Sean Ruscio University Year: Junior Sport: Baseball Position: Pitcher

Another Ruscio, another regional baseball tournament.

Sean Ruscio has helped direct University to Saturday’s Region IV-AAA tourney at Pasco.

He earned a save and a complete-game win at last Saturday’s District 8-AAA tourney. The Titans edged Central Valley and Ferris by one run apiece to clinch the berth.

U-Hi also hitched the Tri-Cities Regional Express in 1991, with Sean’s older brother, Marcus, in the outfield and on the mound.

“The whole reason I went to U-Hi was because my brother played for coach (Don) Ressa,” said Sean, who finished 5-3 during the Greater Spokane League season.

U-Hi’s first-game opponent Saturday will be Kennewick. The ‘91 Titans lost to Kennewick 4-3 in a regional nail-chewing special.

Ressa intends to start Chris McMurtrey against Kennewick, Ruscio said. If U-Hi wins, Ruscio would take his grab-the-ball-and-throw style against the Mead/Richland winner.

Ruscio threw relief for the Titans last year. He said he hopes Ressa will let him take some cuts at the plate in 1998.

U-Hi’s hitting was sporadic this year, but Ruscio didn’t dwell on it.

“I always had the defense behind me,” Ruscio said. “Even when they weren’t hitting, I wouldn’t have traded them for anything.”

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