Isaiah Logan, Oswego score eight runs in sixth, rally past Plainfield South

OSWEGO – Isaiah Logan did not let a difficult outing on the mound Monday distract from his work at the plate.

“I’m still pretty locked in,” Logan, an Oswego senior, said. “If anything I become more locked in as a hitter when I’m done pitching. My focus is more on hitting.”

Logan indeed delivered with his bat. He singled in the tying and go-ahead runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Oswego scored eight runs in the sixth – all with two outs – to rally past Plainfield South 13-10 on a windy Monday afternoon at Jackie’s Field of Dreams.

Logan came to the plate with a run in, and the bases loaded, trailing 7-6, the first batter against Plainfield South’s second reliever of the inning.

He lined the first pitch – “a middle middle slider” up the middle to bring in Easton Ruby and Dylan King.

“I’m just looking to hit the ball. I have to be aggressive in that situation, we need runners to score,” Logan said. “I’m jumping on the first pitch that is right there.”

Oswego (12-1) went on to score five more runs in the inning. Jacob Fehrmann, who was pinch hit for to start the inning, re-entered and capped it off with a three-run triple which became significant when Plainfield South scored three times in the seventh.

“They say hitting is contagious, and it just got contagious,” Oswego coach Joe Giarrante said. “Jacob has been struggling, gets that big triple, hopefully it gives him confidence because we’re going to need him down the stretch.”

Oswego’s rally overcame a huge day at the plate from Plainfield South senior Caden Pierceall. Pierceall singled his first three plate appearances, then hit a two-run homer with one out in the top of the sixth to give the Cougars a 7-5 lead.

“Him being a senior, I was counting on him coming into the season. He had a little bit of a slow start but last few games he’s really picked it up,” Plainfield South coach Keith Halverson said. “He’s really squaring the ball, having a really good approach.”

Halverson liked a lot of his players’ approach on a good day to hit, a strong wind blowing out to left.

The Cougars (5-7) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first, and 5-2 in the second.

But their pitchers struggled to finish innings, giving up 11 runs with two outs. Plainfield South walked four batters in Oswego’s eight-run sixth, and all four scored.

“It’s been one of our issues this year, is we get two quick outs and we lose the inning,” Halverson said. “It has a lot to do with falling behind some hitters; walks are a big thing. We just can’t finish off the inning and get that third out for whatever reason. We’ll get there.”

Logan, who was coming off a complete-game shutout of Plainfield Central in his last start, only lasted four innings on Monday, giving up five runs, three earned, on eight hits.

But he continued to make steady contributions with the bat after not playing much as a junior.

Logan has had a base hit in 11 of Oswego’s 13 games this season.

“Just continuing to be aggressive and try to find my pitch,” Logan said. “I just want to do my part, try to execute for whatever the situation calls. Early in the year I was hitting well, slowed down a little, but that happens, have to find a way through it.”

Oswego found a way to pound out 12 hits and score 13 runs Monday, and did it without its leadoff hitter Bryson Norwood and starting shortstop Gabriel Herrera. Norwood tweaked a hamstring in Saturday’s win over Waubonsie Valley, and Herrera tweaked something during Monday’s pregame.

Conor Tully, starting for Herrera, singled in a run. Ruby had three hits, scored three runs and drove in two. Cody Hogan had three hits and two RBIs for Plainfield South.

“We got the injury bug hitting us a little bit but we had guys step up. All of these guys are competitors, they just never give up,” Giarrante said. “Isaiah and Quinn [Stanley], they’re the same way. We got our guys at the top of the order that everybody focuses on but if we get production one through nine and get quality innings on the mound we’re going to be tough to beat.”