Many players and coaches have contributed to the Logan County Cougars’ early success in 13th District baseball competition, but four of them—Braxton Meguiar, Jackson Steward, Ethan Smock and Tommy Krohn—came up especially big in those three wins.
Meguiar, the sophomore second baseman, got the game-winning hit in the Cougars’ 4-2 win over Franklin-Simpson in a battle of last season’s regional finalist teams.
Senior Steward threw a no-hitter against Russellville in the first Clash of the Cats on the season.
Smock, a senior, not only pitched the win over Franklin but also combined with his basketball teammate, Krohn, to pitch a no-hitter over Todd Central Tuesday.
The third win was over Russellville, which—like Todd—was unable to compete on even terms with the highly experienced Cougars early in the season.
Cougars 4, F-S 2
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when the Cougars scored all their runs. Austin Rayno began it with a walk and moved over on Nick Wooden’s sacrifice bunt. Bradley Taylor then singled in Rayno. Kaleb Justice followed with an RBI double before giving way to pinch runner Parker White. Koby Wall then walked; he and White moved into scoring position when Third Bell’s ball was booted. Meguiar then drove them both in to make the lead 4-0.
Franklin answered with two runs in the top of the sixth. Connor Rogers doubled in Rylan Thomas, who had started the rally with a two-out walk. Rogers scored when an error was made on Jacob Curtis’ ball. Franklin cleanup hitter Jordan Jones made a bid for a tying homer, but flied out to Bell in left to end the threat and the inning.
In the seventh, Smock struck out Quentin Kitchens and senior veterans Alex Gilbert and Clay Spears in order to end the game.
Smock pitched a jewel, holding the Wildcats to two runs on two hits and a walk while striking out 15. He struck out a dozen different dudes at least once each. Jones and Rogers each got an F-S hit
Adam Sliger, who turned the regional finals around last spring pitching in relief, took the loss in this one. Matthew Crittenden pitched in relief. Rayno, Wall and Meguiar worked the walks they gave up.
Cougars 20, RHS 0
Jackson Steward pitched a five-inning no-hitter for the Clash victory. He struck out 10 Panthers and walked only two.
The Cougars only managed seven hits, but four of them were doubles. Bell had two of them with Justice and Wall banging out the other two. Singles came from Nate Woodall, Wooden and Taylor.
Walks, hit batsmen and stolen bases led to many of the Cougar runs. Wooden and Meguiar walked three times each with White and Bell adding two each. Bringing the base on balls total to 15 were Taylor, Wall, Jacob Smock, Zach Yates and Woodall.
Six Cougars were hit by pitches, including Steward twice. Also reaching the painful way were Chandler Silvey, Justice, Taylor and White.
Logan stole seven bases with Bell, Justice, Meguiar, Taylor, Wall, White and Wooden getting one each.
Wooden scored three runs with Bell, Taylor, Wall, Meguiar, White, Steward and Woodall crossing the plate twice each. Trevor Scot and White reached base on Panther errors.
Hunter McDowell and Jackson Hampton walked as the lone Panther baserunners. Steward picked Hampton off base.
Dillon Porter, McDowell and Jesus Zamarippa pitched for Coach Tyler Meacham’s team.
Also playing for RHS were Gram Humphrey, Dawson McGee, Trenton Hopkins, Corey Dowlen and Clifton Faughn.
Cougars 23, Todd Central 0
Smock only needed 22 pitches to get six Rebels out in the first two innings. He didn’t allow a baserunner. Krohn continued the no-hit shutout the last three innings, but did walk three Rebels—Pedro Gonzalez, Dylan Hurt and J.T. Johnson—while Nick Tutor reached on an error.
Taylor had four hits, including a double. He drove in four runs and scored three. Justice singled and doubled. Also doubling were Bell, Wall and Wooden.
Getting a couple of singles each were Rayno and Yates. Also getting a hit were Jarrett Sears and Steward.
Justice drove in four runs with Silvey and Wall adding three RBIs each. Justice, Wooden and Jacob Smock each walked twice. Meguiar, White and Scott also walked.
McKinley Griggs was the starting and losing pitcher for Todd Central, allowing 13 runs in two innings. Also pitching were Hurt, Tutor and Jameson Hunt.