General McLane's young baseball team continues to grow with District 10 playoff win

ALBION – A baseball adage goes that any sustained offense by a catcher is deemed a bonus.

If that’s the case, Charlie Swanson is a unicorn for General McLane.

Getting on base four times in a game, like he did Tuesday, wasn’t a perk for the Lancers. It was expected.

Swanson was McLane's leadoff batter for its 8-4 victory vs. Slippery Rock in a District 10 Class 4A quarterfinal at Northwestern’s John Light Field. The junior, with a lengthy mane of black hair flowing below his batting helmet, singled, doubled and walked twice.

Swanson also scored two runs and drove in a third. His RBI single occurred in the bottom of the third inning, when McLane batted around for five runs and an 8-1 advantage.

“I always tell my coaches I love hitting leadoff,” Swanson said. “It stinks sometimes that I can’t help tend to a pitcher (who’s warming up), but I’ve had really great help from the jayvee guys to help get my gear off and get ready to hit.”

“They had a huge role in my hitting (Tuesday).”

McLane takes an 11-9 record into Friday’s 4A semifinal against the 17-3 Cathedral Prep Ramblers, who received a bye as the tournament’s top seed.

Slippery Rock’s season concluded at 12-6. The Rockets lost despite a double and home run by their leadoff hitter, Sal Mineo.

More: Season finale: The Erie Times-News' last list of Erie County top performers for 2023-24

Raw roster ripens

Prep will be a significant favorite going into third game vs. McLane this spring. The Ramblers, by a combined score of 17-6, swept the Lancers en route to first place in the district’s Region 5 standings.

However, McLane’s current season continues with a roster that only lists one senior, Landon Roach. The third baseman reached base three times and scored once.

Besides Swanson, freshman Kellen Chelton (RBI single and run scored) and sophomore Jackson Kiser (two singles and two RBIs) were McLane's other notable underclassmen throughout its four-run win against the Rockets.

While Swanson lauded the progress made by some of his younger teammates since spring training, it was Roach he specifically cited after Tuesday’s win.

“I can’t be more happy for Landon right now,” Swanson said. “We get to extend his (senior) season one more game.”

Mike has worked for the Erie Times-News editorial department since 1997 and full time with its sports department since 2004. He was the sports editor for the former Titusville Herald from 1991-93.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: General McLane doubles up Slippery Rock in District baseball playoff