Big hits were rare for Sheridan baseball as its district title drought reached 35 years

ATHENS — Another year, another district tournament heartbreak for Sheridan baseball.

The Generals' quest to win their first district title since the days of Aqua Net hair spray and stonewashed Levi's will wait at least another year following a 3-1 loss to Washington Court House Miami Trace on Tuesday in a Division II district semifinal at Ohio University's Bob Wren Stadium.

Coupled with New Lexington's 3-2 loss in eight innings to Waverly in the other semifinal, it meant a sixth and seventh seed, respectively, will play for a regional berth at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Miami Trace improved to 16-8.

Sheridan (24-4), the No. 3 seed, last won a district title in 1989.

"It's the worst feeling," senior Bryson Ruff said.

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Missed chances haunt

Sheridan managed only four hits off Panthers ace Gaige Stuckey, a lefty who struck out 17 in a 1-0 sectional title win against Circleville.

He wasn't nearly as dominant against the Generals, who had runners on base in four innings and made plenty of hard contact.

It was the lack of timely hitting, and some impressive Panther glove work, that ultimately proved the Generals' demise.

Tied at 1 following Brody White's run-scoring groundout, the Generals left runners on second and third after Coyle Withrow walked and Ryan Kuhn lined out.

Bryson Ruff's smashed single and Noah Wamer's walk put runners on first and second with one out in the fifth. A.J. Winders followed with a screamer down the third-base line, but Evan Colegrove snagged it on a dive and stepped on third to save a pair of runs.

One inning later, after Miami Trace took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the top of the sixth, Caden Sheridan singled and and Withrow and Kuhn drew one-out walks to load the bases.

But Ben Fox struck out looking on four pitches, and Ruff grounded out sharply to shortstop to end the threat.

Colegrove's defensive gem was one of three diving stops on the infield to prevent hits. Panther first baseman Konner May also made a lunging grab to prevent extra bases on a liner from White.

"We only strung together four hits, and it's hard to win with four hits," Ruff said.

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Ruff bested in battle of top starters

Stuckey needed 112 pitches to get through seven innings, working around four hits and four walks on a day when temperatures reached the mid-80s. He stranded eight runners, due largely to nine strikeouts and gold star defense.

Ruff held his own in his final high school start, overcoming a shaky first inning to allow one run through five before fading in the deciding sixth.

Like the five one-run innings he posted in the sectional finals, it gave his team a chance. He said work on his two-seam fastball between starts helped him have success.

Of the five hits Ruff allowed in six innings, all were singles and none of the Panthers' runs were earned. He struck out six and walked two.

"I was pretty confident the first couple of innings," Ruff said. "I think I had five strikeouts. Overall it was a solid outing, but toward the last inning I started losing my curveball. I was just gassed at that point. I was up around 100 pitches."

It was three wild pitches that proved costly. Two came in the sixth, which allowed Austin Brown to take second and third with no outs.

Ruff got a lineout, but Colegrove lined a single to right field to break the tie. Cam Morton's RBI single, after Ruff got a strikeout, provided key insurance.

Winders dived to his left and got a glove on the ball, but he couldn't prevent it from reaching the outfield.

"I was shading him to hole because he was pulling the ball all night," Winders said. "That one he hit more up the middle. I just couldn't quite get there."

Another painful tournament loss

It was another in a long line of tormenting losses for Sheridan in Athens. It was the third time in four years it lost in the district.

Ruff, Caden Sheridan and Winders are part of a veteran group of seniors that won 47 games the past two seasons and played for a regional berth as sophomores.

But the lack of a title left an empty feeling.

"Working on baseball for the last however many years — I started throwing a baseball when I was 3 years old," Ruff said. "It's frustrating. I don't think it's totally hit me that I am done with baseball."

Senior first baseman Monty Eden credited the Panther defenders for their strong defense but otherwise echoed the sentiments of his classmate.

His helmet spike after making the final out on a looping liner to right field spoke volumes.

"He's a good pitcher, but we were more than capable of hitting someone like that," Eden said. "Everyone was in their head, I felt like.

"We were a good team that had a lot of good athletic players this year," Eden added. "I just feel like we could have done a lot better than what we did tonight. I feel like we should have beaten them by four or five runs."

sblackbu@gannett.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Another close district tourney loss for Sheridan Generals baseball