For the fourth consecutive year in a row, the Highlanders found themselves back in familiar territory. On Friday, May 23, the Highlanders took on the Herndon Hornets in the Liberty District Final. The Highlanders were looking for their first win since 2022, with the team suffering a walkoff defeat against Marshall in 2023 and a crushing, 1-0 loss at Yorktown last year.
Senior right-handed pitcher Christian Dray took to the bump for the Highlanders. Fresh off being named a first-team Liberty District pitcher, Dray delivered a swift 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 1st to open up the ballgame. However, it appeared as though the game would be a pitchers duel, with Herndon’s junior pitcher Hayden Rita forcing McLean hitters into groundouts.
“We knew this game was never going to be a cakewalk,” Dray said. “Herndon is a talented team and fought really hard, but we knew we would need to fight harder if we wanted to take the title.”
Dray allowed a single and a walk to start the second, Herndon’s first two runners of the game. A screaming line drive came off the bat of Herndon Senior Lukas Lambrindies, but a “superman-esque” diving catch in left field by senior Brennan Core kept the Hornets from scoring the first runs of the game in the top of the second.
“It all started in the second inning for us, it was awesome to save a run from scoring like that,” Core said. “That catch was a huge boost for the team, and I was able to carry that confidence for the rest of the game”
The Highlanders finally broke through in the bottom of the third inning, with a line drive single from McLean senior catcher Ryu Utsunomiya, putting the Highlanders up 2-0. Dray had received the run support he needed, but a slew of walks and base hits allowed the Hornets to tie the game at two runs apiece, with half of the game in the books.
“The entire game was a dogfight through every aspect of the ball,” Dray said. “Whether it was on offense or defense, we all had to find ways to persevere to try and pull out the win in this high stakes game.”
The Highlanders recognized a need for a change, with a strong need to lift the baseball into the air when hitting. The message was loud and clear for Core, as the senior crushed a towering, solo home run over the trailers in dead center field and into the parking lot, sending the Highlander players and fans into a frenzy. The Highlanders fed off Core’s success, plating another run on an error by Herndon to regain their two run lead.
“That home run was such an incredible feeling,” Core said. “I knew if I was able to time it up I could send the ball really far. Seeing everyone’s reaction from the dugout and the bleachers when I rounded the bases only made that home run sweeter.”
Dray’s outing was finished after four strong innings, surrendering two runs on three hits and striking out six Hornets along the way, then the Doctor was in. Junior Dan Ockerman, a day after announcing his commitment to play baseball at Georgetown University, strutted to the mound with the role of “shutdown pitcher” on his plate. Ockerman allowed an unearned run in the top of the fifth, but three strikeouts in the frame allowed him to limit the damage.
Ockerman’s night wasn’t finished yet, back to back doubles from him and senior first baseman Jack Dailey looked to be the finishing punches to seal the title for the Highlanders, putting them up 6-3 with six outs left to glory. However, Ockerman struggled to find the strike zone in the top of the sixth inning, and the Hornets capitalized, scoring two runs and inching a 6-5 game. The close call forced the Highlanders to call upon Brennan Core yet again for the six out save.
“This was an incredibly gutsy game for our team, but especially for our three pitchers,” junior JW Riggins said. “To see all three of those guys go out and shut down the Hornets as much as possible felt great, especially Brennan after what he had done all night.”
Core followed his pattern from the entire game, continuing his dominance on all sides of the ball and completing the six out save, only allowing one hit with three strikeouts and sealing the Highlanders’ first Liberty District Championship win since 2022. The Highlanders stormed the field and mobbed Core in congratulatory cheers, proudly holding up the trophy on their home field with fans in awe. However, after the celebration winded down, the message was loud and clear for the victors: the Highlanders are anywhere but satisfied with just a Liberty District final win.
“It was like deja vu for me in 2022. Those are some of the best teammates I’ve ever had, but this group is incredibly close too,” Dray said. “It was awesome to see everyone contribute tonight, no matter if it was a great catch, nice hit, or a heads-up play, it was really special.”
With the win, the Highlanders clinched one of the top seeds in the Regional tournament. They will face the Centreville Wildcats on Monday, May 27, at home. The Highlanders goals are the same as last year, and the chance to win back to back State Championships is on everyone’s mind, a feat that no McLean team has ever done in school history.
“Obviously winning the District Final is awesome, but we have bigger priorities ahead,” Riggins said. “Regionals is going to be another big test for our guys, but we have to stay focused and locked in if we want to make it back to where we were last year.”
Senior Brennan Core rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run over the Center Field trailers. Core was mobbed by his teammates at home and would also go on the record the save to clinch the Liberty District Championship for the Highlanders.
