Aaron Petchal CELEBRATION — Edison players celebrate after their walk-off, extra innings win in the district semifinals Wednesday.

RICHMOND – Playing close games has become the norm for the Edison baseball team, and Edison displayed its never say die attitude against Philo with a trip to the district final on the line.

The sixth-seeded Electrics scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a three-run lead only to see the third-seeded Wildcats answer with three runs of its own in the home half of the inning to send the game to the 10th. Ultimately, the Wildcats plated the winning run thanks to a hit batter and three walks in the 11th as Brady Haught drew a bases-loaded walk scoring JD Henderson, who led off the inning by being issued a free pass, and the Wildcats took down the Electrics, 6-5, in a marathon Ohio Division IV Eastern District Semifinal Wednesday evening out at the Edison Unified Sports Complex.

“It was a great game,” Edison (20-8) head coach Mike Collopy said. “Our kids believed. The compete no matter the score. We were down late, but we were able to come back and get the job done.

“I tip my hat to Philo. They are a really-good team. They have a really-good lineup. We faced a really-good pitcher. It is a shame someone had to lose. I’m happy we were able to come out with the win.

“We were down 5-2 and we were down to our last at-bat, but our kids still believed. They had the belief they were going to be able to get it done, and they did.

“Not counting the Martins Ferry game, I think eight out of our last 11 games have been one-run games. That’s more recent. Throughout the season, I think we have had around 15 one-run games.”

With the score knotted at 5-5 in the 11th, JD Henderson led off the inning for the victors by drawing a walk to give Edison a baserunner. Kyle Long was then hit by a pitch on the first pitch of his at-bat to put two runners on with the winning run in scoring position. Catcher Evan Kimmerle drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases, and Haught did the same to bring the game to an end.

“When we are losing in close games, our kids are comfortable in those situations,” Collopy said. “They have that belief that they are going to comeback. Every kid has it. It doesn’t matter if they played every inning, or if the came into the game as a sub. They have the belief that they are going to get it done.”

The game took about three-and-a-half hours to complete.

With the win, Edison will play No. 1 seed Indian Valley in the district final at 5 p.m. Friday at a site to be announced. Indian Valley advanced to the final by defeating No. 10 seed John Glenn, 7-4, in the semifinals Wednesday at home.

“Indian Valley is a really-good team,” Collopy said. “We scrimmaged them. They are very aggressive offensively. They have good pitchers. Their mentality is a carbon copy of ours — they stay in the game for all seven innings and all 21 outs.”

Both teams used multiple pitchers in the game, however, neither starter factored in the decision.

Bryce Rogers started on the mound for the hosts. He struck out six while walking seven in his 6 1/3 innings of work on the mound. He was replaced with one out in the seventh by Kyle Long, who ended up picking up the win for the Wildcats. Long struck out five and walked five in his 4 2/3 innings of relief.

Jake Lincicome, who threw 121 pitches, started the game for the visitors from Muskingum County. He struck out six while walking five in seven innings of work. He was replaced by Wyatt Tysinger to start the inning. Tysinger made two relief appearances in the game totaling 2 1/3 innings of work. Tysinger struck out two and walked three in his total time on the mound. He was originally replaced by Garrett Tom, who pitched 2/3 of an inning. He walked two without striking out a batter. Chase Colburn came on to pitch in the 11th, and he was saddled with the loss. He did not record an out.

“Coach (Bill) Beattie said a long time ago that at this time of the year it doesn’t matter how you get it done, it only matters that you get it done,” Collopy said. “Our kids kept playing. No matter the score, our kids did not hang their heads. They did not look back. They just kept playing. That is a credit to the kids.

“They have the mindset of staying in the present, and that is not easy. Baseball is a tough game. It is mentally challenging.”

With the score deadlocked at 2, the visitors tallied three runs in the ninth to build a 5-2 lead.

