Longhorns gore district foe Grady

GRADY - Look out for the Longhorns.

Logan's baseball team dominated formerly No. 1-ranked Grady during a district doubleheader Friday by scores of 14-0 and 12-0, setting up a key clash at district rival and defending Class 1A champion Melrose on Monday.

In the first game, the Longhorns belted five home runs - including two each by Mason Wallin and Jace Jackson - and scored in every inning against the Bronchos.

Logan ace Kaeden Stoner needed just 55 pitches for a complete-game, five-inning shutout. He allowed one hit and struck out 10. Stoner also hit a home run, with two RBI.

In the second game, Logan scored all but one of its runs with two outs. Stellar defense by the Longhorns preserved a one-hit shutout victory for starter Brock Burns and reliever Aydin Kotara.

Logan, ranked second in 1A by MaxPreps.com, improved to 12-2 and 3-0 in district play.

Because Stoner and Burns kept their pitch counts low against Grady, both will be available to pitch Monday at Melrose, which is 8-3 overall, 3-0 in district play and the new No. 1 team in 1A by MaxPreps. The Buffaloes took over the top spot with a 6-3 victory over Grady earlier in the week.

"It was a good day for us," Logan coach Kyle Griffiths said. "I got all my pitchers available (for Melrose), so that's a win right there in itself. The guys ought to be excited and fired up to go play Melrose."

Grady fell to 7-3, 0-3.

Grady's cozy ballpark contains outfield fences less than 300 feet from home plate. Mindful of that, Griffiths early in the first game reminded his hitters to not get too greedy at the plate.

"They've had the tendency in the past to come here and try to hit home runs," he said. "I didn't feel like they were today. I felt like they were just trying to make contact. And we did a really good job barreling up a bunch of balls."

Wallin set the tone early. After Stoner singled and Burns walked, he belted a three-run homer over the rightfield fence for a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

Diego Sanchez made it 4-0 in the inning after he singled, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch.

In the second, Wallin smacked a two-run single off the leftfield wall to make it 6-0.

Jackson hit a solo home run to left in the third, and Logan added two runs from two singles and three hit batters for a 9-0 advantage.

In the fourth, Jackson hit his second homer down the leftfield line after Sanchez singled. That made it 11-0.

In the fifth, Stoner hit a two-run homer to center, and Wallin followed with a solo shot for a 14-0 advantage. Wallin ended the game with seven RBI.

On the mound, Stoner walked no batters and allowed just one single in the fourth inning for Grady's only baserunner.

"Kaeden pitched phenomenal today," Griffiths said. "Grady's a good team. But he pitched a heck of a game ... 55 pitches for a complete game. That's pretty unheard of, at this level for sure."

"We have to give Kaeden Stoner credit," Grady coach Derrik Neace said. "He was very, very sharp. He had command on everything he threw."

An anticipated clash between Stoner and Grady ace Zane Rush didn't materialize because Rush threw more than 100 pitches earlier in the week against Melrose and wasn't available to pitch Friday. Rush has a 1.11 ERA this season and averages over two strikeouts per inning.

In the second game, Logan pitchers Burns and Kotara received a boost from their team's defense.

In the first inning, Burns loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter with one out. He escaped the jam by fielding a comebacker to the mound, throwing to home for a forceout and catcher Mitchell Wall throwing to first to Wallin for the inning-ending double play.

In the third, Burns made a good play covering first base for the forceout after a grounder made a funny hop that eluded Wallin.

During the same inning, shortstop Stoner made a barehanded grab on a slow roller and threw a bullet to first for the out.

With Kotara on the mound, Logan ended the game on another double play. Wall fielded a bunt, threw to first for the first out and Wallin gunned it to second for the final out.

Burns and Kotara combined for six strikeouts, four walks and just one hit allowed in five innings.

The Longhorns scored six runs in the second, three in the third and two in the fifth - all with two out. The only run Logan didn't score with two batters retired was Kotara's leadoff homer in the first.

"That's big to not get down as a team and to keep keep believing you can score runs even with two outs," Griffiths said.

Neace said Logan hitters' ability to spoil pitches impressed him.

"They battled at every at-bat," he said. "I think they probably put about 30 foul balls out of play, working counts and battling.

"I think that's the biggest thing, is they're a really good baseball team."

Logan 11, Cimarron 1

Trailing 1-0, the Longhorns scored eight runs in the bottom of the third inning to switch the momentum during an 11-1 district-opening victory over Cimarron last Monday.

Logan's Bill DeLuca went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Stoner drove in two runs with a double. The Longhorns collected eight hits and drew seven walks.

Burns earned the win, striking out seven and allowing just one hit and three walks in four innings. Stoner struck out the side in one inning of relief.

Cimarron hurt its cause with six errors. The Rams fell to 3-3 overall.