Highlanders Move To 5-3

McLean came out swinging in the top of the first inning.  Riley Beiro led off the game for McLean by getting hit by a pitch.  Quinn Pippin followed with a towering pop-up that the Madison infield lost in the sun, resulting in a single.  Sean Fitzgerald followed with a base hit to right field, loading the bases with no one out.  Denis Buckley punched a two strike fastball into right field for a single, scoring Beiro and making the score 1-0 McLean.  Erik Payne came up next and drilled a double into right center field, scoring Pippin and Fitzgerald and making the score 3-0.  However, Jeter was able to bear down after that and retire the next three Highlanders in order, escaping further damage. 

Fitzgerald ran into some trouble in the bottom of the first via a walk and an infield hit, but was able to make some clutch pitches to escape the jam.

Jeter settled into the game nicely for Madison beginning in the 2^nd inning, as the senior retired the Highlanders in order, including two strikeouts.  McLean took the field for the bottom of the 2^nd leading 3-0. 

The Warhawks were able to get the bats going in the 2^nd.  A walk, a hit batter, and four Madison hits led to a big 5 run inning that gave the home team a 5-3 advantage entering the top of the 3^rd.

Both pitchers dominated the next three frames as only two Madison batters reached base, while McLean managed just one.  Going into the bottom of the 5^th, Madison still led 5-3.

Andrew Schrock led off for Madison by drawing a full-count walk, despite taking what appeared to be at least four strikes during the at-bat.  After a sacrifice bunt and a ground ball, Schrock scored on a passed ball, making the score 6-3 Madison.

McLean went down in order again in the top of the 6^th, as Jeter was now fully in command of the game.

Jeter led off the bottom of the 6^th for Madison with a solo home run just over the wall in right field.  Fitzgerald retired the next three Warhawks in order, but Madison had extended their lead to 7-3.

In the top of the 7^th, McLean fought valiantly, managing to chase Jeter from the game with two outs and scoring a run via an RBI groundout from Fitzgerald.  Schrock came in to close out the game, managing a strikeout to end the ballgame and giving Madison a 7-4 win.

After the game, McLean coach John Thomas commented, “I have no doubt that we were ready to play tonight, as our three run first inning would suggest.  We just have to tip our caps to Jeter for shutting us down completely after that inning and throwing a heck of a game tonight.  We have to learn to do a better job of making life tougher on good pitchers when they are throwing the ball like he was tonight.  That will come with experience.  I thought that Sean threw the ball very well for us out there, we just have to do a better job of staying out of the big inning.  Madison is capable of jumping on teams and gaining momentum like nobody else, and tonight they were able to do that when Sean left a few balls up in the 2^nd.   We are disappointed that we weren’t able to come in here and win tonight, but it’s April 1^st and there is a ton of baseball to be played.  I like our team and I think if we keep our heads down and continue to focus on getting better we have an opportunity to be very good.”

After a rainout postponed the Highlander’s scheduled Friday night game at Thomas Jefferson, McLean was at it again on Saturday, April 5^th at Annandale High School for their final non-district game of the season against the Annandale Atoms of the Patriot District.  The Highlanders elected to start freshman Billy Heberton on the mound (in his first ever Varsity start), while the Atoms countered with sophomore Michael Jeffers.

The Highlanders did not wait long to get the bats going, as they jumped out to an early 2-0 lead via an error, a double by Chris Russo, an RBI single by Sean Fitzgerald, and a sacrifice fly by Erik Payne. 

Heberton looked very sharp for McLean early on.  The young right hander did an excellent job of getting ahead in the count and mixing his pitches as he kept Annandale off balance in the first two innings.  After McLean notched three more runs in the top of the 3^rd, Heberton took the hill again staked to a 5-0 lead. 

Eric Bridge led off the third with a home run over the left field wall, making the score 5-1.  Heberton kept his composure, however, and continued to attack the Atoms lineup.  Annandale couldn’t cut into McLean’s lead any further and McLean came back up for the top of the 4^th leading 5-1. 

After the Highlanders notched two more runs in the top of the 4^th, Heberton came back out for the bottom half of the frame and wrapped up his strong outing by allowing a harmless run via two Annandale hits and two stolen bases.   The Highlanders notched their eighth run of the game in the top of the 5^th, and elected to bring in sophomore lefthander Charlie Geiger to pitch the 5^th and 6^th innings.  Geiger was very effective for McLean, consistently getting ahead in the count and locating his fastball and breaking ball very well in keeping Annandale off the scoreboard.  Sophomore Tim Ferry then followed for the Highlanders, hurling a scoreless 7^th inning to close out the game and the 10-2 win for McLean in his Varsity pitching debut.

McLean had played very well in earning their 5^th win of the young season.  Every Highlander in uniform entered the ballgame and the result was a variety of contributions from throughout the roster.  Corey Cannon went 2-4 with a double and a run scored in his first ever Varsity start.  Sean Fitzgerald was 3-3 with 3 RBI, Chris Russo was 1-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, Riley Beiro was 1-3 with two runs and three stolen bases, and Quinn Pippin added a 2-4 day.

“Good win for us”, McLean coach John Thomas said.  “I was particularly pleased with the performances we got from some of our younger guys today.  I thought that Billy Heberton did a great job for us on the mound and we are pleased to get him his first Varsity win.  I also liked the way that Geiger and Ferry came in and for the most part threw a lot of strikes with a big lead.  Having those guys perform the way they did is big for us with three district games coming up this week.  Also, I thought that Corey did a real good job at the plate for us today.  That was great to see in his first career start.  I also thought that Alex Linderman did a very, very good job for us behind the plate today in a tough situation.  We haven’t been able to get him much work back there in practice, but he stepped up for us and really played well today.”

McLean is back in action on Tuesday, April 8^th when they host the South Lakes Seahawks in a Liberty District contest.  First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM.