Ward signs to play baseball with John A. Logan College

Tue, 01/30/2018 - 2:32pm — John Embry

Butler County High School baseball standout Gage Ward made it official last week by formally signing to play college baseball with the John A. Logan Vols. A signing ceremony was held on January 24 at the BCHS Athletic Fieldhouse. Ward, a senior, was surrounded by friends, teammates, family and coaches.

John A. Logan is a junior college in Carterville, Illinois. The Vols compete in the Green River Athletic Conference (GRAC). Last season the Vols baseball team was 40-13 overall and 22-5 in conference play and they have been nationally ranked in the top 25 in the past ten years. Logan has won the GRAC the past three years and the school has had 27 players drafted over the last decade.

"With Gage signing to John A Logan, the stage is set up for him to do great things. If he can continue to grow as ball player like he did during the time at Butler County, the future is very bright for him," said BCHS head coach Keith Butler, a former MLB pitcher. "Like I have told Gage and the others who signed last year, they are setting an example/goal for the younger guys to push themselves to be the best they can, and they can also have the opportunity to play beyond the high school level. I really believe in the program we have started and can’t wait to continue getting kids committed to colleges year in and year out," added Butler.

Ward said he was looking forward to the opportunity to play baseball at the college level for the Vols and said the following quote attributed to MLB great Derek Jeter sums up his approach to the game:

"There may be people who have more talent than you but there's no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do."

Ward is the son of Scottie and Jamie Ward of Morgantown.