Homer wins district title for Logan

LOGAN - The Longhorns baseball team nabbed another district title Friday in dramatic fashion - a walk-off, three-run home run in extra innings by sophomore Mason Wallin, capping a 6-3 comeback victory over defending Class 1A champion Melrose in the first game of a doubleheader.

Wallin also scored the tying run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning, when the Buffaloes were one strike from securing the win. That run forced extra innings.

Logan finished the day at 16-4 overall and 7-2 in district play, one victory better than Melrose (11-6, 6-3).

"That's the fourth year in a row we've won the district," Logan coach Kyle Griffiths said. "That's a tough district that we play in. I mean, it's pretty unheard of. That's a just a testament to our players and how hard they work."

The win effectively clinched the No. 1 seed in the 1A tournament to the Longhorns, who play in the semifinals next week. (See other story in this edition.)

Aydin Kotara set up the winning rally in the eighth when he was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Kaeden Stoner followed with a double. Brock Burns popped out to shortstop, bringing up Wallin.

On a two-strike count, Wallin blasted the next pitch over the left-field fence for the winning home run. His celebrating teammates greeted him at home plate as the dejected Buffaloes walked off the field.

The 6-foot-5 Wallin said he'd hit several home runs in batting practice at Logan's spacious ballpark, but it was the first time he'd hit one over the fence during a game.

"I was just looking for a base hit to at least get the runners advance, but we ended up getting a home run, so we'll take it," he said.

Logan ace Stoner emerged the victor in a pitcher's duel against Melrose's Mike Cardonita. Stoner allowed seven hits, one walk and no earned runs while striking out 12 in a complete game.

Griffiths said he had no hesitation about keeping in Stoner in extra innings.

"He was right around 100 pitches in eight innings, which is good for our level," he said. "The balls they were hitting were mainly ground balls. It wasn't like they were hitting them real, real hard. So I thought he did his job and did a really good job finishing it."

Cardonita had a no-hitter through six innings before Logan rallied in the seventh. He finished with four hits, one walk and four earned runs allowed while striking out 13.

"Michael threw really well," Griffiths said. "He was keeping us off balance. His fastball was working. His curveball was working. We just weren't getting the bat on the ball."

"It was a heck of a showing for him," Melrose coach Jared Wilhoit said. "Just didn't have as much run support as we wanted, but we got a lot of help from our defense. We caught a lot of line drives. Some days, the ball goes in the glove."

Melrose grabbed a 3-0 lead in the second inning on three Logan errors in the infield, a single and a walk. All of the Buffaloes' runs came with two out.

"We made some errors that were kind of uncharacteristic," Griffiths said. "But credit to Melrose again: They were hitting the ball hard, and a couple of those took kind of funky hops, and and we missed them. But I was proud of them because they kept fighting and they made some big plays later in the game."

Logan still trailed 3-0 going into the bottom half of the seventh, but Griffiths didn't lose hope.

"I just told them we need to go out there and have confidence," he said. "We've been in this position before. We're a good team. We obviously have the guys that can get it done, and we just had to go out there with confidence and and swing the bat like we knew how to."

Stoner led off the seventh with a single, and Burns was hit by a pitch. Wallin hit a single to load the bases.

Diego Sanchez followed with a two-run single down the right field line to make it a 3-2 game.

Cardonita struck out the next two batters, and Mitchell Wall drew a walk. With Kale Griffiths at bat with two strikes against him, Cardonita threw the next pitch in the dirt, and it rolled to the backstop. Wallin scored the tying run without a play. Griffiths struck out to end the inning.

"It just lined up for (Logan)," Wilhoit said of the seventh-inning rally. "They came up in the seventh with their two, three and four hitters in the lineup. And they did a good job getting on base.

"It was a really clean game overall," he added. "Can't complain about it. Sometimes it goes your way; sometimes it doesn't."

In the top half of the eighth, Nolan Devaney reached base on an error with one out. The next batter, Josh Roybal, hit into what appeared to be a fielder's choice at second base, but the infield umpire immediately ruled runner interference for an inning-ending double play.

Melrose won the second game 4-2. The Buffaloes were playing for more than pride; a victory might have earned them a higher seed in the 1A tournament.

Melrose starting pitcher Dathan Yeary, who bedeviled the Longhorns during last year's 1A title game, earned the victory. He allowed six hits, four walks and struck out nine in a complete game.

Logan scored first on Wallin's RBI single after Sanchez singled, stole second and advance to third on a wild pitch.

The Buffaloes scored three in the third on an RBI single by Brian Larson and a two-run double by Gray Brandon. Melrose added a run in the fourth on Cy Draper's bases-loaded walk.

Logan added a run in the fifth when Stoner singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when shortstop Cardonita muffed Wallin's popup with two out.

Logan starter Brock Burns was the losing pitcher, allowing four runs in 4 2/3 innings. He walked six and struck out seven.

Longhorns reliever Aydin Kotara pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out three.

Logan 8, Grady 7

Logan fought off a last-inning comeback attempt by visiting Grady in an 8-7 district victory last Monday.

Logan held an 8-5 lead after scoring two in the bottom of the sixth. The Bronchos rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh before the Longhorns recorded the final out.

Stoner earned the win, pitching 4 1/3 innings while allowing two earned runs. He struck out eight. Reliever Burns allowed one earned run in 2 2/3 innings, striking out six.

Logan allowed four unearned runs.

At the plate, Logan's Izaiah Kneitz and Burns each drove in two runs, while Sanchez had three hits, including a double.

Grady fell to 9-5 overall and 2-5 in district play.