John A. Logan College moved one step closer to the Region XXIV championship Saturday with a 2-1 win over Lake Land College, staying unbeaten in tournament play.
Taylor Waldron improved to 9-0 on the season, pitching eight innings of five-hit ball while striking out six. Brady Davis slammed the door in the ninth, striking out the side to earn his third save.
“Taylor threw one of his best games in a Logan uniform, he set the tone early for us and made some big pitches,” JALC head baseball coach Kyle Surprenant said. “Having him go 8 innings really sets up our bullpen for championship day.”
Cruz Harlan went 2-for-3 with a run and a stolen base, while Austin Wiegand and Bryer Arview each drove in a run to give the Vols just enough offense. Logan (49-8) scored in the first and sixth innings and held off a late push from Lake Land.
The win follows a 6-1 tournament-opening victory Friday over Olney Central College. Now 2-0 in the double-elimination bracket, Logan needs just one more win to claim the Region XXIV title and advance to the NJCAA Midwest District Championship.
“We are going to see a scrappy Lake Land team again so we will have our hands full and will need to continue to put pressure on them and have a few guys step up,” Surprenant added.
They’ll face Lake Land again Sunday at 12 p.m. CDT in Carterville. A win clinches the region; a loss forces a decisive rematch.