By Toby Bicknell
Texas Scouting Director

Twitter: @PBR_Texas

Tuesday, April 11

The spring thunderstorms presented challenges for many DFW-Area games on Tuesday, but thanks to a fantastic playing surface at McKinney High School, we were able to catch a district matchup as the Lions hosted the Allen Eagles. Both teams came into the night with a 16-8 Overall record, but McKinney (5-3) was trailing league leading Allen (7-1) by two games, but the tides would change in District 6-6A.

The scoring began in the first inning, when junior left fielder Wilson Galvan hit an RBI double down the left field line. Junior shortstop Jake Smith followed with a well struck single to left-centerfield to plate Galvan, Lions up 2-0. In the top of the second, Allen starting pitcher and Baylor Football commit Cole Maxwell, hammered a line drive single to the left-centerfield gap. McKinney center fielder Jonathan Hobart barely missed a “Sports Center”, full extension diving catch as the ball narrowly missed his glove. But Hobart popped up and threw the ball on a line to second base, gunning down Maxwell, Lions still up 2-0.

In the bottom of the third, McKinney would go up 5-0 on a Ryan Ewing sac-fly and a Jason McConahey RBI single. McKinney scored three more runs in the fourth after several Allen defensive miscues.

In the top of the fifth, freshman Cole Latos scorched a leadoff double to left-centerfield, but McKinney starter, 2017 RHP Pepper Jones, struck out the next three batters he faced. Jones,  a Navarro JC recruit, did not allow a run over six innings, striking out eleven and scattering three hits and five walks. Final score, McKinney 8, Allen 0. With the win, McKinney (6-3) moves to within one full game of Allen (7-2), setting up a huge District 6-6A rematch on Thursday.

Other Notes: A nice touch to the experience at McKinney High is the “Couch Crew” on the third base line.

STATS

McKinney
P. Jones: (W) 6 IP, 3 H, 11 K, 5 BB
W. Galvan: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI
J. Smith: 2-4, RBI
J. Hobart: 0-1, 2 R, 2 BB, HBP
S. Hunt: 1-3
C. Berg: 1-3, RBI
J. McConahey: 1-1, RBI

Allen
C. Maxwell: 1-2, BB, Pitching: 3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, K, 4 BB
C. Latos: 2-3, 2B

 

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