Sheridan rolled into the championship game of Class 1A Sectional 54 Friday evening by beating Frontier 16-2 in five innings.
The host Blackhawks clinched the game early, scoring seven runs in the first inning. Silas DeVaney batted in two runs when he got on base after a sacrifice bunt. Kyle Archer got home on a passed ball. Jake O’Hara doubled in two more runs and later scored when Caine Spencer reached on error. Steve Smith also drove in a run.
Sheridan added four more runs in the second inning. O’Hara tripled in a pair of runs, Corbin Murray scored on a passed ball, and Cameron Hovey’s sacrifice fly brought in one more.
The ‘Hawks finished things off with five runs in the fourth inning, four of which came from three straight base hits. Smith and Hovey both batted in one run, while Speck got two runs home, then later scored himself when Archer reached on error.
Smith finished the game 3-for-3 at the plate, while Hovey, O’Hara, Buckner and Spencer all had two hits.
O’Hara pitched three innings for the win, tossing seven strikeouts.
Sheridan is 14-5 and will play Rossville at 2 p.m. Monday for the sectional championship.
Sheridan 16, Frontier 2
(5 innings)
Sheridan AB R H RBI
Steve Smith 3 2 3 2
Cole Bales 0 0 0 0
Cameron Hovey 2 2 2 2
Zach Snider 1 0 0 0
Sean Speck 4 1 1 2
Kyle Archer 4 2 1 0
Silas DeVaney 2 2 1 2
Zach Oberle 0 0 0 0
Jake Vita 3 0 1 0
Jake O’Hara 4 1 2 4
Nolan Buckner 4 1 2 0
Walker Casler 0 1 0 0
Caine Spencer 3 2 2 0
Lucas Chesney 1 0 0 0
Corbin Murray 0 1 0 0
Drake Delph 0 1 0 0
Totals 31 16 15 12
Score by innings
Sheridan 740 50 – 16 15 3
Frontier 000 02 – 2 3 6
3B: O’Hara. 2B: O’Hara. SB: Smith. SAC: DeVaney, Hovey.
Sheridan pitching IP R ER H
O’Hara (W) 3 0 0 1
Gavin Reners 2 2 0 2
Strikeouts: O’Hara 7, Reners 2. Walks: none.
Sheridan’s Jake O’Hara (28) talks with Blackhawks pitching coach Ryan Conley during their sectional semi-final game with Frontier on Friday. Sheridan won 16-2 and will play Rossville for the championship on Monday. (Richie Hall)