Logan Cates is a senior at Bartlesville High School where she’s a multi-sport athlete in softball and track & field. Cates is a four-year starter in fast pitch who fully developed early on into a dominant ace pitcher. It’s no coincidence that her emergence as a shutdown pitcher coincided with Bartlesville’s breakout season (17-11) which ended a decade-long streak of losing records.

“Logan is a player that keeps very high expectations for herself on the field,” coach Kyle Minton said. “Each time she steps on the field she is pushing herself to meet those standards.”

Cates reached 350 career strikeouts this past fall and led the team in home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage as well.

“Logan is a very powerful player,” Minton said. “From her fastpitch pitching, hitting, and throwing, everything she does is very strong and powerful.”

Cates will play catcher and be a power hitter in the middle of the order for Bartlesville’s first year in slow pitch this spring. In addition to softball, Cates has also developed into an excellent thrower (shot put and discus) for the girls’ track team. Last season, Cates qualified for state in both field events.

Upon graduation, Cates will be attending Neosho County Community College in Kansas next fall as a member of its softball program.

“It’s a place I can grow a lot as an athlete,” Cates said. “I wanted to go somewhere that I’m going to play right away.”

Cates tributes her parents, James and Wendy, along with her best friend, Sydney, for always being at her side throughout her softball career.

“My parents always push me to be better,” Cates said. “As an athlete there are days where you’re tired and you don’t want to put in the extra work, but they make sure I give it my all. My best friend, who now plays college softball in Kansas, is someone I competed with in everything we did and always pushed each other. She’s a phenomenal person and even better teammate.”