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Two days after needing extra innings to edge Washington-Liberty 5-4, McLean left no room for another close finish. The Highlanders erupted early and piled on late for a 17-3 victory at Quincy Park on April 15.

“We saw how they pitched and we knew who we were facing up against,” senior pitcher JW Riggins said. “We wanted to walk into this game with the motivation to smack them around like we should have in the first one.”

McLean immediately seized control with three runs in the top of the first inning. A walk and two singles produced the opening run before a Washington-Liberty error allowed two more runners to score.

“Jumping out to an early lead helped take the pressure off of the game quickly,” Riggins said. “We started to loosen up and that was when we started playing better.”

Riggins backed the offense with a dominant start on the mound. Despite issuing a walk and seeing a runner advance on an error, he struck out three batters in the first inning.

Neither team scored over the next three innings as pitching took over. Riggins recorded 10 strikeouts and did not allow a run during his appearance.

The Highlanders broke through again in the fifth. Riggins opened the inning with a triple and scored on a single by senior pitcher Dan Ockerman. Senior catcher Reid Turner then tripled Ockerman to third, and senior left fielder Ryan Riggins followed with another triple that drove in two runs. Three consecutive walks brought Ryan Riggins home and extended McLean’s lead to 7-0.

Washington-Liberty answered in the bottom half of the inning. After a walk and a strikeout, sophomore pitcher Charlie Coates replaced JW Riggins. Two walks, an error and a wild pitch helped the Generals score twice before senior pitcher Logan Baldrate entered. Washington-Liberty added one more run on a fielder’s choice, but a flyout ended the inning with McLean still ahead 7-3.

McLean removed any remaining doubt by scoring 10 more runs across the sixth and seventh innings. Every Highlander recorded a hit, most scored at least once, and players who do not usually bat also contributed at the plate.

Baldrate kept Washington-Liberty scoreless over the final two innings to finish the rout.

“Towards the end we were up enough that the nerves were released and I was just throwing the ball to the catcher,” Baldrate said. “The pressure was off and we just wanted to get out of the innings.”

McLean’s 17-3 win set up an April 21 matchup with Wakefield as the Highlanders looked to sustain their momentum and build toward a postseason run.

“We know what we’re capable of,” Baldrate said. “We just have to continue to work hard as a team and take every game one-by-one.”