Andrew Grimm ON THE MOUND — Big Red starter Matt Fabbro delivers to a Tri-Valley batter during Monday's tournament game.

The Fighting Scotties scored early, tacked on a couple of insurance runs late and emerged with a 4-0 victory at Fred Heatherington Field to advance in the Division III, East District bracket, their third tournament win in four seasons over Big Red.

“It’s the worst game of the year when you lose this one,” Big Red head coach Justin Banks said. “It’s just a tough loss. We came into this game knowing we had the ability to win and we just didn’t pull it off, so it hurts a little bit more.”

Big Red, trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning, loaded the bases with one out and looked to be in business, but the next two batters were retired by Tri-Valley starter Tanner Henry without a run crossing.

Big Red, which finishes 14-12 on the season and was the No. 2 seed, stranded a runner in the second and fourth innings, got the lead off man on in the fifth, sixth and seventh and could not get them in, stranding two in the seventh.

Andrew Grimm TAGGED — Big Red's AJ Borsch applies a tag to a Tri-Valley player in a rundown.

The Scotties plated two runs in the top of the sixth to give Henry some insurance, both coming with two outs.

Big Red senior starter Matt Fabbro fired a solid game, striking our three and walking three in keeping Big Red in the game.

Royal Mayo had half of Big Red’s four hits while AJ Borsch had a double and Mason Chmielorski tallied a single.

Henry struck out seven and walked three in firing the complete game shutout for the Scotties.

Tr-Valley (16-11), the No. 3 seed, advances to take on top seed Indian Creek next Tuesday at Muth Field in Mingo Junction in the district semifinals.

Andrew Grimm MAKING A PLAY — Big Red's Royal Mayo fires across for an out.

SENIOR FAREWELL

Monday was the end of the Big Red careers for seniors Fabbro, Nolan Blackburn, Cole Bowers and Nicky Lovato.

“This was a great group of seniors, they had a lot of experience behind them and they led the team,” Banks said. “It’s going to be tough replacing a four year starter in Blackburn, a three-year starter in Fabbro, a two-year starter in Bowers and a real role player in Nicky Lovato that would just do anything we asked of him, any position we needed.

“It’s going to be very hard to replace these guys. They’re all great Big Red kids, Big Red athletes and we’re going to miss them.”

OHSAA Division III Tournament

Andrew Grimm SWINGING — Big Red's Cole Bowers attempts to line up a pitch.

East District Quarterfinals

At Fred Heatherington Field

No. 3 Tri-Valley 4, No. 2 Big Red 0

TV 2-0-0 0-0-2 0 — 4 6 2

BR 0-0-0 0-0-0 0 — 0 4 0

Andrew Grimm FOLLOWING THROUGH — Big Red's AJ Borsch follows through on a double.

TRI-VALLEY (16-11): Henry (WP, CG, 0R, 4H, 7K, 3BB) and Riley. Lamonica S, RBI; Hindel D, RBI; Williams S, RBI; Shaffer 2S; Better S, RBI.

BIG RED (14-12): Fabbro (LP, CG, 4R, 4ER, 6H, 3K, 3BB) and Simmons. Mayo 2S; Borsch D; Chmielorski S.

Andrew Grimm MAKING CONTACT — Big Red's Rocco Nocera gets his bat on the ball.