DRESDEN — There was substantial unfulfillment for Tri-Valley baseball in 2023.
A team with lofty expectations in the regular season again fell short of winning a Muskingum Valley League-Big School Division title. A potential regional tournament bid was foiled after losing a late lead in the district finals to New Philadelphia.
That has made 2024 a bit of a redemption tour for coach Mark Hadley's squad, which is now 13-2 and has a two-game lead over Sheridan for the Big School lead.
Neither team had a loss when the two played last Monday and Tuesday, but the Scotties finally cracked the General code with two wins by a combined 16-4.
It officially changed the landscape of the division, as no other team is within striking distance entering the final week of league play.
"I've said the last few years that until someone knocks Sheridan off they are the MVL standard," Hadley said following a 4-0 win at unbeaten New Lexington, which leads the Small School Division and hasn't lost since.
"We have had them on the ropes a couple of times, but haven't been able to throw that knockout punch," Hadley added. "Maybe this year is the year."
Consider it a mental hurdle cleared.
Long memories fueling the vets
The upperclassmen witnessed first hand the blown leads late to Sheridan the past two years. It essentially cost them pieces of the title.
"Three years in a row they're beating us to win the league," senior Nathan Better said. "If you look out here at our banners, we don't have an MVL title since 2019. We've worked really hard. That was one of our main goals. It doesn't stop with Sheridan, but it was definitely a bump in the road that we had get over."
The wins against Sheridan before large crowds at both team's sites were followed by a 4-3 win against John Glenn and an 8-0 triumph at Morgan to stay unbeaten in league play. Both were substantial hurdles to clear with the title in sight.
Junior pitcher/shortstop Brady Kaufman, who struck out 13 Generals in five innings at their game in Dresden, confirmed the team had unfinished business after the way last season ended.
That started with getting past Sheridan, something he hadn't done as a varsity player.
"It's something you don't forget about," Kaufman said of the two losses last season. "It drives you to work harder in the offseason."
Leaders emerged as work ethic improved
The loss to New Philadelphia also left a wound that has not yet fully healed. Better said they were primary reasons why the returning players made concerted efforts to put more time into baseball, even as isn't the primary sport for some on the roster.
"I had high hopes for that team," Better said of the 2023 team. "Slipping up 5-4 (in the district finals), it really hurts. So coming into the summer you're putting in work. Almost (every starter) was playing summer ball. We've played together and we've all got chemistry. In the winter we got four days a week of baseball, on weekends guys were coming in to hit. "
That, he said, helped build the team's chemistry. He described the team as "a tight knot," adding it is the closest team for which he has played.
"It is good to bond as a team — it's bigger than even training," Better said. "The chemistry is ridiculous."
Kaufman agreed with his teammate, feeling this year's squad has been more focused on a game-to-game basis. They have managed to get better, even as they replaced an unquestioned, well-respected senior in Hansel Holmes.
"Our heads are in it better," Kaufman said. "We’ve got leaders who have stepped up. Everything about us has been good. Hans really helped our team, but we have had guys step up and fill that role."
The proof of that has shown in some of their tight battles. Of their 13 wins entering Monday, six have come by two runs or less.
Pitching, improved lineup embracing challenges
Sixteen opponents have scored three runs of less, as hard-throwing junior Kaufman and Kyler Brennan have anchored a deep rotation of pitchers that has received a boost from Gavin Harrold and Kade Hindel.
The wealth of quality arms has allowed Hadley to steadily build up Kaufman's pitch count, including multiple relief efforts early in the season. He started throwing later than others after being a member of the basketball team's run to the Athens regional.
Kaufman hadn't thrown more than 70 pitches in a game prior to the win at New Lex, when he was lifted after five shutout innings that took just 58 pitches. He tossed six and struck out 13 in the 4-1 win against Sheridan four days later.
Better said the team responds when their ace is on the mound.
"He has been our ace and he's going to be our ace next year," Better said. "He throws great. As a junior, I think he's almost got a role as a senior. Everybody looks up to him — the seniors look up to him. He gives us energy."
Hiland, Linsly, New Lex and Sheridan are among a strong schedule that has also included a 11-win teams Newark and Garaway. They also scrimmaged two strong programs in Mount Vernon and Marengo Highland. Another meeting with Newark is on the horizon.
The strong schedule was be design, Hadley said.
"My goal with that is I wanted for our guys to have to compete every pitch of every game," Hadley said. "When we scrimmaged Mount Vernon, they're loaded from top to bottom and threw four (pitchers) at us that were mid- to high 80s. That's what you're going to see if you make a run in the tournament."
sblackbu@gannett.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR
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