WACO, TX — The No. 3 McLennan Highlanders and No. 18 Grayson Vikings split today’s conference doubleheader at Bosque River Ballpark.
McLennan took game one 8-6 with Alex DeLeon getting the win on the mound.
Grayson began the scoring with a run in the second. Cordell Dunn and Will Quillen both singled. Josh Rodriguez singled and Dunn was thrown out at the plate. Riley McKinney then singled to score Quillen.
McLennan tied the game with the run in the bottom of the second as Brett Squires doubled, moved to third on a single by Aidan Shepardson and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Bishop.
The Vikings took the lead with a run in top of the third as Jarrett Gonzales bunted and scored on a double by Dunn.
The Highlanders scored three in the third to take the lead. With an out already recorded, Jalen Battles singled. Cole Moore, Garrett Martin and Squires all singled, bringing Battles in to score. Brooks Embry was safe at first on an error and Moore was out at the plate. Shepardson then singled to score Martin and Squires.
Two more Highlander runs scored in the fifth. Moore singled and Martin walked. Both runners scored on a double by Embry.
Grayson added a run in the top of the sixth as Quillen reached on an error, moved to second on a single by Rodriguez and scored on a single by McKinney.
McLennan’s final two runs came in the bottom of the sixth as Battles and Moore both walked and scored on a single by Martin.
The Vikings rounded out the scoring with three runs in the top of the seventh. Braydon Webb singled, Brandon Talley was hit by the pitch and Blake Rambusch singled to load the bases. Webb scored on a ground out by Omar Cervantez. Rodriguez then doubled to score Talley and Rambusch.
Grayson defeated McLennan 8-7 in the nightcap with Jase Embry taking the loss.
The Vikings scored one in the top of the first as Gonzales walked, moved to second on a single by Talley, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dunn.
The Highlanders tied the game with a run in the bottom of the inning as Jordan Yeatts singled, stole second and scored on a single by Martin.
Grayson took the lead with a run in the second as Quillen singled, advanced to third on a single by Hayden Houser and scored on a balk.
McLennan tied the game again with a run in the bottom of the second as Embry singled and scored on Vince Ippoliti’s double.
Two Vikings scored in the third to take the lead again. Webb led off with a single and Talley followed with a two-run homer.
Grayson added two runs in the fourth. Quillen doubled and McKinney singled, both scoring on a double by Houser.
The Highlanders added two runs in the fourth. Shepardson and Jaylen Williams both singled and advanced on a wild pitch. Yeatts then doubled to score both runners.
Grayson’s final two runs came in the seventh. Talley singled and moved to second on an overthrow. Rambusch singled to score Talley. Rambusch then advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a single by Rodriguez and scored on a single by Quillen.
Martin’s solo home run for McLennan in the seventh cut the lead to three, 8-5.
The Highlanders scored two in the ninth as Martin doubled and scored on Squires’ home run. McLennan had the tying run on first but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Weather permitting, the Highlanders and Vikings will complete the four-game series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at Grayson.
