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Wildcats rally past rival Redskins, 6-5

Edison's Kennadie McElroy pitches against Indian Creek on Friday. (Photo by Joe Catullo)

RICHMOND – Patience was a virtue in more ways than one for the Edison softball team on Friday.

The Wildcats plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 6-5 victory against rival Indian Creek to split the season series at Jefferson Lake State Park.

Edison trailed 5-1 entering the bottom of the fourth. As the Wildcats battled their way back into the game, head coach Spencer Bendle encouraged his team to “get one back” each inning.

“That was the conversation we had,” Bendle said. “Let’s get one back and then work on getting two. I kept saying that to the girls. When we get down 5-1, I told our defense we have to keep them here.

“I thought what gave us new life was when Kylie (Babel) hit that home run. She hit that home run to make the score 5-2. That kind of got the girls energized. They got more into the ballgame. We kept hitting and chipping away.”

Mikayla Petrisko and Alli Grimes drew back-to-back walks with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth to plate the tying and game-winning run for the Wildcats.

“We had some really good at-bats in the last three innings,” Bendle said. “We fought off some tough pitches with two strikes. We didn’t chase bad pitches. We were much more disciplined. We made their pitchers work.”

The Redskins recorded all five of their runs in the first three innings.

“They battled,” Indian Creek (4-2) head coach Angela Penner said about the Wildcats. “You have to give Edison credit. They fought to get back into the inning. I kept hearing coach Bendle telling his kids to inch back into the game.

“I thought our kids got complacent with the five runs. We made some critical mistakes on the base paths, and we dropped some fly balls. You cannot let up. Anything can happen on any given day.”

Indian Creek led 5-3 going into the sixth. The Redskins managed to load the bases with one out, but the visitors were unable to score. One runner was forced out at home on a fielder’s choice, and the next batter flew out to left field to end the threat and the inning.

Likewise, Edison loaded the bases with one out in the home half of the inning. A force out at the plate resulted in the second out, but the next three batters all reached safely and each drove in a run.

Maddie Brenstuhl plated a run with an infield single to make the score 5-4, before Petrisko walked to tie it. After a pitching change, Grimes walked to give the Wildcats a 6-5 lead.

Kennadie McElroy recorded the win for the Wildcats. She struck out two, walked three and allowed five runs on seven hits.

“She battled,” Bendle said. “We debated until about 4:15 about who we were going to throw. We decided to come back with Kennadie. We thought she gave us the best chance. She is able to locate her pitchers better than our younger girls.”

Indian Creek used three pitchers. Kaydee Kinsey ended up taking the loss in relief. She struck out three, walked two and allowed four runs (one earned) on four hits in 2 2/3 innings. Carley Jo Penner came on in relief for Kinsey with the score tied at 5-5 with two outs and the bases loaded. Penner walked Grimes to bring in the winning run before getting a ground out to get out of the inning.

Maddie Ely started in the circle for the Redskins, and she pitched three complete innings before coming out in the fourth. Ely struck out two, walked one and allowed two runs on three hits.

Carly Jo Penner singled with one out in the first, and she scored when Taylor Scott reached on an error with two outs. Kacie Vandeborne followed with a two-run home run to give the Redskins a 3-0 lead.

The Redskins tacked on another unearned run in the second to take a 4-0 lead. Ally Bevilacqua led off the inning by reaching on an error, and she scored on a two-out RBI single by Megan Kelley.

The Wildcats collected their first run of the game in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI double by Shannon Bahen.

Indian Creek struck again in the third on an RBI single by Kinsey, as the Redskins regained a four-run advantage.

Edison gained new life when Babel launched her home run over the fence in the fourth to pull the Wildcats to within three runs. Grimes singled home a run in the fifth to make the score 5-3. Petrisko doubled with two outs, and the catcher beat the throw home on the hit by Grimes, as she slid safely into the plate.

The Redskins defeated the Wildcats, 10-0, in five innings Wednesday.

“I think our heads is what changed from that game,” coach Penner said. “The change in the games was mental. We were just not in it today. We played lethargic. Edison continued to battle. We stopped after we scored five runs.”

For the Wildcats, that loss was self-inflicted.

“The other day, according to my book, I had us with nine errors,” Bendle said. “You are not going to win any ballgame when you have nine errors. We made too many mistakes in the field.”

The Wildcats made three errors Friday, while the Redskins committed a pair.

“It started out the same way today,” Bendle said. “We gave them four unearned runs. We are a young team. The varsity team is inexperienced. We only have one senior. It would have been very easy for them to hang their heads and say, ‘Here we go again,’ but they stayed with it and kept fighting.”=

Both teams are scheduled to play at 5 p.m. Monday on the road. Indian Creek is at Buckeye Local, while Edison will play Martins Ferry.

“Angie does a good job with them,” Bendle said. “They have seven quality seniors. They are going to have a good season.”

Edison 6, Indian Creek 5

Creek 3-1-1 0-0-0 0 — 5-7-2

Edison 0-1-0 1-1-3 x — 6-7-3

INDIAN CREEK (4-2): Ely (3IP, 2R, 3H, 2K, 1BB), Kinsey (LP, 2 2/3IP,4R, 4H, 3K, 2BB), Penner (1/3IP, 0R, 0H, 0K, 1BB) and H. Scott.

EDISON (5-3): McElroy (WP, 7IP, 5R, 1ER, 7H, 2K, 3BB) and Petrisko.

TWO OR MORE HITS: Indian Creek 1 (H. Scott); none. DOUBLES: Indian Creek none; Edison 3 (Petrisko, Kmatz, Bahen). TRIPLES: Indian Creek none; Edison none. HOME RUNS: Indian Creek 1 (Vandeborne); Edison 1 (Babel). RBIs: Indian Creek 4(Vandeborne 2, Kelley, Kinsey); Edison (Grimes 2, Brenstuhl, Petrisko, Babel, Bahen).

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