NCS bombs Logansport in bi-district victory

Northlake Christian School senior Jason O’Rear stroked a grand slam homer Thursday to lead the Wolverines to a 19-1 rout of the Logansport Tigers in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Class 1A playoffs at NCS. The game was called in the fifth inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.

NCS (19-6-1), the No. 3 seed, was scheduled to host the LaSalle Tigers, the No. 14 seed yesterday in the regional round. LaSalle defeated Sarepta, 3-2, in the bi-district round.

O’Rear, 2-for-2, hit his first career homer over the left center field fence in the Wolverines’ five-run second inning. O’Rear drove in five runs, scored three times and drew a walk.

“I was hitting in the cage earlier in the day with my teammate Sam (Scheibal). I was asking him what it would feel like to get a home run. My teammates told me after the homer as I was going to the plate, Sam, told our second baseman Jordy Bloodsworth I was going yard,” O’Rear said.

“I was kind of stunned at first when I hit it. I just thought, oh my God, it’s out of here,” O’Rear added.

The 6-foot-4 inch, 206-pounder said it was a great feeling to finally hit one out.

NCS coach Rowland Skinner said his Wolverines played really well in all aspects taking the solid team victory.

“Jason’s grand slam was a big early boost. Our bats came alive. We also made the plays defensively. Zac (Hawkins) threw strikes. He was able to work ahead in the count,” Skinner said.

Justin Cromartie, batting .435, went 2-for-2 with a double and drove in three runs. He also walked twice, scored a run and stole a base. Sam Scheibal, the Wolverines leading hitter at .471, contributed two hits to the Wolverines’ attack. He had a double, drove in two runs and scored once. Scheibal is second on the team with 39 runs batted in second to Zac Hawkins with 43. Hawkins (5-2) with a 2.42 earned run average went four innings allowing one run on four hits to pick up the victory. He struck out five, walked one and hit a batter. Hawkins has posted 47 strikeouts in 40 and a third innings of work.

“I think I did pretty well on the mound. My teammates played awesome defense behind me. They made some key defensive plays early in the game, which gave me confidence to just throw strikes,” Hawkins said.

“I was excited. The team had an awesome day at the plate. We need to be ready because it just gets harder from here,” Hawkins added.

Cromartie relieved Hawkins in the fifth, recording two strikeouts.

Leading 8-1 entering the bottom of the fourth, NCS exploded for 11 runs. Cromartie had a two-run double and Bryan Picou delivered a two-run single. Ryan Pfefferle, O’Rear, Scheibal, Grant McGovern and Carter Fitzgerald contributed RBI singles in the inning.

Logansport starter Bubba Janssen suffered the loss going one and one-third innings allowing six runs (four earned) on two hits. He struggled with his control walking three and hitting two batters. Logansport’s Ryder Ward went 2-for-2 with a double and drove in a run for the Tigers.