An eighth-inning error resulted in a walk-off victory for Edison, ending Fredericktown’s season. Fresh from a 3-1 OHSAA Division 3 District Final victory over the Amanda-Clearcreek Aces, the Freddies (20-7) met Edison (23-8) at Elida High School in the Division-3 Regional semi-final June 2 and fell to the Chargers, 5-4.
Fredericktown came out with energy. With one out in the top of the first, Kaid Carpenter smacked a hard grounder and reached on an error. With two down and runners at the corners, Luke Bean singled in the game’s first run. Following a walk to Xavier Mullins to load the bases, Braden Sapp singled on a 1-2 pitch to drive in two runs, and the Freddies were up 3-0. That lead held until the fourth, as Freddies’ starter Carpenter held the Chargers scoreless through three, facing only nine batters. A two-out error, two walks and a single by Edison, cut the Freddies’ lead to 3-2 through four.
Fredericktown answered with a run in the fifth to expand their lead to 4-2. Brady Lester led off with a double, alertly advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Carpenter. Edison tied it in their half of the fifth on an error, a single, a two-out run-scoring single and another Freddies’ error to tie the game at 4-4. Both teams went scoreless until the bottom of the eighth, when a ground out, a single, a ground out, a balk and an error plated Edison’s winning run.
Fredericktown outhit Edison 7-5, but committed four costly errors to one for the Chargers. Braden Sapp connected for two hits and Lester got the Freddies’ only extra-base knock, a double. Sapp finished with two ribbies, while Kaid Carpenter and Luke Bean each drove in a run.
Edison moved on and defeated the Ottawa Hills Green Bears, 3-1, and advance to take on the Roger Bacon Spartans (19-7) in the next round June 9.
