Vols Sweep Logan Classic; Improve to 12-0

Carterville, IL – The Logan Vols completed the five-game sweep of the three-day Logan Classic. The Vols would take down South Suburban 12-2 on Friday; turn around and beat SSC again on Saturday morning 2-1 and follow that up with a 10-0 versus Illinois Central; and finish the weekend by beating ICC 9-8 and SSC 13-4 on Sunday. With these wins Logan improves to 12-0 on the young season. The #1 ranked Vols will be back in action on Saturday when Triton College and Carl Sandburg College come to Carterville for a 4-game set.

The weekend would get off to a great start for the Vols after starter Luke Seed would strike out the side in the top of the first the Vols bats would put up six runs to open the game. Seed and two relievers would control the game from there.  The Logan offense would capitalize on 13 walks from the SSC staff using it for two big innings enroute to the 8-inning 13-4 short game win. Seven different Vols would collect a hit with Jack Ellis getting a hold of a 2-run bomb in the 8^th. On the mound Luke Seed (3-0) would go 4 innings while not allowing a hit and striking out eight. Alex Scherer and Caleb Jourdan would get their first action of the season in relief.

The rematch on Saturday would follow a much different script, with both starting pitchers controlling the game. Both offensives struggled throughout the morning, but the Vols would break through in the fourth when Tyler Acosta would leadoff the inning with a double and two batters later Drew Winters would put a ball over the left field fence to give the Vols a 2-0 lead. That's all that Logan starter Andrew Hoffmann would need; the Illinois signee, would go six innings while giving up one run on five hits and striking out 12 to pick up his third win on the season. Hale Sims would work around a leadoff walk to strike out the side and pick up his second save on the season; securing the 2-1 victory.

To finish off Logan's Saturday slate, the bats would come alive early and often. Ryan Hampe would kick off the offensive explosion in the 1^st with a 3-run shot off the scoreboard in left center. The Vols would push the game out of reach in the 3^rd, when Ethan English would double in a run and Joe Schmidt would immediately follow him with a 3-run blast of his own. The next five Vols would reach base pushing the lead to 10-0. Cameron Robinson (2-0) would get the start on the mound working a clean 4-inning performance striking out six while not giving up a baserunner. Ian McMahon would come in and work a scoreless 5^th to finish the game.

Sunday saw the bats come out hot all day. In the morning game with ICC, home runs came in bunches, with ICC drawing first blood, with a 2-run shot in the top of the first. Hampe would get the Vols tied back up once again, with a 2 RBI single in the bottom half. The scored would hold until the 3^rd when Cody Jansen would get in on the homerun party, with a 2-run shot of his own, putting the Vols up 4-2. ICC would get closer with a solo homerun in the 5^th and tie the game with another solo homerun in the 6^th, but Logan would open the game up in the bottom half. First Tyler Acosta would give the Vols the 5-4 lead with an RBI fielders choice, after Mike Carey would draw a walk, Ryan Ritter would connect on a grand slam to dead center to give the Vols a 9-4 lead. ICC wouldn't go down without a fight, getting one run back in the 7^th, and scoring three runs and putting the tying and winning run on base in the 9^th, but Ethan English would induce a groundout to end the game. For the game the Vols would collect 11 hits, with Ryan Ritter, Ryan Hampe, Cody Jansen, and Jack Ellis all collecting multiple hits. On the mound Freshman Tommy Ray would get the start going 4 innings, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits, while striking out 6 in his first outing as a Vol. Hunter Ralls (2-0) would collect the win, going three innings in relief giving up 3 runs and striking out 7. English would finish the game throwing the final two innings.

In the Logan Classic finale, the Vols would score early and often against South Suburban, giving starter Brodie Lenon and reliever Dawson Taylor all the support they would need to finish off the 13-4 victory and the 5-0 weekend.  The Vols would score in every inning except for the 4^th. Logan would use the big fly once again, with Ryan Hampe, Ethan English, Cody Jansen, and Jack Ellis, all hitting homeruns. Michael Carey would have a big game going 4-4 with 2 doubles, while Hampe would go 3-4 with 5 RBI. Brodie Lenon (2-0) would go six strong innings of work scattering six hits and giving up only one earned run while striking eight to pick up the win. Dawson Taylor would pick up the three inning save and strike out six.