Submitted photo/Elle Ruffridge: Pocahontas Area player Tyce Ruffridge (left) poses with coach and father, Brandon, and older brother Shea, who works for the Principal Park grounds crew.

DES MOINES — Tyce Ruffridge has logged a lot of miles watching his older siblings compete in athletics.

On Monday, it was Tyce who took center stage, with his older sister, Elle, in the stands and brother, Shea, preparing the Principal Park field for action.

“Anytime we get a chance to all be together — it’s a great feeling,” Tyce said. “Being the youngest sibling, it’s pretty special having them both at the ballpark supporting me and the team.

“I followed the two of them around to basketball games, baseball games and wrestling meets, so it’s cool when they’re both able to be there for me.”

Tyce, a junior on the Pocahontas Area baseball team, competed for the Indians against Southeast Valley. The Twin Lakes Conference rivals played inside Principal Park, home of the state baseball tournament since 2004.

Pocahontas Area won the game, 9-0.

The siblings were joined by their dad Brandon, who coaches for Pocahontas Area, and their mother, Karla, who was in the stands.

Elle was the all-time leading girls 5-on-5 basketball scorer in state history, then competed for Missouri State in the Missouri Valley Conference. Shea is a wrestler at Grand View.

“You bet it was a special day for us, and to be able to get together at the best ballpark in the state made for an even more memorable day,” Brandon said. “We’re an extremely close family, so any chance the five of us can be at the same place at the same time these days, we try to make the most of it.”

Elle, who just played in the NCAA Tournament for Missouri State, was happy to be together with her family.

“It’s always great when the ‘5ruffs’ are together at a sporting event,” Elle said. “For as long as I can remember, my brothers have been coming to my games and have always been some of my biggest supporters.”

Now with some time after basketball, Elle has the chance to be her brothers’ biggest fan.

“It’s special for me to now return the favor,” said Elle, who will be student teaching in Waukee this fall. “I’ve had to miss out on some pretty big events (Shea winning a state title, Tyce wrestling at state, baseball games, etc.) because I always had basketball going on.

“It excites me that I will now be able to be there for them in person, like they’ve always been there for me.”

Brandon has been in the stands and athletic fields, helping his kids along the path. He could tell this meant something extra to Tyce on Monday.

“I know it was extra special for him, having Elle and Shea there to support him,” Brandon said. “He logged a lot of miles in the car travelling the country watching basketball games and wrestling tournaments as a youngster.

“It was nice to have big brother and big sister there cheering him on.”

Shea is working on the grounds crew for Principal Park this summer.

“It was a cool experience (for his younger brother),” Shea said. “Anytime you get to play at Principal Park, it’s an awesome time.”

Trevor Frerk was 2-for-3 with three RBI to lead the Indians on Monday. Braden Grebner recorded two hits and drove in a pair.

That was more than enough support for Gavin Ehn, who fired a complete-game three-hitter with 10 strikeouts for PAC (14-7 overall, 9-3 in the TLC).

Kolson Kruse led the Jaguars (11-9, 6-4) with two hits.