The No. 3 McLennan Highlanders and No. 18 Grayson Vikings split today's conference doubleheader in Sherman.
McLennan took game one 6-4 in eight innings with Jack Driskell getting the win on the mound.
The Highlanders began the scoring with Jalen Battles' solo home run in the top of the first.
The Vikings tied the game with a run in the bottom of the inning. Braydon Webb drew a walk and Cordell Dunn Jr. singled. Blake Rambusch followed with a double to score Webb.
Grayson took the lead with Riley McKinney's home run in the bottom of the second.
McLennan tied the game again in the third as Jordan Yeatts singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a ground out by Battles and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cole Moore.
The Highlanders took the lead with a run in the fifth. Yeatts and Battles were both hit by the pitch. Moore hit into a double play, moving Yeatts to third and putting Battles out at second. Yeatts then scored on a passed ball.
McLennan added a run in the sixth. Aidan Shepardson doubled and Jaylen Williams was hit by the pitch. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Bishop. Shepardson then scored on another passed ball.
Grayson scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and force extra innings. With two outs on the board, Jarrett Gonzales drew a walk. Webb followed with the two run homer.
The Highlanders scored two in the top of the eighth to seal the win. Williams singled and Bishop followed with the two-run homer.
Grayson defeated McLennan 11-9 in the nightcap. Mason Hilton took the loss on the mound.
McLennan scored two in the top of the first inning. Yeatts walked and scored on a double by Battles. Battles then moved to third on a fly out by Garrett Martin and scored on a single by Moore.
Webb put Grayson on the board with a home run in the bottom of the inning.
The Highlanders added four runs in the second. Williams reached on an error, Vince Ippoliti walked and Ryan Neitsch bunted for a singled, loading the bases. Yeatts followed with a grand slam.
The Vikings tied the game with five runs in the bottom of the third. Webb singled, Brandon Talley doubled and Dunn Jr. walked to load the bases. Rambusch followed with a single to score Webb and Talley, and Dunn Jr. scored on a single by Omar Cervantez. Will Quillen drew a walk and Hayden Houser singled to score Rambusch and Cervantez.
Four more Grayson runs scored in the fourth. Dunn Jr. reached on an error and Rambusch was hit by the pitch. Josh Rodriguez singled to score Dunn Jr., and Quillen singled to score Rambusch. McKinney walked to load the bases. Rodriguez scored on an error and Quillen scored on a ground out by Houser.
McLennan added three runs in the fifth. Shepardson walked and Williams singled, both scoring on a double by Ippoliti. Ippoliti then scored on a double by Yeatts.
The Vikings rounded out the scoring with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Webb and Talley were both hit by the pitch. Dunn Jr. then singled to score Webb.
McLennan returns to action Wednesday, traveling to Ranger for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
McLennan 6, Grayson 4
McLennan 101 011 02 – 6 7 0
Grayson 110 000 20 – 4 6 1
Grant Miller, Jack Driskell (7) and Ryan Bishop. Cole Canuetson, Jeff Wilson (5), Steve Hayward (8) and Cordell Dunn Jr. WP: Driskell; LP: Hayward. Leading hitters – McLennan: Jalen Battles (1-3, HR, RBI), Cole Moore (1-3, RBI), Aidan Shepardson (1-4, 2B) and Ryan Bishop (1-2, HR, 2 RBI); Grayson: Brayden Webb (1-3, HR, 2 RBI), Brandon Talley (1-3, 2B), Cordell Dunn Jr. (2-4), Blake Rambusch (1-2, 2B, RBI) and Riley McKinney (1-4, HR, RBI). Record: McLennan 36-8 (21-2).
Grayson 11, McLennan 9
McLennan 240 030 0 – 9 11 4
Grayson 105 410 x – 11 10 1
Mason Hilton, Payton Strambler (3), Max Mize (4), Brett Williams (5), Rene Ramos (6) and Vince Ippoliti. Chase Van Dyk, Oliver Howlitt (4), Jeff Wilson (6) and Jarrett Gonzales. WP: Van Dyk; LP: Hilton. Leading hitters – McLennan: Jordan Yeatts (3-4, 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI), Jalen Battles (2-4, 2B, RBI), Cole Moore (2-4, RBI), Jaylen Williams (2-4) and Vince Ippoliti (1-2, 2B, 2 RBI); Grayson: Braydon Webb (2-3, HR, RBI), Brandon Talley (2-4, 2B), Cordell Dunn Jr. (1-3, RBI), Blake Rambusch (1-3, 2 RBI), Omar Cervantez (1-2, RBI), Josh Rodriguez (1-2, RBI), Will Quillen (1-3, RBI) and Hayden Houser (1-3, 3 RBI). Record: McLennan 36-9 (21-3).
