HUNTINGTON — Logan is one win away from ending a four-year championship drought.
Behind a dominant performance from pitcher Ivan Miller and timely offense, the fourth-seeded Wildcats shut out top-seeded Wheeling Central 6-0 Thursday evening in a Class AA semifinal at Jack Cook Field.
The victory sends Logan (23-12) to Saturday’s Class AA state championship game, where the Wildcats will pursue the program’s ninth state title and first since 2022.
“We executed better today than we did Monday, and that’s the difference in the ballgame,” said Logan head coach Kevin Gertz. “Ivan pitched great. We played good defense, got some bunts down when we needed to and had timely hitting. We’re a pretty good ballclub. We just beat one heck of a ballclub.”
Miller was in complete control throughout the evening.
The senior scattered two hits over seven shutout innings, striking out six and walking three while throwing 104 pitches. He stranded runners at third base in the first inning and worked out of Wheeling Central’s biggest threat in the sixth when the Maroon Knights put runners on second and third with one out. Miller responded with a strikeout and an infield popout to preserve the shutout.
“Ivan Miller is a first-team all-stater for a reason,” Gertz said. “A lot of people say he doesn’t throw 90, but he doesn’t have to throw 90. He throws everything over the plate and he’s hard to hit. The kids really trust him.”
Logan gave Miller all the support he needed in the second inning.
After Tanner Akers and Jaxon McClung were both hit by pitches, Rob Ball delivered a single to load the bases. Adam Baisden followed with an RBI single that scored Devin Stewart, and Miller later came home on a Wheeling Central error as the Wildcats grabbed a 2-0 lead.
The Wildcats added to their advantage in the fifth.
Baisden worked a leadoff walk and Landon Hall followed with a single. After Alton Ellis moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, Akers lined an RBI single up the middle to score Hall and extend the lead to 3-0.
Akers finished 2 for 2 with two RBIs, while Hall and Baisden added two hits apiece. Baisden also reached base four times and drove in a run.
Logan broke the game open in the seventh.
Bentley Williamson drew a leadoff walk before Jayce Wolfe singled. After Akers advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt, McClung delivered an RBI single. Moments later, Miller reached on an error that allowed two more runs to score as the Wildcats stretched the lead to 6-0.
The Maroon Knights (27-6) managed just two hits and finished 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position. Wheeling Central stranded six runners and struck out six times against Miller.
The win continues a postseason run fueled by strong pitching, defense and small-ball execution — staples of Logan’s championship teams over the years.
“We’ve won eight titles because we pitch, we defend and we can bunt,” Gertz said. “That’s what we do. High school kids struggle with that quite often, and it works for us. That’s how we play.”
Now the Wildcats will attempt to add another championship trophy to the collection for a Logan fan base hungry for another championship.
“We were going for nine last year, too,” Marcum said. “We’re going for nine again. Our people like winners, and they’ll get behind these kids. I know they will.”
