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McLean’s final home game of the regular season ended in a lopsided defeat May 12 as the Marshall Statesmen capitalized on defensive mistakes to beat the Highlanders 11-1.
The senior-night matchup also carried postseason implications for McLean, which was seeking favorable seeding in the Liberty District tournament.
“We were feeling super hyped up and confident,” senior designated hitter Daniel Ockerman said. “This was our last home game of the season before districts, so we had to really put our all in.”
Marshall quickly took control against sophomore pitcher Alex Inget, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. One deep hit brought home a runner from third, while McLean failed to answer in the bottom half.
The Statesmen continued to exploit the Highlanders’ defensive struggles. A mishandled ball behind the plate helped Marshall add another run, and aggressive baserunning contributed to a 7-0 advantage. By the end of the third inning, the lead had grown to 8-0.
McLean finally broke through in the fourth, scoring its first run and injecting some energy into the dugout and crowd.
“After getting our first run, we definitely got a lot more excited and felt that we could maybe redeem ourselves,” senior pitcher JW Riggins said.
The comeback never developed. Marshall added another run in the fifth, although senior third baseman James Socknat provided McLean with a defensive highlight by making a juggling catch for an out.
Socknat also recorded the Highlanders’ first hit. He later reached third after Riggins advanced him, but McLean could not bring him home.
Marshall scored twice more in the sixth, with another McLean misplay contributing to the damage. The Highlanders could not respond, sealing the 11-1 result and improving the Statesmen’s record to 12-5.
McLean will get an immediate chance at redemption when the teams meet again May 15 in the regular-season finale before the Liberty District tournament.
“We have to be sharper defensively and limit the extra chances we’re giving teams,” Riggins said. “If we clean up the mistakes and play more consistently, we’ll put ourselves in a much better position.”