Andrew Grimm ON THE MOUND — Indian Creek Sylus Hyde delivers against Tri-Valley during Tuesday's Division III East District semifinal.

The fourth-seeded Scotties got a strong pitching performance from freshman Tanner Henry and just enough timely hits to battle past top-seeded Indian Creek, 3-1, on Muth Field in the Division III East District semifinals.

Indian Creek finishes another strong season with a mark of 20-8.

“It’s very hard to be the team that wins the last game,” veteran Indian Creek head coach Mike Cottis said. “It’s a tough way for it to end. These guys are a gutsy bunch, we just could not find the holes today.”

Creek’s Sylus Hyde, one of the Redskins seven seniors who is signed to continue playing collegiately at Ashland University, was strong on the mound to keep Creek in the game, allowing just two earned runs while striking out eight batters and walking two.

Andrew Grimm LINING IT UP — Indian Creek's Max Lane takes a swing against Tri-Valley.

The big hits for the needed run support, though, just did not drop in.

Tri-Valley got on the board first in the top of the third after a scoreless first two innings when Isaiah Cullins’ RBI single with two outs scored Blayne Riley for a 1-0 lead. Creek did make a play to get an out at third base, however, to keep the damage at one and get out of the inning.

In the bottom of the forth, the Redskins struck back with what ended up being their lone run of the game, James Brothers sending a fly ball into right field that just stayed fair and allowed Hyde, who reached on an error, to score from second base and knot the score.

The next two batters, though, went down and stranded the runner on second, leaving it a tied game.

In the top of the fifth, Tri-Valley battled back, Grady Lawler and Ryan Lamonica hitting back-to-back two-out RBI singles to put the Scotties back on top.

Andrew Grimm ON THE BASES — Indian Creek's Garrin Clark looks to move up from first.

Creek had two on in the fifth and started the seventh with a lead off walk, but Henry was able to keep them at bay the rest of the way.

He finished with seven strikeouts and three walks, holding Creek to just one hit and an unearned run.

SENIOR FAREWELL

Tuesday’s game was the final one for seven Creek seniors, Hyde, Hunter Rusnak, Gavin Pownall, Dom DeGruttola, Logan Wedlake, Ian Starkey and Elijah Bright.

“These seniors were part of four 20-win seasons, that’s very hard to do in high school baseball,” Cottis said. “They have a lot to be proud of, they’re all great boys and are just a great bunch.

Andrew Grimm SWINGING — Indian Creek's Luke McVicker takes a swing.

The cupboard will not be bare next year as several underclassmen stepped into key roles this season and will look to continue where the seniors left off. They’re going to go on and do great things, a lot of them are going to keep playing. I told them to keep doing their thing, keep working, give it their best shot and enjoy it.”

“The underclassmen have some big shoes to fill next year,” Cottis said. “We had a lot of young guys contribute this year, those guys come to work every day and you can tell by the way they’re carrying themselves now how much this matters to them.”

UP NEXT

Tri-Valley will again look to pull an upset as the lower seed in the district championship on Thursday as they will play No. 2 seed New Philadelphia at Hiland.

OHSAA Baseball Tournament

Division III East District semifinal

At John Muth Field

No. 4 Tri-Valley 3, No. 1 Indian Creek 1

TV 0-0-1 0-2-0 0 — 3 7 2

IC 0-0-0 1-0-0 0 — 1 1 1

TRI-VALLEY (17-12): Henry (WP, CG, 1R, 0ER, 1H, 7K, 3BB) and Riley. Lawler D, S, RBI; Lamonica S, RBI; Cullins S, RBI; Riley S; Shaffer S.

INDIAN CREEK (20-8): Hyde (LP, CG, 3R, 2ER, 7H, 8K, 2BB) and Rusnak. Brothers D, RBI.