By the time Katie Logan makes contact with a pitch, her momentum is already carrying her forward, propelling her towards first base and yet another hit.
Like her approach at the plate, Logan’s career is all about momentum. After starting slowly, the junior left fielder’s career has taken off in the last year, and Logan is now one of the driving forces behind No. 14 Northwestern’s offensive attack.
Batting in one of the top two spots in the order all season, Logan is third on the club with a .380 batting average and 24 runs scored and sits second with 54 hits. All but three of her hits have been singles, and none have gone for more than two bases due to her slap-hitting style. As the pitch approaches, Logan begins moving forward and punches at the ball with her bat, trying to beat it into the ground so she can use her speed to get on base.
“I admire her, because I could never do it,” said first baseman Garland Cooper, whose hitting style involves much less finesse. “I’m not nearly fast enough. It’s definitely an advantage for her, and defenses have a tough time with it.”
While Logan doesn’t bring a whole lot of power to the table, she realizes with Cooper and shortstop Tammy Williams providing the pop behind her, that’s not her role.
“I’m supposed to get on base,” Logan said. “My teammates joke around with me because I’m the only (starter) without a (career) home run, but I’m not supposed to hit home runs.”
When Logan first began her career three years ago, she didn’t hit much of anything, batting .197 with a .204 slugging percentage as a freshman.
“Even though I tried not to, I was a little nervous,” Logan said. “I was wondering if I could do as well at the college level. I had to get used to some things and adjust to the whole college life.”
Logan kept working at it, and things began to turn around during her sophomore season, in which she raised her average to .252. As the hits started coming, Logan said she began to relax more and build confidence. When the postseason arrived, Logan finally broke out.
She batted a scorching .417 with a .563 on-base percentage at the NCAA Regional, leading the squad in both categories. Batting in the No. 9 hole, her ability to get on base repeatedly got the top of the Wildcats’ order up with RBI opportunities.
“We relied on her quite a bit,” coach Kate Drohan said. “She was our offensive spark. She really impressed me with her pitch selection and situational hitting. You could tell she was more at ease in the batter’s box.”
Drohan credits Logan’s tremendous improvement to her hard work, positive attitude and discipline.
But off the field, Logan is far from serious.
“She’s goofy and she’s a lot of fun,” Cooper said. “She says whatever’s on top of her mind. She has no censor. She’s the type of person whom I’d be afraid to let talk to my parents.”
She’s also becoming the type of player whom no pitcher wants to face, batting at a .414 clip in eight games since she moved to the leadoff slot.
“What she provides is consistency,” Drohan said. “Her (on-base percentage) is outstanding, and she’s scored a lot of runs. She has showed up ready to play every day.”
Reach Andrew Simon at [email protected].
