Defense lifts Edison in tournament opener

MILAN TWP. — Edison's offense got a big boost from its defense. The Chargers totaled only five hits on a chilly Wednesday, but flashed some strong leather in an 8-2 win over Port Clinton in a Division V softball tournament opener. Edison catcher Macari Harris had three putouts on foul balls, including one great catch that might've been the play of the game. With the Chargers clinging to a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning, PC's Ellie Orris and Lyric Jackson singled. With one out, leadoff hitter Jae Mazur stepped to the plate. She hit a foul ball, but Harris scurried toward the Edison dugout and made a basket catch right at the fence. "That was a huge play," Edison coach Jason Caponi said. "Macari has been coming through like that all year long, making things happen. We gave her and Natalie (Desautels) the 'hype chain' player of the day. "They're just getting the job done. We struggled a little bit at the plate. I knew it was gonna be a scrappy, scrappy game." The speedy Mazur had three hits in the game. Harris' catch marked the only time the Chargers got her out. "I was just thinking 'go for it.' There's nothing to lose, it's the tournament," Harris said. "You just have to go with the flow." Harris also made a diving catch behind home plate for another out in the fifth inning. Her third putout came in the sixth. "I think that's the most I've had all season," she said. "I've been trying to get my mask off because I haven't been doing that. It was a lot of easier to see the balls and catch them. I'm just really happy that I was able to do that today." In the bottom of the fifth, Desautels built on the momentum provided by Harris' catch. After Harris walked with the bases loaded and two out to give Edison a 4-2 lead, Desautels blooped a single that nearly landed on second base. Lariah McMinn (walked) and Adison Wechter (bunt single) scored to give the top-seeded Chargers a 6-2 cushion. "I wanted to get it somewhere and get it down so we could get some runs in, because we definitely needed runs," Desautels said. Edison improved to 15-4 and will face third-seeded Eastwood in a district semifinal next Wednesday in Clyde. Port Clinton, which finished its season 12-15, loaded the bases in the seventh on a bunt single by Mazur, a single by Micaela Wiechman (two hits) and a Gabby Howard single off pitcher Abby Cloud's leg. Cloud got a popup to finish the win. "We had nine hits and only four strikeouts. We put the bat on the ball," PC coach Ryan Wiechman said. "We gave up five unearned runs out of eight. You can't do that against Edison and expect to win. "When it was 3-2, we were in it and kept them playing small ball. Marissa (Frohne) pitched fantastic. I told the girls we were proud of them. It went kinda like the last two weeks have gone. Just couldn't get that hit when we needed it or that out when we needed it." Cloud struck out four — all looking — and added two base hits on offense. Pinch-runner Ella Rogers scored after both singles. Cloud appreciated the Chargers' sound defense, which included a run-saving catch on the run by shortstop McMinn to end the PC third. "I can always count on them," Cloud said. "I know they're always gonna give it their all. If I do my job they'll do there's, too." The Redskins scored two runs in the third inning on a Mazur single and a Bella Belden groundout, but they left nine runners on base in the game — six in scoring position. After Edison scored three in the fourth, Desautels made a diving catch in center field on a Wiechman line drive for the first out in the fifth. "I just had to take it away from them, keep our momentum up, because once they get up they might stay up," Desautels said. "I've been waiting for that diving catch all season." Edison swept three games against PC this season, including a 5-4 decision April 20 at Edison. "I gotta keep my girls up," Caponi said. "If you win two games, it's hard to win a third one. We talked about this. (PC) chose us in the tournament. They didn't choose us to come over here and lay down. "I know their coaches and know how they think. I knew they'd give us a good fight." Port Clinton 002 000 0 — 2 9 3 Edison 030 320 x — 8 5 1 WP: Cloud. LP: Frohne. 2B: (E) Bissell