RICHMOND — Hits aren’t needed to score runs.

The third-seeded Edison baseball team tallied four hits against No. 4 seed Morgan, however, it was more than enough as the Wildcats defeated the Raiders, 10-0, in six innings via the mercy rule in an Ohio Division V Sectional Co-Final on a rain Tuesday evening out at the Edison Unified Sports Complex.

“That’s all you have to do,” Edison (17-8) head coach Mike Collopy said about winning in the postseason. “You just have to keep finding a way to win. We were able to get some guys on base, and we were able to come up with that clutch hit. Our kids competed. Our kids battled. You just to find ways to move on. It is a win. We will take it anyway we can get it.”

The Wildcats scored runs in a variety of ways. The victors scored runs on a hit, on a groundout, on an error, on a sacrifice fly, on a bases-loaded walk and they scored two runs when two players were hit by pitches. 

The hosts led 8-0 going into the bottom of the sixth, and they needed just two runs to end the game. Edison was able to accomplish its mission in the inning.

Santino Auteri — the team’s No. 9 batter — reached on an infield single, and Cole Pittman reached on a throwing error following a sacrifice bunt attempt to put runners on second and third. JD Henderson singled to right scoring Auteri to make the score 9-0. Then after a strikeout, Evan Kimmerle drew a walk to load the bases, and Kyle Long did the same allowing Pittman to score the game-ending run. The last eight pitches of the game were all balls resulting in the back-to-back walks and game-ending run being scored.

With the win, Edison will now play No. 2 seed Harrison Central at 5 p.m. Tuesday out at Mazeroski Field. 

“Harrison Central is well coached,” Collopy said. They are a really good team. We are going into enjoy this win tonight, and then get back after it at practice tomorrow.”

Two Edison pitchers held the visitors from Morgan County scoreless while only allowing one hit — a single.

Brady Haught started on the mound for the hosts, and he picked up the win. Haught struck out eight, walked two and allowed one hit in five innings of work. Haught was replaced by Long to start the inning. Long struck out two without walking a batter in the inning, while keeping the visitors off the scoreboard putting his team in position to end the game in the home half of the inning. 

“Their pitchers competed, and our pitchers competed,” Collopy said. “Brady pitched well. Kyle came in and threw strikes. We played solid defense behind them. We just have to keep working hard.”

Witten Schaad took the loss for Morgan (6-17). Schaad struck out three and walked five in 1 2/3 innings of work. He was replaced with two outs in the second by Brylee Shannon. Shannon pitched the final 3 2/3 innings of the game, striking out six and walking three.

Schaad singled for the Raiders’ lone hit in the game.

Morgan got runners on base in each of the first three innings, but they were unable to score. In the first, the runner was erased on an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. Schaad, who singled to left, was stranded at third in a second thanks to a groundout to short and Shannon, who walked with two outs, was left stranded at first in the third thanks to a strikeout. 

The Wildcats took an early lead thanks to scoring two runs in the first. Pittman walked, Henderson reached on an infield single and Bryce Rogers drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. After a strikeout, Long grounded out to second scoring Pittman to give the Silver and Black a 1-0 lead. Henderson scored on an error on a groundball to make it a 2-0 ballgame before the Raiders were able to get out of the inning with a strikeout.

The Wildcats erupted five runs in the second to extend their advantage to 7-0. Edison had the bases loaded with two outs when Kimmerle and Long were both hit by pitches to score Pittman, who walked, and Henderson, who reached on a fielder’s choice. Then, Kayden Russell singled to center scoring Kimmerle, Pittman and Bryce Rogers, who reached via a walk, to increase Edison advantage to seven runs.

The Wildcats did a get runner on first in the third thanks to a two-out walk, however, he was picked off ending the game.

Edison added to its lead in the fourth. Henderson led off the inning by reaching on a wild pitch after striking out. The catcher then stole second and third before scoring on a sacrifice fly to deep left by Rogers to make it an 8-0 ballgame.

The Wildcats were retired in order for the only time in the game in the fifth.

Edison’s pitchers retired the last 10 batters they faced.

“We had good pitching today,” Collopy said. “We have had good pitching all year. Our pitchers were throwing strikes. We make the routine plays. We put the ball in play, and when you put the ball in play, good things happen.”

The Huskies shut out the Wildcats, 1-0, May 5 on the road in the two team’s only meeting this season.

“We are going to do what we can,” Collopy said asked how his team was going to handle the break in between games. “We are going to practice. we are going to play some simulated games. The guys are going to see some live pitching from us. We want to continue to get better starting at practice tomorrow.”

Edison 10, Morgan 0

Morgan 000 000 – 0 1 2

Edison 250 102 – 10 4 0

MORGAN (6-17): Schaad LP (1 2/3IP, 3K, 5BB), Shannon (3 2/3IP, 6K, 3BB) and Garber. Schaad S.

EDISON (17-8): B. Haught WP (5IP, 8K, 2BB), Long (1IP, 2k, 0BB) and Henderson. Henderson S, RBI; Rogers SF, RBI; Kimmerle RBI; Long 3RBI; Russell S, 3RBI; Auteri S.