Logan's Dawson Maynard delivers a pitch to the plate during the first inning of the Wildcats 2-1 win over Winfield in game one of the Class AA Region 4 championship series Monday night at Roger E. Gertz Field (Photo courtesy of Boothe Davis/Captured by the Moment Photography).
Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
LOGAN Dawson Maynard delivered his best pitching performance of the season Monday night moving the second ranked Logan Wildcats one win away from a third consecutive Class AA Region 4 championship.
Maynard, a Radford University commit, pitched a complete game only allowing a run on two hits while striking out seven and walking one in the Wildcats 2-1 victory over fourth-ranked Winfield in game one of a best-of-three Class AA Region 4 championship series at Roger E. Gertz Field.
Logan, who is the two-time reigning Class AA champion, is one win away from a third consecutive trip to the state tournament. Game Two will be played Tuesday evening at Winfield High School at 6:30 p.m.
In a battle of two of the hottest teams in Class AA, Logan got all the offense they would need in the first inning scoring two runs on a pair of hits and Winfield throwing error off Winfield starting pitcher Karson Frye.
Frye struggled with control issues, walking seven and hitting one batter in six innings. He struck out seven and didn't allow a hit after the first inning working in and out of jams to keep the Generals in the contest.
A pair of leadoff walks to Jake Ramey and Maynard in the first inning proved to be costly for Frye and the Generals as they led to the only runs for Logan.
With one out in the first inning, Ryan Roberts executed a perfect hit-and-run with a single to right field to score courtesy runner McCormick Ilderton from second base for a 1-0 lead. On the same play, right fielder Bray Boggs tried to throw Maynard out at third base, but his throw sailed over the head of third baseman Xaiver Hensley allowing Maynard to score Logan's second run.
Aiden Slack followed with a one-out double, however, Roberts had to hold up on the play and could allow advance to third as the ball hit off the gloving of a diving left fielder Preston Keiffer.
Frye was able to escape the jam when Ivan Miller popped up in foul territory to second baseman Brett Bumgarner, who made a running catching behind first base, and was able to throw out Roberts trying to tag up from third base on the play for the final out of the first inning.
Dylan Kuhl homered in the fourth off Maynard for Winfield's only run of the game. Kuhl, who singled in the first inning, had the Generals lone two hits.
Kuhl's home run came on a full count pitch to lead off the fourth inning, however, the Generals would never threaten the rest of the way as Maynard retired the next 12 hitters in order to secure the game one win needing just 88 pitches to finish the complete game.
Logan had plenty of opportunities to break the game open but the inability to execute bunts and move runners over hindered the Wildcats chances to plate more runs.
Konner Lowe, Maynard and Ramey each drew two walks, Slack walked one time and Williamson was hit by the pitch as Logan left five runners on base, four of the five were stranded in scoring position.
Entering Monday's contest, Winfield had won 10 straight games and had won 14 of its last 15 games. The Generals were also 20-0 in games where they allowed four or fewer runs and had yet to allow a first inning run in their three postseason games.
Logan won its 12th straight game and has won 15 of its last 16 games. The Wildcats improved to 20-2 in games where they allow three runs or less and with their two first inning runs; they have scored 14 first inning runs in four postseason games this season.
Winfield (24-9) can force a decisive game three Wednesday night at Roger E. Gertz Field with a win Tuesday.
Logan (23-8) can wrap up its 25th state tournament berth in school history with a win on Tuesday. A win would all but assure Logan the top seed in next week's state tournament at GoMart Park.