YPSILANTI, MI – One swing of the bat has long been Logan Hugo’s specialty.
But he became an expert of instant offense by doing the long-haul work.
Lauded for his commitment to the weight room – and all phases of his game – the Essexville Garber graduate is making a splash as a true freshman with the Eastern Michigan University baseball program.
Hugo enjoyed a monumental moment in a weekend series at Miami University, blasting his first collegiate home run – a grand slam, no less — in a 14-10 victory.
“Logan has made an immediate, huge impact on our program,” Eastern Michigan coach Eric Roof said. “His work ethic is second to none. He’s a competitor and a winner. It’s great seeing him have success and he’s been a sparkplug in our lineup. He has a bright future with the Green and White.”
After seeing little action the first 12 games of the season, Hugo not only cracked the EMU lineup but has settled in as the cleanup hitter for the Eagles. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound outfielder has started 14 of the 16 games he’s played and totes a .383 average with 13 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
He has compiled a .508 on-base percentage with 13 walks to his credit and has swiped three bases.
His shining moment came at an opportune time for EMU. The Eagles were in a back-and-forth duel with Miami when Hugo teed off on a 2-2 pitch and sent it over the left-field fence for a grand slam that put EMU in charge at 13-7. Hugo went 2-for-4 with two walks and five RBIs in the win.
This is not the first time the son of Kelly and Scott Hugo delivered in whirlwind fashion as a freshman. As a ninth grader at Essexville Garber, he blasted an eye-popping seven home runs. He hit 14 home runs in his three-year prep career and earned MLive Bay City Player of the Year last season as a senior.
“He’s had an explosive bat for a long time,” said Jon Jeczmionka, who coached Hugo at Garber. “He also puts in a lot of time in the weight room, which is something not all ballplayers are willing to do. His hard work and perseverance are paying off.”
Hugo has helped EMU (13-16) to a 9-7 mark and a third-place standing in the Mid-American Conference in its quest for a top-4 finish that would propel the Eagles to the MAC Tournament.
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