SECTIONAL FINAL BASEBALL … Edon’s Wyatt Moore dives to apply the tag on the foot of Edgerton’s Cory Herman. (PHOTO BY RICH HARDING / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Daniel Cooley
EDGERTON – The Edgerton baseball team finally found the winning formula to win a sectional crown: a plethora of singles, sprinkled in with two doubles and 12 total runs. That led to Edgerton’s first sectional crown since 2015, with a 12-5 win over Edon.
“It was nice to see our guys get going a little bit, (with 14 hits),” said Edgerton coach Michael Gilliland. “It feels really good to win a sectional title.”
“We’ve come close a few times lately, so this was a goal that we set this year. Getting it means a lot to this program.”
Interestingly, with all the hits that Edgerton claimed, the Bulldogs tallied their first run in the second inning, without the benefit of a hit.
Two walks and then an Edon throwing error plated the first run. In the third inning, Edgerton took a 3-0 lead, on a two RBI double from Cory Herman. Herman led Edgerton with three hits, on a double and two singles, along with three RBIs.
“I got a fastball low and looked to drive it somewhere,” Herman said. “To get two RBIs like that in a big game, I can’t ask for anything else,” Herman said.
Edgerton then looked to be on pace to gain a 10-run rule win, scoring six runs in the third inning to take a 9-0 lead.
Kadyn Picillo knocked in two runs with a single, followed by RBI singles from Corey Everetts, Herman and an RBI ground out from Noah Weaver.
Warren Nichols knocked in the ninth run with a double. However, Nate Swank, who reached base on an error, was thrown out at home plate to end the inning.
Edon finally got its first hit in the fifth inning, and it enabled them to break through in a big way.
Two singles and then two straight walks brought in the first run, chasing Edgerton pitcher Everetts.
Undaunted by the pitching change, Edon broke through with three straight hits with two outs, on a two RBI single from Christian Owens, followed by RBI singles from Ian Hickman and Wyatt Moore.
A strikeout ended the inning, but Edon had scored five runs to cut Edgerton’s lead to 9-5.
Edon threatened to cut further into the Edgerton lead in the sixth inning, putting runners on second and third, on a Garrett Skiles single and a double from Kyler Sapp. But a great running catch by the Edgerton second baseman ended the scoring threat.
Edgerton then got a little breathing room in the bottom of the sixth inning. Singles by Herman, Weaver and Swank loaded the bases with no outs.
That led to RBI singles from Nichols and Scottie Krontz and a sacrifice fly from Caden Leppelmeier.
Two straight groundouts ended the inning, but Edgerton had scored three runs to take a 12-5 lead.
Dylan Bass came on to pitch the final inning for Edgerton. After hitting a batter with one out, Bass retired the last two batters of the game on a deep fly out to center field and a groundout.
“Give credit to Edon, they were able to come back with some good hits to cut into our lead,” Gilliland said. “But our guys battled back and were able to get some insurance runs.”
Edgerton will face Montpelier, a 12-2 winner over Stryker, in the district semifinals on Wednesday, May 24, at Bryan, at 5 p.m.
Hitting leaders for Edgerton were Herman, with a double, single and three RBIs; Scottie Krontz, three singles; Nichols, a double, single and two RBIs and Picillo, two singles and two RBIs.
For Edon, Owens had two RBIs and Sapp had a double.
EDON 000 050 0 – 5 7 4
EDGERTON 012 603 x – 12 14 0
Records: Edon 9-15, Edgerton 16-10
WINNING PITCHER: Everetts (4.1 innings, 2 hits, 4 runs, 4 earned, 6 strikeouts, 6 walks) Other: Herman, Bass
LOSING PITCHER: Sapp (4 innings, 10 hits, 9 runs, 6 earned, 6 strikeouts, 3 walks) Other: Joice
LEADING HITTERS: (Edon) Owens – single, 2 RBIs; Sapp – double, RBI; (Edgerton) Piccillo – single, 2 RBIs; Herman – double, 2 singles, 3 RBIs; Weaver – 2 singles, RBI, 3 runs; Nichols – double, single, 2 RBIs; Krontz – 3 singles, RBI
Dan can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com