RICHMOND – It was a different day, different game and a different Edison softball team.

Edison was on a mission against Weir after the Red Riders defeated the Wildcats, 16-1, in four innings last week in Weirton. Thursday’s rematch would be different this time around as Edison built a six-run advantage through four innings en route to a satisfying 10-6 victory Thursday out at the Edison Unified Sports Complex.

“It was a different game and a different team today,” Edison (10-5) head coach McKenzie Morrison said. “We came ready to play today, for sure. The girls played hard all the way until the end.”

Edison went 0-4 last week, including the run-rule loss to Weir, however, the Wildcats have turned things around this week as they are 3-0 this week with wins coming against Cambridge, Wheeling Central and now Weir.

“They did not want to let that define them,” Morrison said. “They did not want to let one bad week define them. They have turned things around. Hopefully, we can keep this up the rest of the week.”

After last week’s victory against Edison, Weir (10-5) head coach John Leary said he expected a totally different game when the team’s met again, and that’s what happened.

“I knew that. We tried to tell the girls that,” Leary said. “After the last game, we knew they really wanted to play this game. That’s what we told them in the huddle in right field. I told them, ‘Do you hear happy they are?’ I know the way that program is that after that first game they were going to look at the schedule and put a star next to this game. We knew they were going to be ready to play, and they were ready to play. When you beat a program like this, like that, the next time you play them you are going to get their best, and that’s what we got. They beat the snot out of us.

“They were really ready to play today. Edison has too much pride in their program, and we knew they were going to come out ready to play. We knew we were going get their A-game. They came out ready to go. They came out, and they beat the snot out of us.”

The Red Riders struck first, but the hosts answered with two runs in the bottom of the second and three more in the third to build a 5-1 advantage. The visitors countered with two runs in the fourth to pull within a pair of runs, however, the hosts plated four more runs in the home half of the inning to extend their advantage out to 9-3.

The visitors from Hancock County collected a run in the fifth to make it a 9-4 ballgame before the victors tacked on another in the bottom of the sixth. Weir recorded two runs in the seventh, but it was not enough to extend the game.

The Edison dugout was loud all the way through the game, including during the postgame celebration.

“The girls wanted to get this win back,” Morrison said. “We have played them twice, and I hope we see them again in the OVACs.”

Bristol Leanza, who took the loss in the first meeting, responded and recorded the win for her team in the second meeting. The senior struck out one, while walking three.

“Bristol pitched a really good game,” Morrison said. “She threw the ball well. Weir is a good hitting team. I am proud of the job she did and the job she has done for us this year.”

The Red Riders used two pitchers in the game. Senior standout Eliza Utt started inside the circle, and she took the loss. Utt struck out one while walking one in her 2 1/3 innings of work. She was replaced with one out in the third by Bella Weber, who started the game at first base. Weber pitched the final 3 2/3 innings. She did not record a strikeout while walking two.

“I am proud of Bella,” Leary said. “She doesn’t get the chance to pitch a lot. She had a couple of walks, but she gave us some innings. We decided to give Eliza Utt a break. We have a big game tomorrow and a doubleheader Saturday. We wanted to get her out of the circle. We want her to be ready to go the rest of the week. We wanted to give her a chance to refocus. Bella came in and did a very good job for us.”

Weir outhit Edison, 10-9, however, the Wildcats made the most of their opportunities.

Individually, Chloe Peckens produced two singles, a home run and four RBI, Bella Cronin tallied a single, a triple and four RBI and Abby Boka collected a single and an RBI. Also, Mady Cornell contributed two singles, Alivia Hanlin ended up with a single and Paige Sommerville picked up an RBI.

For Weir, Loganne Barton, Utt and Weber all tallied a double and an RBI, Zoey Spencer and Chelsea DeVore each delivered a single and an RBI and Lila Boilegh tallied two singles. Also, Illiona Kirlangitis, Lexi Shockley and Brynn Artman all collected a base hit.

