RICHMOND – The Edison baseball team took back in a back-and-forth battle against Wheeling Park. The Patriots took the lead tree times, but each time the Wildcats answered back. In the end, Edison scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to rally for a hard-fought 4-3 victory on a rainy Wednesday evening out at the Edison Unified Sports Complex.

“That was an outstanding baseball game,” Edison (12-5) head coach Mike Collopy said. “Coach (Chad) Stout does an outstanding job. It was one of those games where you hate to see someone lose. It was so evenly played from the pitching to the defense and to the offense. Steve Myers was a good friend of mine, and I am sure he would not be happy the Park Patriots lost, but I am sure he is looking down with a smile on his face because that was a heck of a baseball game. I am just proud of our kids.

The boys from Ohio County led by scores of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 before the Wildcats ultimately came back to win the game.

“We did a good job,” Collopy said. “They threw a couple different pitchers at us. They gave us some different looks. Evan had that big hit, he had that big home run. That tied the score.

Trailing 3-2, the Wildcats were able to answer for the third time in the game in their half of the sixth, however, this time Edison was able to plate a pair of runs to take the lead. Bryson Cunningham singled to center to start the inning, and he advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Santino Auteri. Nolan Haught was issued a free pass bringing Miles Gorby’s time on the mound to an end for the Patriots. Erik Blazier came on in relief, and Chase Freeman singled to load the bases. Then, Kyle Long singled scoring Cunningham to tie the score at 3. With the bases still loaded, Evan Kimmerle was hit by a pitch to plate Haught giving the Wildcats their first lead of the game at 4-3.

The bases were still loaded, but a 4-6-3 double play brought the inning to end, however, the damage had already been done.

“That’s what you have to do,” Collopy said about playing some smallball in the inning. “You have to do the little things to beat good teams. In the games we have won, we did that. In the games we have lost, we didn’t.

After the Patriots took the lead for the last time, Bryce Rogers – Edison’s pitcher – retired the final seven batters he faced en route to picking up the win for the boys from Jefferson County. Five of final seven outs, including the last one of the ballgame, came via strikeout.

Rogers went the distance for Edison striking out nine while walking two.

“Absolutely, Rogers got stronger as the game went on,” Collopy said. “He competed. He threw strikes. Coach (Mark) Smyth called a great game. Coach (Cory) Wickham handles our offense. They did a great job.

“Our kids responded. Wheeling Park is a great team. They play a brutal schedule. They are not going to be awestruck against anyone. I am proud of our effort. I am proud of our team. I am proud of the way we responded.”

Gorby was saddled with the loss for Wheeling Park. Gorby struck out one and walked three in his 4 1/3 innings of work on the mound. Blazier pitched the final 1 2/3 innings. He did not record a strikeout or walk a batter.

Wheeling Park took the lead for the first time in the top of the second as four-straight batters reached base. With one out, Nolan Yanchak and Ossie Hudson delivered back-to-back singles to right to put two runners on, and then Brodie Cox was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Next, Brody Groome reached on an infield single plating Yanchak to give the boys in the red jerseys a 1-0 lead. The Patriots still had the bases loaded, however, Rogers picked off Cox at second for the second out before retiring the side on a strikeout.

Wheeling Park is scheduled to play Bridgeport W.Va. at 5 p.m. today at home. The Indians defeated the Patriots, 14-1, in six innings April 17 at the McDonald’s Classic.

Edison is slated to play Jefferson County rival Buckeye Local at 5 p.m. Tuesday at home. The Wildcats defeated the Panthers, 17-7 in five innings April 16 at home.