'We've got to change the expectation': Sheridan falls in another district tourney
admin_news
ATHENS — Sheridan was no stranger to Gaige Stuckey.
It was 367 days ago on this same Trautwein Field that the Miami Trace left-hander dealt the veteran Generals a crushing 3-1 loss in what proved to be Doug Fisher's final game as head coach.
A new leader emerged for the up-and-coming Generals in Josh Coleman, who led Sheridan to an 19-4 record entering Division III district semifinal rematch at Bob Wren Stadium.
The result was one all too familiar.
Stuckey, a lefty, overcame wildness on a raw, rain-soaked night where every pitcher struggled in some fashion to gut out five innings in a 14-4 mercy.
The top-seeded Panthers advanced to play the winner of East District squads Dover and Tri-Valley at 2 p.m. on May 28. That game is also at Wren Stadium.
'This makes it tough'
Those were Coleman's words after a lengthy outfield speech to his team that covered myriad topics.
One, of course, were the brutal playing conditions that included temperatures around 50 degrees and slick field conditions on the artificial surface on the infield. Most fans who braved the elements wore clothing more suited or football Friday nights or venison hunts.
How big of an impact was it? Five pitchers combined to walk 24 batters and unleash 15 wild pitches. It took Stuckey 123 pitches to survive five innings, as he walked eight and struck out 12 more.
Bats weren't spared either. The teams had three singles between them for four innings. No player had an extra-base hit until Cooper Enochs' double in the fifth, and the Panthers didn't have a batted ball resulting in an RBI until the fifth inning.
They scored 12 runs in the first four innings, including seven in the second inning to set the wheels of a rout in motion.
"We weren't the only team that had to play in it," Coleman said. "There were two games ahead of us that had to play in this. Looking back, I mean it's easy for us to say we shouldn't have been playing. It's out of our hands, obviously. I know it's turf, and I know it's playable, but when it's coming down like this it makes it tough.
"I don't know if the outcome would be different, but I mean, I want a chance on a dry field," Coleman added. "You wouldn't have seen the wild pitches, you wouldn't have seen the errors. It's a different game."
Sheridan senior pitcher Tyler Turnes, who came on with two outs in the second and pitched 1 1/3 innings, lamented afterward that his entire season as a pitcher seemed like he was dodging raindrops.
As Keith Whitley once pointed out, and proven again vs. the Panthers, he is "no stranger to the rain."
Unfortunately, there was no shelter for anyone in this downpour.
"Weather is weather," Turnes said. "You just have to (maneuver) around it. It's going to be good and some days and it's going to be bad sometimes. You just have to power through it. I mean, it's the real pitchers who can take their best abilities and pitch through weather like this."
Good enough
Stuckey was at times dominant with his low-80s fastball and same array of off-speed pitches the Generals failed to negotiate in 2024.
The early lead proved to be his saving grace this time. He walked eight, with five coming in the Generals' three-run fourth. It could have been more, but Panthers second baseman Brody McBee made a diving play on James Solomon's ground ball up the middle that saved two runs.
Instead of a 7-5 game with two runners still on base, it was 7-3.
"That was our opportunity to make it a ball game again," Coleman lamented. "Give that kid credit, he made a hell of a play."
OU fans in attendance got an intimate look of a pitcher headed their way in the fall. Stuckey, who pitches for U.S. Elite on the travel circuit, is signed with the Bobcats.
Coleman called him "impressive." His team managed only three hits, one of the infield variety. Their hardest-hit ball was a 360-foot foul ball to left from brawny Shawn Griffey.
"There is a reason he is coming here to play," Coleman said. "He throws multiple pitches for strikes and has good velocity from the left side. It's not something we see often. Give him credit, he battled."
Generals vow to return
Few teams statewide were as hot as Coleman's entering the district. A team with only three players with varsity experience from a 24-4 squad in 2024 won 12 straight games following consecutive losses to state-ranked Tri-Valley on April 21-22.
Coleman made it clear once the MVL race was all but over that his team's focus was solely on finally clearing the district hurdle, but another tough pitcher sent them home prematurely.
This time, however, a large contingency is due to return for a veteran team in 2026 that returns key pieces in Wamer, Solomon, shortstop Camdyn Packer and catcher Cole Cashdollar, along with promising lefty starter Connor Roshon.
Coleman made it clear he wants more commitment, especially in the weight room.
"When you put in the time, you're going to want to put on a show," Coleman said. "I compare us to the football program all the time, and our (football) kids commit to that. When we go 6-4, people aren't happy.
"We have got to change the expectation," he added. "We want to expect to compete down here. It starts in the offseason in the buy-in and commitment."
sblackbu@gannett.com; @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: 'We've got to change the expectation': Sheridan falls in district again