In the first, Utt drew a one-out walk, stole second and scored on Weber’s double to left giving Weir an early 1-0 lead. The Red Riders had the lead and a runner in scoring position, however, a double play ended the threat and the inning.

The Wildcats got a runner on in the first as Sophia Henderson reached on an error, however, Utt retired the next three batters to keep Edison off the scoreboard.

Weir hit into its second inning-ending double play in the second keeping the score at 1-0.

Peckens led off the inning Edison’s second inning with a home run over the fence in right field to knot the score at 1-1. Cornell followed with a single, and she moved up to second base on an error on the play. After Cornell advanced to third on a groundout, Sommerville hit a sacrifice fly to center scoring Cornell to give the Wildcats the lead at 2-1.

The Red Riders got a couple of runners on base in the third, however, they were unable to push another run across the plate keeping the Wildcats in the lead.

Edison gained control in its half of the third as Henderson walked and Boka singled to put two runners on base. Then, after an infield fly resulted in the first out of the inning, Cronin tripled to center scoring Henderson and Boka to make it, 4-1. Next, Peckens singled to center scoring Cronin to increase her team’s advantage to 5-1.

“They had a lot of hard hit balls,” Leary said. “We have do to a better job of hitting in innings three, four and five. We kind of lose our focus. We are focused in our at-bats in the sixth and the seventh. We have discussed that with the kids. We cannot let up. In the sixth and seventh, we are fouling pitches off, and we are fighting, but in the middle innings, we make soft contact and hit groundballs on the infield. We have to change our mental approach. If we want to be the kind of team that competes for a state title, we have to be focused all seven innings.”

Weir answered with two runs in the fourth as DeVore plated Kirlangitis with a single and Gracie Trifonoff scored on a wild pitch to cut its deficit down to 5-3, but that is as close as the Red Riders got the rest of the way.

After allowing two runs in the top half of the inning, the Wildcats answered right back with four runs in their half to build a 9-3 advantage. Boka brought home the first run with a fielder’s choice, two runs scored on an error and Peckens singled home Cronin to give the winner’s a six-run lead.

“The girls’ bats came alive,” Morrison said. “Hopefully, they can keep it up the rest of the week.”

Barton doubled home Utt in the fifth to pull Weir to within 9-4, however, Peckens plated a run with a fielder’s choice in the sixth to regain a six-run advantage for the Wildcats. In the seventh, Utt doubled home a run, and Spencer plated a run on a fielder’s choice to complete the scoring.

The Red Riders had two baserunners get hit by batted balls.

“We have had that happen more times this year than in all of the years I have coached softball,” Leary said. “That has happened at least five times to us this year. It happened twice today.

“I’m not making any excuses, they flat out beat us. We made a lot of mistakes. I know we gave them four runs from misplays on our part. We made the big mistake when we had the rundown, and we threw the ball into left field. That happens. It hurts when it happens when you are down.”

Edison is scheduled to play Cambridge at 5:30 p.m. today on the road.

Weir is slated to play Harrison Central at 5:30 p.m. today at home up at the Roberta “Birdie” DeFrancis Softball Field before taking on Oak Glen and Williamstown in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. Saturday up at Oak Glen.

Edison 10, Weir 6

Weir 100 210 2 – 6 10 3

Edison 023 401 X – 10 9 0

WEIR (10-5): Utt LP (2 1/3IP, 1K, 1BB), Weber (3 2/3IP, 0K, 2BB) and Barton. Boilegh 2S; Utt D, RBI; Weber D, RBI; Barton D, RBI; Spencer S, RBI; Kirlangitis S; Shockley S; DeVore S, RBI; Artman S.

EDISON (10-5) Leanza WP (1K, 3BB) and Hanlin. Boka S, RBI; Hanlin S; Cronin S, T, 4RBI; Peckens 2S, HR, 4RBI; Cornell 2S; Sommerville RBI.