Long retired the first two batters on flyouts, however, he hit Adam Philip with a pitch to give the visitors a baserunner. Then, Brayden Payton plated Philip with a double to center to give the Electrics the lead at 3-2. Hunter Hoffer then drew a walk to put a pair of runners on base before both runners scored when Cooper Roush tripled to make the score, 5-2, however, Long induced a groundout to Henderson at third to bring the inning to a close without Philo being able to do any more damage.

Down to their last chance, the boys from Jefferson County rose to the occasion. Kayden Russell led off the inning by being walked, and Santino Auterti was hit by a Tysinger pitch to put two runners on base. Chase Freeman followed with a single to left scoring Russell to cut the Wildcats’ deficit down to 5-3 with Auteri advancing to second on the play. Then, Haught reached on a fielder’s choice on a bunt attempt as Auteri was out at third on the play. After a pop-up resulted in the second out of the inning, Long was hit by a pitch by Tom to load the bases. After that, Kimmerle was to walked allowing Freeman to score to make the score, 5-4 before Haught was also walked enabling Nolan Haught to score the game-tying run. Edison had a chance to win the game, however, a groundout to second ended the threat sending the game to the 10th.

“Winning 20 games is quite an accomplishment,” Collopy said. “I tell the kids all that time that unfortunately in life, nothing is given to you, you have to earn it. These kids were not given anything. They earned it all year.

“It has not been an easy season. We don’t talk about injuries. We have 28 players on the roster. Everyone goes through that, but we have had to use multiple lineups. You can either embrace adversity or you can run from it. Our kids embrace it.

“The leadership we have gotten from our older kids has been incredible. They have done a great job all season.”

Edison struck first in the first to take the early advantage. With one out, Henderson drew a walk, and he moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Long. Then, Kimmerle and Brady Haught were walked to load the bases before Henderson and Kimmerle scored on a single to left by Bryce Rogers to give the Silver-and-Black an early 2-0 lead.

The Electrics got a run back in the third. Philip walked to start the inning, moved to third following a pair of sacrifice bunts before scoring on a wild pitch to make it a 2-1 ballgame.

Philo plated the tying run in the fourth. Tom walked to lead off the inning before moving to second on an error before advancing to third on another error before scoring on a sacrifice fly to center by Ky-Mani Philip to even the score at 2.

Freeman finished with two singles for the boys in the black jerseys.

Edison left 11 runners on base while Philo left seven.

“I have never thought about much, but it has been a long time since we won our last game at home,” Collopy said. “We have a special group. No matter the amount of individual accolades they get, they are all good people. They are all about commitment, pride and tradition. Those are things you don’t see in a box score. These kids have been committed since Day 1. They take pride in that. As far as tradition goes, they don’t want to ride on anyone’s coattails. They want to be their own team. They are a special group.”

Edison opened the postseason by defeating No. 12 seed West Holmes, 1-0, in the district quarterfinals May 19 at home, while Philo defeated No. 11 seed Maysville, 5-1.

“We beat Big Red in 15 innings at Vaccaro Field in Coach (Mark) Smyth’s senior year,” Collopy said. “We have played some games like this, but to play a tournament game with everything on the line, this is our first game like this since 2012.”

Edison 6, Philo 5 (11 innings)

Philo 001 100 003 00 – 5 3 1

Edison 200 000 003 01 – 6 4 3

PHILO (16-11): Lincicome (7IP, 6K, 5BB), Tysinger (2 1/3IP, 2K, 3BB), Tom (2/3IP, 0K, 2BB), Colburn LP (0IP, 0K, 3BB) and A. Philip. Roush T, 2RBI; K. Philip RBI; Payton D, RBI; Hoffer S.

EDISON (20-8): Rogers (6 1/3IP, 6K, 7BB), K. Long WP (4 2/3IP, 5K, 2BB and Kimmerle. Kimmerle RBI; B. Haught 2RBI; Rogers S, 2RBI; Freeman 2S, RBI.