Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Logan's Aydin Kotara scores on a wild pitch while Questa pitcher Ricardo Leon Jr. awaits a late throw from the catcher during a non-district game Thursday at Logan.
LOGAN - Longhorns coach Kyle Griffiths said pitching is his team's strength and that his players needed to shore up their defense after a recent doubleheader loss at Gateway Christian.
Logan (4-2) appeared to do both well - at least for now - during 24-0 and 30-2 non-district victories over visiting Questa on Thursday.
In the opener, Brock Burns and Diego Sanchez combined on a five-inning no-hitter against the Wildcats (1-5). They walked three and struck out 10.
In the nightcap, Logan pitchers Aydin Kotara and Mason Wallin combined to allow two hits and one walk and struck out 13 in five innings.
In both games, the Longhorns committed no errors in the field.
"The main things we worked on this past week was just cleaning up defensive things and getting our (pitching) arms in shape," Griffiths said. "We wanted to clean up our defensive errors. We had several little things at Roswell that hurt us in those games."
In the first game, Logan totaled 23 hits and scored 13 runs in the second inning alone. Those hits included a two-run, inside-the-park home run by Kotara. Kaeden Stoner, who hit a double and a triple, and Kale Griffiths also drove in three runs each for the Longhorns.
In the second game, Logan scored in every inning, amassing 28 hits. Stoner and Wallin each drove in four runs, and Sanchez hit a home run and totaled three RBI.
Logan 11, Gateway Christian 1
The Longhorns bounced back from a road doubleheader loss to Gateway to defeat the visiting Warriors 11-1 three days later on April 1.
Logan ace Stoner allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out nine in a five-inning, complete-game victory. Stoner also drove in a run.
"On Monday against Gateway, we looked like a whole different team," Griffiths said. "We played the way we're supposed to play."
Kale Griffiths drove in two runs for the Longhorns, while Kotara and Wallin each had an RBI.
Logan clogged the basepaths with seven hits and nine walks against three Gateway hurlers.
Gateway fell to 3-3.