HIGHLAND — Allen Community College’s baseball team has adopted an unofficial nickname for the 2021 season.
In playing only six true home games on the ACC diamond, the Red Devils have described themselves on numerous occasions as the Road Warriors.
They may want to come up with a new moniker after Friday: the Cardiac Kids.
Twice, the Red Devils staged dramatic late comebacks to win both games of a doubleheader against Highland.
And, as has become custom in recent days, Allen centerfielder Lucas McCain figured prominently in the sweep.
His seventh inning grand slam was the decisive blow in Allen’s 10-8 come-from-behind win over Highland in the opener. He then drove two more with a bases-loaded single to give ACC the lead for good in the nightcap, a 13-10 victory.
In all, the Allen sophomore drove in nine runs on the day.
In addition to Friday’s display, McCain also had the walk-off hit for the Red Devils in their 2-1 win in extra innings over Highland one day earlier.
“Lucas McCain’s a dude,” gushed Red Devil head coach Clint Stoy afterward. “This was his coming out party. I’m unbelievably grateful for him as a human. It’s awesome for him to have success.”
In sweeping all four games of its weekend series against Highland, Allen secured a top-four seed in the Jayhawk Eastern Conference, and will take on Colby Friday to open their subregional tournament in Hutchinson. Top seed Hutch and Highland, the eighth seed, are on the other side of the double elimination bracket.
Allen is carrying some momentum into the postseason. The Red Devils (31-17 overall and 18-14 in Jayhawk Conference action) are riding a seven-game winning streak.
The squad who emerges out of the subregional, which runs through Sunday, will advance to the Region VI Tournament May 20-22 in Salina, with the winner of that going on to the NJCAA World Series.
But first things first — a look back at Allen’s Highland dramatics.
The Red Devils jumped in front when Damon Burroughs singled with one out in the second inning of Game 1 and came around to score on McCain’s sacrifice fly, but Highland erupted for six runs in its half of the inning to take control.
Allen started chipping away at its deficit in the middle innings.
Alec Roberts singled and scored on a fielder’s choice in the fourth, and Colton Patterson walked to lead off the fifth. He stole second, moved to third on Jonah Weisner’s single and scored on a wild pitch.
