A.J. Winders came through at the perfect time for district-bound Sheridan baseball.

THORNVILLE — Sheridan had plenty of unfinished business entering the 2024 baseball season, with most of it concerning the stunning 7-1 loss to Circleville in last year's sectional.

The focus has been squarely on atoning for that misstep, as seniors Caden Sheridan, A.J. Winders and Bryson Ruff were among the many who spent the offseason in the batting cages and working on pitching.

All three had big hands in the Generals' first tournament win on Thursday.

The host Generals got a walk-off RBI double from Winders in the bottom of the eighth inning, and Ruff and Sheridan fueled the pitching to secure a 3-2 win against No. 14 seed Circleville Logan Elm in a Division II sectional final on Wednesday.

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Winders said the team was happy to put the Circleville loss behind them. There was no underestimating Logan Elm, which had 11 wins in 23 games entering Thursday.

"Mentally we were more prepared this time," Winders said. "Last year we started off slow, but this time we knew what we had to do. We didn't want the same thing to happen again."

Late lightning

Those with long memories likely remember how Circleville lefty Logan Smith tamed Sheridan's lineup. Through seven innings against the Braves, they likely felt stuck in the middle of a re-run.

Logan Elm southpaw Grant Cline, after yielding RBI singles to Brody White and Coyle Withrow in the first inning, shut the Generals down with his fastball-curveball combination for the next six. Answers seemed difficult to find.

It meant another close finish — the Generals 10th game decided by two runs or less. This time, they were up to the task.

Tied at 2 in the bottom of the eighth, No. 9 hitter Noah Wamer lined an opposite-field single to left field. With the top of the order coming up, the wheels were officially turning.

Winders worked a 3-and-1 count before hitting a hooking liner over the left fielder's head. Wamer scored easily, triggering a massive victory celebration.

Sheridan coach Doug Fisher almost elected to bunt and move Wamer up a base. He chose to let Winders hit instead, largely because he didn't want Sheridan's potent bat to get walked with a base open.

Winders was thankful for the decision.

"I didn't have a good day at the plate and I just wanted one more opportunity," Winders said. "Getting that opportunity gave me a lot of confidence that I can do this. I've put myself in this position more often than not."

Relief work gave offense a chance

Starter Bryson Ruff allowed three hits, no walks and two unearned runs, the result of four errors committed by his infield alone in the first three innings.

With the game still tied at 2 in the fifth, Fisher called on Sheridan to replace him. Sheridan is usually the team's closer.

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"It was the third time through the order with Bryson," Fisher said. "I know he probably wasn't real happy about coming out, but in a situation like this, the season is on the line. You have to make those decisions."

It proved the correct one.

Sheridan needed only 48 pitches to throw four scoreless, hitless innings of relief — 36 went for strikes. He and Ruff had only 28 balls in 98 pitches between them.

Given the offensive woes for most of the game, it was critical.

"I knew we were going to get a run," Sheridan said. "I just had to do my job and throw strikes. I shut them down and Bryson threw a great game leading up to that."

Looking ahead

Sheridan (24-3) now faces No. 6 seed Washington Court House Miami Trace (15-8), which edged No. 11 Circleville, 1-0, in its sectional final, at 6 p.m. on May 21 at Ohio University. The winner plays either No. 2 New Lexington or No. 7 Waverly for a regional bid at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

Miami Trace's Gaige Stuckey struck out 17 in a one-hitter against the Tigers, a game that also took eight innings to complete. The game featured only five hits.

Tuesday's game will mark the third time in four years Sheridan has played at Bob Wren Stadium for the district. They reached the district finals in 2022 before falling to Washington Court House.

Fisher said more quality pitching is on the horizon. Prior to Thursday they faced the top starters from Columbus Academy and Utica, respectively, in regular-season tune-ups before the postseason arrived. They also defeated Division I Lancaster, a top 10 seed in the Central District.

Winders feels Thursday's close win could be a precursor of things to come.

"At this points you're going to get your one-run games, your extra-inning games," Winders said. "You just have to go grind out a win."

sblackbu@gannett.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: A.J. Winders came through at the perfect time for district-bound Sheridan baseball.