POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Logan scored four runs in the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie as the Wildcats kept their season alive with a 7-3 win at Point Pleasant in the Class AA Region IV tournament.
The decisive frame was started with some ‘small ball’. Garrett Williamson led off the frame with a bunt single. Tyler Fenwick followed that up by reaching on a bunt as well. A throwing error allowed Williamson to score all the way from first base and the Wildcats kept the lead the rest of the way.
“That’s what we do. Can we hit? Sure we can. We can run like crazy. We’ve got seven guys in our lineup typically that are sprinters,” said Logan head coach Kevin Gertz.
“We bunt and put pressure on people. And in high school ball, that is tough to defend.”
The Wildcats scored three more runs in the fifth take stretch their lead to 5-1. Point Pleasant cut the deficit in half with a two-run sixth inning. However, the Wildcats answered with two more runs in the seventh.
Logan (24-6) pounded out 14 hits in the contest. Fenwick earned the win for the Wildcats. He pitched into the sixth inning, scattering six hits while striking out five batters.
“He gutted it out. And it was tight for a long time. But he just wasn’t giving in.”
Chad Burnette collected the final four outs for the Wildcats, retiring four of the five batters he faced.
The regional series shifts back to Logan Wednesday at 6 p.m. for the decisive game. The winner will advance to the state tournament. Gertz’s starting lineup on Tuesday included six sophomores.
“For a year and a half to two years, they have killed themselves in the weight room. So our sophomores are as strong as a lot of juniors or seniors. That has made a huge difference.”
Konnor Lowe went 3-for-4 for the Wildcats with three RBI. Korbin Bostic, Dawson Maynard, Fenwick and Aiden Slack also had multi-hit games for Logan.
Tanner Mitchell went 3-for-3 with an RBI for Point Pleasant (21-9). Riley Oliver and Joel Beattie also drove in runs for the Big Blacks. Point defeated Logan 5-4 Monday evening in the series opener. They had won three consecutive postseason games by one run.