RECAP >> In his first start of the season, Anthony McWhinney went four strong innings on the mound and he also had a key hit which triggered a four-run inning as surging Lower Macungie defeated South Parkland 6-3 in Lehigh Valley Legion baseball action last night at Parkland High School.
McWhinney gave up two first inning runs but then settled down to keep the Trojans off the scoreboard as he earned his first win of the season while Lower Mac avenged an earlier-season 10-1 loss to South Parkland with its sixth straight win.
With the victory, Lower Mac improves to 9-5 overall, while the Trojans conclude their regular-season at 12-3-1. South Parkland will be the top-seed for the upcoming playoffs and have also clinched one of two berths for the Lehigh Valley in the Region 2 Tournament.
After an early 2-0 deficit, Lower Mac was able to respond one inning later as they scored four runs. With two out, McWhinney helped his own cause with an RBI single. Extra hitter Joe Cook also delivered an RBI double and shortstop Ryan Bennett had run-scoring single.
Eight different Lower Mac players had at least one hit in the win.
For South Parkland, center fielder Andrew Klotz and second baseman Kurt Meehan each went 2-for-4. Third baseman Mack Parsell was 1-for-3 and drove in the first two runs of the game in the first inning that gave the Trojans their only lead of the night. On the mound, starter Michael Kohler suffered the loss allowing four runs on five hits in just two innings of work.
Lower Mac will return to action on Sunday at 5 p.m. as they host Allentown at Church Lane Park before closing out their regular-season Monday at 6 p.m. against North Parkland.
Lower Mac 6, South Parkland 3
LM – 041 010 0 – 6-8-1
SP – 200 001 0 – 3-8-3
Anthony McWhinney, Zach McEllroy (5), TJ Geist (7) and Michael Kernechel; Michael Kohler, Kurt Meehan (3), Xander Provence (5) and Jack Streeter.
WP – McWhinney (1-0), LP – Kohler, S – Geist