubles by Deiten Lachance and Sam Flores. The Chaparrals responded with a Martinez home run in the bottom of the fourth. 

The Highlanders added a run in the top of the fifth as Aidan Kuni doubled and scored on a double by Lachance. McLennan took the lead with five runs in the sixth inning. Walker Freeman and Landon Underhill both walked. Daniel Harden was hit by the pitch, loading the bases. Mac Rose singled to score Freeman and Underhill. Kuni was hit by the pitch, and Lachance reached on an error, scoring Harden. Flores then singled to score Rose and Kuni. 

Another Highlander run scored in the seventh. Owen Smith reached on an error and Freeman walked. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Underhill. Brecken Menuet then singled to score Smith. Martinez rounded out the Chaparral scoring with another home run in the bottom of the seventh. 

McLennan’s final run came in the top of the eighth. Kuni was hit by the pitch and advanced to second on a ground out by Lachance. Kuni then stole third and scored on a wild pitch.

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