The pitching of Caleb Bruner and batting of Matt Harper, Jacob Wood, Joe Holliday and Bruner played big roles in the Logan County Cougars’ 3-2 win over visiting Franklin-Simpson Thursday night.
Bruner pitched a complete-game one-hitter while striking out 11 Wildcats and walking four. One run he allowed was earned and the other wasn’t. Jeff England took the loss for Coach Craig Delk’s Cats. He worked one out into the fifth inning and was charged with all three runs, two of them earned. Devin Gregory relieved and got the final five outs without a hit or a walk.
Coach Ethan Meguiar’s Cougars struck early, getting a pair of runs in the first inning. Holliday singled, Wood advanced him, and Harper drove him in. Bruner then doubled in Wood for the second run.
Wood scored the winning run when Harper doubled him in during the fifth inning. Logan’s only other hit came from Bruner. The Woodall brothers, Ian and Luke, worked the only two walks England allowed. Trent DeBerry and Jackson Campbell courtesy ran for Bruner and catcher Ian Woodall.
Logan Alderson singled for Franklin’s only hit. He and Colton Hurt scored the runs. Tim Wimpee, Tyler Knight, Austin Johnson and Hurt picked up the walks off Burner, who struck out every F-S batter at least once along with Wimpee and Reed Caudill twice each.
The two regional powerhouses have split their two games this season. They are both 4-1 in the district. The Cougars will entertain Todd Central Tuesday and the Wildcats will face Russellville at Kelly Russell Field the same day.
District pairings will be made official Wednesday afternoon in a district meeting at Roy’s Bar-B-Q. The district tournament will be played at LCHS the week of May 22.