Logan sweeps Grady, stays unbeaten

Logan's baseball team stayed undefeated after a district doubleheader sweep of visiting Grady on Friday, with both games shortened by the 10-run mercy rule.

The Longhorns stymied the Bronchos 11-1 in the opener, then stopped them 12-2 in the nightcap.

Logan, the two-time defending Class 1A champion and ranked No. 1 in the division, improved to 12-0 overall and 3-0 in district play.

Grady fell to 6-6, 0-3.

In the first game, the Longhorns scored three runs in the opening inning on two hits, a walk and a two-run error. Another Grady error in the third inning fueled another three-run rally and a 6-1 Logan lead.

Logan ended the game with a four-run tally in the sixth.

Longhorns coach Kyle Griffiths said Grady pitchers Zane Rush and reliever Deakin Ragland made it tougher on his hitters.

"They're definitely the best team we've faced pitching-wise," he said. "The Rush kid throws harder than anyone we've seen. And the Ragland kid kept us off-balance with curveballs and off-speed stuff. It took us a while to get adjusted to it.

"We've got to hit the ball better. We benefited from some errors there early when we scored those three runs in the first inning. When we get into these bigger games, we're going to have to hit the ball better."

One Logan player who didn't show weakness with the bat was freshman first baseman Mason Wallin, who went 3-for-4 with a triple and five RBI. Wallin, who is hitting .571 this season, was the team's top RBI producer as an eighth-grader last season.

"Mason always has been a good bat, and he's leading our team in average right now," Griffiths said. "For a young kid still, he can hit it. It's always a good thing when we have guys on base when he's at bat; it's more than likely he'll get them in."

Logan leadoff batter Aydin Kotara helped set the table for Wallin by reaching base three times, scoring three runs.

Logan starting pitcher Kaeden Stoner allowed just one hit and two walks in 3 2/3 innings while striking out five. Griffiths kept Stoner on a 60-pitch limit so he could be available for Monday's district clash against Melrose (that game was after the Quay County Sun's deadline).

Park Strong pitched 2 1/3 innings in relief, allowing one hit and striking out three.

In the second game, Logan nursed a 5-2 lead until the fifth, when a seven-run rally ended the contest.

Brock Burns drove in three runs, and Kotara totaled two RBI on two doubles.

Three Logan pitchers - Strong, Burns and Diego Sanchez - combined for eight strikeouts and allowed just four hits and three walks.

Logan 12, Cimarron 1

The Longhorns stormed to a 12-1 district-opening victory last Monday at Cimarron.

Logan starting pitcher Stoner allowed just two hits and three walks over five innings and struck out nine in a complete-game victory.

Stoner also went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI.

Strong drove in three runs and hit two doubles. Logan totaled 12 hits, with seven doubles.

Cimarron (4-5, 0-3) hurt its cause with seven fielding errors.