Photo courtesy WVSSAC Wheeling Central's Jake Brown throws a pitch Thursday during the Maroon Knights' state semifinal game vs. Logan.

HUNTINGTON — The Wheeling Central Maroon Knights’ title defense bid came to an end Thursday at Marshall University’s Jack Cook Field, the No. 1 Maroon Knights falling to No. 4 Logan 6-0 in the WVSSAC Class AA semifinals.

The Wildcats’ Ivan Miller was a huge factor Thursday, limiting Central’s offense to two hits across his complete-game shutout. He threw 104 pitches in the game, striking out six and walking three.

“He’s pretty good, isn’t he?” Logan head coach Kevin Gertz said of Miller. “He’s the guttiest guy we’ve got out there, he is the one everyone believes in. He threw a heck of a game against a tremendous ball club,” Gertz said.

“He struggled early with his pitch count. But in the fourth, fifth and sixth, he got it really under control.”

Logan scored two runs in the second inning, both coming off an RBI single from the Wildcats’ Adam Baisden. Tanner Akers drove in another Logan run in the fifth, and Logan tacked on three more runs in the seventh inning, a deflating frame for Central after an RBI single from Jaxon McClung, and a two-RBI single from Miller himself.

Wheeling Central had few moments Thursday where they were threatening, but it was the inning prior, in the bottom of the sixth, where they had their best shot.

Jake Brown started the inning with a walk, and Brady Ernest singled to left for Central’s second hit of the game. The runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch.

With two outs, Central brought the tying run to the plate, but a popup ended the inning.

“It probably did take the wind out of their sails,” Gertz said of the inning. “They thought they were right in it– I thought they were right in it. They brought the tying run to the plate with their No. 4 hitter up– and that dude can really swing it. Ivan got out of it. We put three more up there and got to relax a little bit.”

Central only got runners into scoring position one other time Thursday– Jake Brown started the bottom of the first by reaching on a dropped third strike, stole second, and advanced to third on a groundout, but was stranded.

The Maroon Knights’ Steven Brodegard started the game for Central, allowing three runs over five innings. Jake Brown pitched the final two frames.

Logan will face the winner of Thursday night’s Frankfort vs. Independence semifinal in the championship game on Saturday.

Central ends their season with a 28-6 record.