Loggers win Big Bucks tournament
<p>Pitcher Jared Winslow shakes hands with catcher Micah Germany after defeating the Lewiston Cubs 2-0 in seven innings.</p>
One might think it would be polite to treat your guests with courtesy, but the Loggers did just the opposite Sunday, taking first in the hometown Big Bucks Tournament.
“It was another successful tournament,” said head coach Kelly Morford. “We defeated different teams from different parts of the northwest. It’s always top-notch competition.”
In their final game against the Moscow Blue Devils, Micah Germany served up the heat and earned the title of winning pitcher, assisted by Andrew Haggerty for a combined 71 strikes thrown on 34 batters faced.
On offense, Germany smacked a grand slam over left field that brought in four of the six runs scored in the bottom of the second inning. Loggers’ catcher Oliver Grupenhoff followed up with a homer of his own in the fourth that brought Germany home with him to put the lead at 11-3. The team combined for 10 RBI’s in the win, five contributed by Germany.
Defensively, the Loggers stayed on point with only two errors. Shortstop Jared Winslow connected second baseman Collin Johnson with Luke Haggerty on first for a double play that would stall the Blue Devils’ three score run until the fifth inning. The trio would prove their consistency by orchestrating an identical double play in the third to out losing pitcher Mark Amos.
Moscow didn’t give up the first place check easily though; battling the Loggers with a home run of their own by first baseman Jarod Paul in the top of the first, along with a double play in the bottom that would deliver Germany and Grupenhoff back to the dugout.
Libby advanced their record to 21-12 in season play after an undefeated weekend. The Loggers have won 12 of their last 15 games.