In a region that’s becoming known for its baseball parity, Logan County staked its claim to a long-elusive championship Wednesday night.

The Cougars (26-10) didn’t have a firm grasp on the title until the final out, but they were able to hold on for a 3-2 victory over Russell County in the Region 4 Tournament championship at Western Kentucky University’s Nick Denes Field.

The championship is Logan County’s second overall, the first in 1989. It advances to face either St. Xavier or Male, which play for the Region 7 title tonight, at 12:30 p.m. CDT Tuesday in the first round of the state tournament at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in Lexington.

“I can’t even believe it,” LCHS senior Dustin Cartas said. “This is my sixth year, and we haven’t even won a game. To bring home a championship is a dream come true.”

Cartas, a six-year starter at catcher, had to stomach the Cougars’ first-round region tournament losses every year since 2008.

But Logan County turned that fortune Wednesday by becoming the eighth different team to win the Region 4 crown in as many years. It edged Metcalfe County (4-2) and Glasgow (2-0) to reach the championship game before making just enough plays to keep Russell County at bay.

“It’s unbelievable for us and Logan County baseball,” Logan County coach Ethan Meguiar said. “I’m just so tickled for our program and our kids. They battled all night tonight. In any situation, the game could’ve gone either way. We were right there all the way up until the last out.”

Russell County (27-11) struck first with a sacrifice fly by Brennan Coffey in the top of the first inning, but that frame marked the start of several missed opportunities for the Lakers.

They started the game with three straight singles and had the bases loaded with one out after the sacrifice fly but didn’t push any more runs across.

They also had a threat stalled in the third inning by a lineout double play before an RBI double by Ben Bertram in the fourth.

“It seemed like every time we got an opportunity to score, Logan County’s defense came up big,” Russell County coach David Rexroat said. 

“In low-scoring games, obviously you’ve got to play good defense and pitch the ball well. For the most part we did that, but early in this game, we made a couple mistakes and it cost us at the end.”

Logan County tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first when senior center fielder Gage Hales scored on one of two RCHS errors in the inning.

LCHS sophomore shortstop Matt Harper then belted an RBI double in the third to plate Cartas, who reached base on a one-out triple to left field.

Harper also drove in the winning run in the fifth inning with a single that scored Hales.

“It means so much to the school,” Harper said. “I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight, I know that.”

Russell County made things interesting in the top of the seventh when Jalen Bennett singled and Coffey reached safely on an error with no outs.

Logan County managed to record two outs by fielder’s choice, and a weak groundout down the first-base line brought the game to a close and sent the Cougars leaping into a dogpile in the infield.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Cartas said of the final inning. “Championship, why not battle it out?”

Sophomore Ryan Basham earned the win in relief, allowing two hits over 2 1/3 innings with one strikeout. Sophomore Hunter Britt started and pitched 4 2/3 innings.

Russell County senior Garrett Stephens pitched 3 2/3 innings and took the loss. The Lakers were ranked 17th in the latest coaches’ poll and played 16 top-25 teams this season, including a 2-1 win over No. 1 Central Hardin.

There were 30 combined runs scored in the Region 4 Tournament’s seven games this season. That was down from 82 combined runs in 2012, and just one tournament game this season had a team score more than four runs.

“Coach has been saying that defense and pitching were going to win this, and that’s exactly what did it,” Harper said. “We came through at the right time, and it feels amazing.”

RCHS 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 – 2 10 2

LCHS 1 0 1 0 1 0 x – 3 6 3

WP: Basham LP: Stephens

— Zach Greenwell covers prep sports for the Bowling Green Daily News. Follow him at twitter.com/zach_greenwell or visit bgdailynews.com.