Highlanders Start 2-0

McLean did not wait long to get their offense rolling, as Riley Beiro led things off with a sharply hit ball down the 3rd base line that was too hot for the Freedom 3rd baseman to handle. Beiro reached 2nd on the play and promptly scored the Highlanders first run two pitches later via an error off the bat of Quinn Pippin that the Eagles 2nd baseman misplayed. Pippin also eventually scored for McLean in the top of the 1st and the Highlanders took the field with a 2-0 lead.

Buckley was sharp early on for the Highlanders. The young right-hander did a nice job of throwing strikes early in the count and easily worked his way through the first two frames. At the end of two and a half innings, McLean led 5-0.

Freedom plated three runs in the bottom of the third by way of a leadoff walk, two base hits, and two Highlander errors. At the end of three, the Eagles had cut the lead to 5-3.

Throughout the next three innings, McLean’s bats came alive as the Highlanders tacked on 13 unanswered runs to take the contest by an 18-3 margin. Leading the way for the Highlanders was junior 1B Erik Payne, who went 3-3 with two runs scored and two RBI. Sophomore CF Riley Beiro went 1-4 in his first Varsity start with a triple, two RBI, three runs scored, and four stolen bases. Sophomore shortstop Sean Fitzgerald added a 1-3 day with 2 RBI, sophomore pitcher Denis Buckley went 1-1 with an RBI and two walks, senior 3rd baseman Quinn Pippin was 1-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, and sophomore 2nd baseman Chris Russo went 1-2 with 3 RBI and a run. Also contributing for the Highlanders were senior catcher Jim Bodson (3 walks), and senior LF Justin Johnson (SB, run). Corey Cannon added a stolen base and three runs scored as a courtesy runner, and AJ Maffei and Tim Ferry collected their first Varsity base hits. Denis Buckley earned his first win of the young season with 4 IP, 3 hits, and 5 Ks. Additionally for the Highlanders, freshman Billy Heberton and sophomore Charlie Geiger made their Varsity debuts on the mound and were sharp in combining for 0 runs on 0 hits and 3 Ks.

“This was a nice way for us to open up the season”, McLean head coach John Thomas said. “I was just a little disappointed with how we came out in the first couple of innings, because I thought we were a little flat. However, I really liked the way the guys off the bench came in and got us going tonight, and I was real pleased with the way we kept our foot on the gas after opening up the lead again after they got to within 5-3. Buckley threw the ball pretty well for us tonight and I thought he definitely took a step in the right direction. I was also really happy with the way Quinn Pippin and Erik Payne approached their at bats tonight. All in all, it’s nice to win the first game and get contributions from everybody.”

McLean continued pool play in the 2008 Lets Play Two Invitational on Saturday, March 15th at Woodbridge High School against the Mount Vernon Majors. Mount Vernon entered the game with a 2-0 record, and started right hander Gabe Murdock on the mound. McLean countered with senior Quinn Pippin, who was making his first ever Varsity appearance as a pitcher for the Highlanders.

Pippin was very sharp in the top half of the first inning. After a one out walk to the Majors # 2 hitter, Pippin promptly induced a weak groundout to 3B Erik Payne and then struck out Mount Vernon’s cleanup batter. The Highlanders came to bat with the game scoreless.

Riley Beiro was hit with games’ first pitch. Beiro promptly swiped 2nd and then scored on Quinn Pippin’s bouncer to 2nd base that the Majors infield couldn’t handle. Sean Fitzgerald then doubled down the left field line, scoring Pippin. Denis Buckley then followed with a ground ball to shortstop that was again misplayed by the Mount Vernon infield, and Erik Payne then added to the big inning with an RBI single. Kendall Wilkins followed with another single up the middle and David Roffman was plunked with a ball just below his eyebrow to continue the Highlanders’ huge first inning. After a double play and a flyout, the Highlanders took the field again for the top of the 2nd inning with a comfortable 5-0 lead.

Pippin again was impressive in the 2nd frame for MHS. The senior induced three straight balls hit to 2nd baseman Chris Russo to get out of the inning after throwing only eight pitches. McLean came to bat again for the bottom half of the 2nd inning still leading 5-0.

Beiro lead off the 2nd inning for McLean with a very tough at bat. The young CF fought for eight pitches to draw a leadoff walk after getting behind in the count 0-2. Beiro quickly scored on a base hit by Pippin, and again the Highlander bats came alive as McLean plated six more runs via three hits, two walks, and two Major errors. At the end of two complete innings, the Highlanders led 11-0.

For the second straight day, McLean received contributions from the entire roster as the Highlanders again sent over 15 different players to the plate. Leading the way for McLean was junior 1B Erik Payne, who went 3-3 with two runs and two RBI. Sean Fitzgerald added a 1-4 day, with two runs, two RBI, and two stolen bases. Kendall Wilkins added a 1-2 day with a run scored, Quinn Pippin had his second consecutive solid game with a 1-3, 2 run, one RBI effort, and David Roffman was 1-2 with 2 RBI and a tough HBP. Quinn Pippin was very sharp for McLean in his first ever start, going 3 innings and striking out two while allowing just one walk. Billy Heberton also made his 2nd appearance in relief for the Highlanders in tossing a scoreless 4th inning, and Sean Fitzgerald came in to close out the 11-3 victory with a crisp 1 1/3 IP, striking out two.

“I was very, very pleased with the way we approached this game”, said Coach Thomas. “We had 19 kids ready to go from the minute we got off the bus, and I thought we were very focused on playing our own game and blocking out all the other circumstances. I obviously like the way that Quinn is going about his business on the mound. He’s attacking hitters and he’s putting a lot of trust in the guys behind him. If he can keep that mindset all year he has an opportunity to be very good. I also thought that David Roffman was rock solid for us tonight in just about every area.”

“To me, the nice improvement about tonight was that we were really focused on doing the things we need to do”, Coach Thomas continued. “One of the things we need to get better at this year is being the same team every single night, no matter who we go up against. I thought that we did a really good job of aggressively getting on top of our opponent and then putting them away. That’s a very positive step for us to take in this very early part of the season.”

The Highlanders continue their play in the 2008 Lets Play Two Invitational with a semi-final contest against the Vikings of Woodbridge High School on Monday, March 17th, at Woodbridge. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 PM.