ATHENS — On a hot and humid Thursday afternoon at Ohio University’s Bob Wren Stadium, the Unioto baseball team was partying like it was 1994 — and with good reason.
The Shermans combined an outstanding pitching performance by right-hander Blake Sanders with some great defense and heads up baserunning to top Indian Creek 2-0 to win a D4 regional crown while advancing to next week’s state tournament in Akron. Unioto will be making its first trip to the state tournament since 1994 and its third in school history.
“It’s feels amazing (to be going to state),” said a beaming Sanders, speaking in the middle of a large Unioto celebration on the field. “It’s amazing to have a great defense behind me. I just did my job pitching against this great team. I just had to trust my defense.”
“Oh, it’s overwhelming (going to state),” said Unioto head baseball coach Tony Taylor, smiling. “We talked about it (goals at the beginning of the season) but we’ve just been playing one game at a time all year long and building on it.”
“They (the Shermans) took advantage of the one big opportunity they had, and we had opportunities, and we didn’t take advantage of them,” said Indian Creek head coach Mike Cottis, who returned a veteran team which advanced to the state tournament last season. Indian Creek reached the D2 state semifinals last season, losing 4-2 to eventual state champion West Branch in the former four division format, which has been increased to seven divisions by the OHSAA this spring.
Unioto’s win sends the state’s seventh-ranked Shermans (24-6) into the Division IV state semifinals next Friday at Akron’s Canal Park where they will meet the Mentor Lake Catholic Cougars at 4 p.m. Mentor Lake advanced Thursday with a 10-0 regional semifinal win over the Canfield Cardinals.
Despite having just one hit in the game, Unioto managed to pull off its regional championship by playing outstanding defense (no errors) while Sanders held a dangerous Indian Creek offense scoreless in earning the complete-game triumph. He struck out three Creek batters, but more importantly, beared down every time Indian Creek had baserunners on to record key outs and keep them off the scoreboard.
“We hit some balls right on the nose at them and they played outstanding defense and you’ve got to tip your hat to them,” said Cottis of Unioto’s flawless effort in the field — and on the pitching mound.
“It’s definitely the biggest game I’ve ever pitched in and especially getting the win,” Sanders said.
Taylor said the Shermans focus on the little things — the game within the game — has played a key role in their success.
“It’s what we’ve done all year long,” he said. “You play the little things (combining great pitching and defense) because little things make the difference. I mean, they outhit us — we only had one hit.”
Taylor wasn’t even sure Sanders would be available to pitch Thursday.
“Blake, his back has been bothering him, so the last few days I didn’t know if he was going to be able to pitch today or not, so I was worried about that, but he sucked it up and was unbelievable for a sophomore,” he said.
Offensively, Unioto scored what turned out to be the game-winning runs in the bottom of the third inning, despite not having a hit in the frame. After one out, the Shermans’ Caden Cutright was hit by a pitch and Jaxon Zickafoose drew a walk to put runners at first and second base. Jack Welch then set down a perfect sacrifice bunt for an out. But the relay throw to third skipped past the Indian Creek third baseman as Cutright and Zickafoose scampered home, giving the Shermans a 2-0 lead.
“For the most part, we played great defense, we just had the one inning where we threw the ball around a little bit,” Cottis said. “Again, they put pressure on us in that inning, and they took advantage.”
Unioto’s lone hit in the game occurred in the bottom of the second inning on a bloop single to left by Callaway Ratliff.
Indian Creek had two baserunners on in the first, second and third innings, but Sanders effectively worked out of the jams on all three occasions.
“That (bearing down to stop rallies) is what I do,” Sanders said. “I don’t strike out a bunch of people because I know if they get runners in scoring position, my job is to get them out. This defense, the whole tournament, has been amazing.”
“He (Sanders) struggled a little early and then he found it the last three or four innings and settled down,” Taylor said. “I think the pressure was on him early, and he settled down and pitched an unbelievable game and shut out a great team out.”
Taylor said the rugged regular-season schedule the Shermans play has prepared them well for their successful run to the state tournament.
“We struggled at the beginning of the year and we lost to some good teams, 3-2, but I’d rather play in those tight games than blowout games,” he said. “Our schedule, man, we play as tough a schedule as there is. I’d put it up against anybody in the state of Ohio, and that makes a difference.”
A base running error cost Creek a run in the top of the third. With two runners on base who had reached on singles, Indian Creek’s Gavin Pownall had what would have been an RBI single, but the base runner on second who initially scored on Pownall’s hit was ruled out on appeal.
“They said he missed third,” Cottis said. “And who knows what happens after that because now we’ve got guys everywhere.”
Indian Creek’s top hitters in the game included Sylus Hyde (two singles), Dom DeGruttola (double) and singles by Hunter Rusnak, Gavin Pownall and Ty Householder.
Indian Creek hurler Sal Barcalow was the hard-luck losing pitcher. He threw a complete-game one-hitter while striking out two and walking one.
“It was a well-pitched game and well-played defensively and we wasted a really good effort by Sal Barcalow,” Cottis said.
Indian Creek bows out with a 22-7 record and returns a veteran team next spring.
Meanwhile, Unioto will prepare for their next challenge at the state tournament in Akron.
“It’s not over yet, we’ve got to keep going,” Taylor said.
UNIOTO 2, INDIAN CREEK 0
Indian Creek 000 000 0 — 0 6 1
Unioto 002 000 X — 2 1 0
Blake Sanders and Keegan Snyder. Sal Barcalow and Hunter Rusnak. WP — Blake Sanders. LP — Sal Barcalow. 2B — Dom DeGruttola (IC). 3B — none. HR — none.
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Unioto baseball headed to state for the first time since 1994
Reporting by Mike Brown / Chillicothe Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
