Big games usually have big moments in them that fans, players and coaches remember that turned the game. As McLennan found out it happened with their bats verse Walters State. Winner got to play for the championship verse North West Florida State.
McLennan at the end of the game found their way into the title game by winning 11-5 over Walters State. The big moment of the game that turned the tide for the Highlanders came in the fifth inning. In the fifth inning with the bases loaded first baseman James Rudkin stepped to the plate, hitting a Grand Slam. The Grand Slam by Rudkin gave them a 6-4 lead and the momentum for the rest of the game. As Collin Sharp, reliever, on the mound for the Highlanders shut down the Walters State offense allowing one run from the sixth on. Starting pitcher for the Highlanders Reece Calvert and Sharp combined for twelve strikeouts on the hot offense of the Senators. For Walters State in the top half of the fifth Ramon Osuna, MVP of the JUCO World Series, hit a three run homerun, 4th of tournament, giving them the lead till the bottom half of the fifth. Osuna had three runs batted in this game giving him 17 runs batted in for the tournament, one away from the tournament record of 18. The McLennan Highlanders after a double header in this day finally ended it heading to the title game.
The 11-5 win for McLennan sends them into the JUCO World Series championship taking on the Northwest Florida State Raiders, FL. This is McLennan’s first title shot since they won the whole thing back in 1983. The 11-5 loss for the Walters State Senators sends them home as the third place finisher in the JUCO World Series. The Senators finishes the 2015 season 57-12, going 3-2 in the tournament.