After an injury caused him not to be able to pitch during his junior campaign, Chris Whitaker has made up for lost time thus far his senior year.

The Marengo Academy ace has done his part to make sure the Longhorns are in position to contend for a second consecutive state title at season’s end.

His most recent outing came Tuesday against rival Southern Academy.

The Cougars dinked their way on base in the game’s second inning, relying on a small ball approach to mount a scoring threat.

A few Marengo miscues put Whitaker and the Longhorns behind 3-0 early.

But Whitaker bowed up, keeping the Cougars off the base paths and limiting Southern to only six hits in the game. The three runs mustered by Southern Academy proved to be the only ones it would score in the contest as Whitaker pitched the complete game and kept the Longhorns undefeated against AISA competition.

“He’s big for us,” Marengo Academy head coach Jonathan Lindsey said of Whitaker. “He gets stronger as the game goes on.”

Whitaker, a Shelton State signee, has also gotten his job done at the plate for Marengo. The unassuming senior standout is the Longhorns’ No. 3 hitter and has already flashed his power with a multi-homerun game.