BASEBALL: Logansport wins Athenian Invitational title on home field
Apr. 15—The Logansport baseball team can add an Athenian Baseball Invitational title to its long list of championships.
The Berries defeated Norwell 9-3 and Crawfordsville 8-4 Saturday at Jim Turner Field. The event was moved to the field turf at Turner Field due to a wet field at Crawfordsville.
The Berries (4-6) completed a perfect weekend — they defeated West Lafayette 8-3 Friday — and have won three straight heading into a second straight five-game week.
"We played two really good teams and obviously we did a lot better than what we've been doing," Logansport coach Dan Frye said. "We minimized the walks and our pitchers threw really well and kept us there."
The win over Norwell was against a defending Class 3A semistate team.
Dylan Pearson pitched five strong innings, allowing three unearned runs on two hits with six strikeouts.
"Everything we did Saturday was pitch-count related," Frye said. "Dylan threw five and only gave up two hits. He was looking strong and I know he didn't want to come out of the game and it was just the pitch count deal at this point because we have to try to come back Tuesday."
Micah Rogers pitched the final two innings and didn't allow a hit.
Logansport scored nine runs on nine hits. Cooper Smith had a home run, double and two RBIs. Deagan Kitchel had a double, single and two RBIs. Pearson and Carson Dubes each had a single and two RBIs. Cayden Walker and Jace Smith each added a single. Bryson Herr scored twice.
The three runs against the Berries all came in the fifth after three Logan errors.
"We had one little lapse where we gave up three unearned runs in the first game and we had a couple errors, miscues in the infield and battled through it," Frye said. "I thought we swung the bats well and other than the one lapse defensively in the first game it was a solid win against a good Norwell team."
After his two scoreless innings in game one, following about a three-hour break, Rogers came back and started game two. He allowed three runs on four hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings.
"In the second game we came back with Micah who had only thrown 21 pitches in the first game. We started him and kept him at a pitch count," Frye said. "It's very difficult to do to throw two different games and have a break in between there and he gave us the best he could for 2 1/3 innings. He had a little bit more trouble in the second game because he didn't walk any in the first game and only gave up one hit. He had a little bit more trouble in the second game and gave up three runs."
Josh Middleton got the win in relief. He pitched the final 4 2/3 innings and allowed one run and scattered seven hits.
"We brought Josh Middleton in and he went 4 2/3 and gave up seven hits and one earned run and the boys hit the ball around," Frye said.
Fincher went 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Kitchel had a triple, single and RBI. Jace Smith had a double, single and RBI. Walker and Herr each added a hit. Hudson McKinney added an RBI.
Logan beat future Hoosier Conference opponent West Lafayette 8-3 Friday at Turner Field.
Dubes got the win, allowed two runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out eight. Middleton pitched the final 2 1/3 innings and allowed one run on one hit with two strikeouts.
Fincher went 3-for-3 and had an inside-the-park home run and finished with three RBIs. Known for his speed in the swimming pool, he also showed speed on the base paths as he also rounded the bases and scored on a single and an error on Saturday, Frye said.
Pearson had a double and RBI. Rogers had two hits and an RBI. Jace Smith had a single and two RBIs. Dubes, Cooper Smith and Michael Gleitz each added a hit.
Logan hosts Kokomo on Tuesday.
