Through five games this season, the bats of the McLean Highlanders might be evaluated as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or inconsistent.
In the two games the high-school baseball team won, its bats have been potent, producing 15 and seven hits in 14-0 and 9-2 triumphs. In two of its losses, including a one-hit March 26 performance in a 2-1 road setback in chilly conditions at South Lakes High, the Highlander bats have been up and down.
McLean had just five hits and no RBI in a 4-3 opening-game loss to Gonzaga. Then, the Highlanders had 10 hits, but the pitching and defense struggled in a 16-10 defeat against Chantilly.
Overall, the Highlanders began this week with a 2-3 record, but had a 2-0 mark in the Liberty District with victories over Marshall, 14-0, and Wakefield, 9-2.
Against Marshall, Avi Furman led McLean with two hits and two RBI. Gavin Bartlett doubled and had two hits, Griffin Stieg had two hits and an RBI, A.J. Poole and J.W. Harrington each had a hit and two RBI and Robbie Coates had three RBI. Chris Morabito and Jakob Luu each doubled.
On the mound, Stieg started and threw four innings with eight strikeouts and only one walk to get the win. Aiden Carey worked the final inning in relief, fanning three. The two combined for a one-hitter.
Luu had two hits against Wakefield, Morabito doubled and had four RBI, Ethan Ball doubled, Furman had a hit and one RBI and Stieg and Coates had hits.
Carey got the win in five innings of work with five strikeouts and no walks. Bartlett threw 1 2/3 frames of hitless and scoreless ball with three Ks.
Ball had the lone hit against South Lakes and Coates had a sacrifice fly. Christian Dray and Jack Nance each pitched three innings and combined for seven strikeouts. Nance did not allow a run and fanned five.
The two fourth-inning runs South Lakes scored were helped by two walks, a hit batter and an error.
Against Chantilly, Poole had three hits and five RBI and Coates doubled.
In action this week, the Highlanders have district games scheduled against the Yorktown Patriots, then a March 31 home contest at 7:30 p.m. against the Langley Saxons in a neighborhood clash.
The following week, McLean has games schedule for four straight days, April 4-7, during a spring-break tournament.