In a career filled with games to relish and remember, Caleb Bruner added another Tuesday when he pitched a perfect game, struck out 16, and on offense doubled and singled in a pair of runs. As a result, his Logan County Cougars blanked Todd Central 7-0 to tie for the top regular season record in the 13th District.
A perfect game not only involves pitching a no-hit shutout, but also not allowing a baserunner. Bruner neither walked a batter nor hit one, and the Cougars didn’t make an error on any of the five balls the Rebels put in play. Bruner struck out Cole Hyde for the final out.
Coach Ethan Meguiar’s Cougars scored the only three runs they would need in the third inning. Bruner singled in that effort. They added four more runs in the fifth when Michael Riley doubled in one run and Luke Woodall, Joe Holliday and Bruner each drove in one.
Holliday finished with three hits while Hunter Britt and Luke Woodall joined Bruner with two. Matt Harper joined Riley and Bruner in doubling. Ian Woodall reached base twice on errors while Tucker Baldwin and Bruner reached on Rebel miscues once each. Harper was hit by a pitch and Luke Woodall stole a base.
Jacob Wood, Harper, Hunter Crafton, Riley, Luke Woodall, Britt and Jose Arostegui each scored a run in the win.
James Bishop accounted for three of those five balls that Coach Matt Baker’s team into play. The others were by Hyde and Farlow.
Jonathan Partlow was the starter and loser for the Rebels. Connor Cole pitched the final four outs.
The victory improved the defending regional champions’ record to 19-8 overall and 11 -6 in the region. More importantly, the Cougars finished tied with Franklin-Simpson for the district’s best record at 5-1.