ATHENS — Indian Creek’s strong season came to an end about a week earlier than they had hoped.

The Redskins dropped a 2-0 loss to Chillicothe Unioto on Thursday afternoon in the Division IV, Region 15 championship game at Ohio University’s Bob Wren Stadium.

Creek, which was in the regional final for the second time in program history and in as many years after going to the state semifinals a year ago, ends its stellar season 22-7.

“This one hurts right now, but this entire group of boys have so much to be proud of,” Indian Creek head coach Mike Cottis said. “Our seniors had an incredible run these last two years getting to the final four last year and to the Regional finals this year.”

The Redskins were able to get hits off of Unioto’s B Sanders, seven of them in the game, but could not break through on the scoreboard, leaving two runners on in each of the first three innings and a total of eight men stranded in the game.

In the top of the third inning, it appeared as though they had struck first as Hunter Rusnak raced around third and safely crossed home plate on a Gavin Pownall single after leading the inning off with a base knock of his own, but the Sherman Tanks appealed that he missed third base.

The umpires ruled he had indeed missed the bag, taking the run off the board.

In the bottom half, the turn of events swung even further as Unioto scored what proved to be the game’s only two runs when Jack Welch put a sac bunt down with two on, one scoring on the play and another run crossing when an ensuing throw was offline.

Those runs proved to be the only blemish on the day for Creek senior starter Sal Barcalow, who finished allowing just one hit and one earned run in six innings, striking out two and walking one in the tough-luck loss.

“Sal Barcalow threw a great game,” Cottis said. “He was in command, we were just unable to get the big hit when we needed it.

“We had some great at bats and great contact, but we hit a lot of balls right at them.”

Dom DeGruttola had a one-out double in the sixth and Creek had a man on in the seventh with a leadoff single from Ian Starkey, but the Sherman Tanks turned a game-ending double play on a caught line drive to seal the victory and their trip to Akron.

Creek will depart a group of seven seniors who brought the program its first two district championships and state tournament appearance.

“Our seniors, Ty Householder, Sal Barcalow, Stan Amis, Caleb Bodo, Jayce Nett, Hunter Allen and Mason Lester are great young men and were a part of a special group,” Cottis said.