Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Logan's Gabe Milakovich throws a pitch early in the first game Friday against Cimarron. Milakovich scattered four hits and struck out nine in four innings during a 17-0 win at Logan.
LOGAN - The Longhorns baseball team ran its record to 10-0 after a doubleheader sweep Friday against Cimarron.
Aided by the strong pitching of starter Gabe Milakovich and reliever Kaeden Stoner, Logan breezed to a 17-0 victory in the first game. Logan continued its strong pitching with a one-hitter by Dante Sanchez during a 23-0 win in the second game.
Cimarron fell to 1-6.
Logan's stout pitching was not a surprise, as the team's ERA for the season is a minuscule 0.89. Coach Kyle Griffiths said earlier in the season he was hoping more of his team's bats would come alive, and he saw signs of that Friday.
"I think they're coming along," he said after the first game. "We had some good hits today, but I'd like to get to where one through nine (in the batting order) is stepping up and hitting the ball well every time. But you can't complain too much in a 17-0 victory."
Logan totaled 10 hits, along with 11 walks, during the first game and 19 more hits in the second game.
Milakovich proved he also could excel with the bat, going 4-for-6 with two doubles, one triple and six RBI in the nightcap.
Sanchez, who struck out 11 in the second game, went 3-for-5 with two doubles and four RBI to help his cause.
Milakovich scattered four hits and struck out nine in four innings during the opener. Stoner struck out two in his single inning of relief.
Milakovich also received a bit of help from his defense during the third inning with a Cimarron runner on base with one out. Right fielder Wyatt Wright dove and caught a shallow fly ball, scrambled to his feet and threw to first baseman Garrett Bollinger to double off the runner to end the inning.
"They haven't had a whole lot of action out there because our pitching has been so good," Griffiths said. "But when there has been, they've been getting with it and making a play, for the most part."
Logan scored in every inning, including a 10-run second, in the first game.
In the second game, the Longhorns seized a 10-0 lead after two frames, then added 13 runs in the fourth.
Logan faces a stern test this week with four games against Gateway Christian, including two at Logan on Friday. Gateway (7-2) won the Class 1A title in 2019.
