STEUBENVILLE – Sadie Edwards finished what she started for the Steubenville softball team.

Edwards singled in the game’s first run, and she followed that up by launching a two-run home run over the fence with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning lifting Steubenville to an 11-9 victory against Canfield Saturday afternoon up at the Crimson Complex.

“It was a great game,” first-year Big Red (13-7) head coach April Minniefield said. “It was well played by both teams. Our girls fought. They never gave up. They persevered, and we came out as the winners.”

The home run was the second of the day for the University of Akron commit as the shortstop finished the game with two singles, two home runs, six RBI, three runs, one walk and a stolen base.

“I knew she could get on whether with a single or a home run,” Minniefield said. “She came through with the big hit like she always does.”

Sophia Zorne reached on an infield single to start the inning. A lineout brought Edwards to the plate for the sixth time in the game. After falling behind 0-2 on the first two pitches of the at-bat, Edwards fouled the next pitch off to stay alive before taking a ball to make the count 1-2. Then, she hammered the next offering over the fence to end the game.

“She had a good day,” Minniefield said about Edwards. “She showed up and played well. She played well on offense today.”

Isabella Cadile went the distance in the circle to tally the win for Big Red. Cadile struck out four while walking one in her 10 innings of work. Cadile faced 53 batters in the game and threw 161 pitches – 117 for strikes – in the wild win.

“It was a real long day,” Minniefield said. “She was not feeling well. She gave it her all. Defensively, we made the plays behind her.”

Cadile wriggled herself off the hook in all three of the extra innings.

Sami Economous singled to left to lead off the eight inning for the Cardinals (10-9). The senior advanced to third on a pair of groundouts, however, Cadile delivered a strikeout to pitch herself out of harm’s way.

The task was much more difficult in the ninth. Mayala Brown reached on a bunt single with one out, and Jenna Triveri followed with a double to left advancing Brown to third giving the girls in black two runners in scoring position. Then, Sophia Payne reached on an infield single to load the bases, however, Edwards through Brown out at the plate on a fielder’s choice for the second out, and Cadile was able to escape the inning unscathed thanks to a pop-up.

In the 10th, Sofia Castronova singled to start the inning, but she was out at second on a fielder’s choice. Caylee Ortiz, who reached first on the fielder’s choice, was replaced on the base by courtesy runner Sophia Seiple. Seiple moved to second on a groundout before Brooke O’Palick singled to right. Seiple tried to score on the play, however, she was caught in a rundown and ultimately tagged out ending the threat.

“She did step up,” Minniefield said about Cadile. “She did not let anything get to her. She did a great job.”

Ortiz took the loss for the girls from Mahoning County. Like Cadile, Ortiz went the distance for her team as the senior struck out seven while walking three. Ortiz faced 48 batters and she threw 150 pitches on the day – 105 for strikes.

Edwards was able to end the game in the 10th thanks to the heroics of senior catcher Sagan Smarrella in the seventh.

The girls in the red jerseys entered the inning trailing by two runs, 9-7. Ortiz induced a groundout to short to start the inning, however, Briella Guntrum doubled to center to give the locals a much-needed baserunner. Guntrum advanced to third on a groundout. Then, Sophia Zorne fell behind 0-2 on two pitches before the next four pitches were out all of the zone allowing her to reach first giving Big Red runners on the corners. Zorne then stole second to move into scoring position, and Guntrum and Zorne scored on a single to center by Smarrella to knot the score at 9. Ortiz was able to retire Edwards on a flyout to right ending the inning.

“She came through for us,” Minniefield said about her team’s backstop. “She has been struggling, but she put the ball in play. I knew it was going to happen. I am glad it happened today.”

Big Red trailed three times – 5-4, 6-5 and 9-7 – in the game and each time the hosts were able to rally.

The visitors trailed by two runs on two occasions, and they found themselves down by a run entering the seventh when they plated three runs to regain the lead at 9-7.

Ortiz singled to start the inning for Canfield, and Seiple, who ran for Ortiz, moved to second on a single by Kitt Testa. Seiple advanced to third on a fielder’s choice hit to Edwards, but Testa was out at second on the play as O’Palick reached first. Brown then lined out, however, Seiple scored on an error to deadlock the game at 7. O’Palick remained at first on the play. With two outs, Triveri doubled to left allowing O’Palick to score the go-ahead run to making the score 8-7 in favor of the Cardinals. Then, Payne tripled to center scoring Triveri to increase Canfield’s advantage to 9-7. The Cardinals had a runner on third, however, Cadile was able to bear down and record a strikeout to end the inning keeping her team within striking distance.

Canfield outhit Big Red 24-13, on the afternoon. The Cardinals recorded five extra-base hits while Big Red collected four.

Offensively for girls from Jefferson County, Smarrella tallied three singles and three RBI, Guntrum delivered two doubles and Sophia Zorne ended up with a single and an RBI. Also, Riley Zorne recorded two singles, Kaliyah Chamberlain collected a single and Emily Tuttle and Cadile each contributed an RBI.

“They all hit the ball today,” Minniefield said. “I knew it was coming. We put it together. I am thankful we put the ball in play.”

For the Cardinals, Triveri tallied two singles, two doubles and two RBI, Payne produced three singles, a triple and an RBI and Economous ended up with two singles, a double and four RBI. Also, Ortiz contributed three singles and an RBI, Testa totaled three singles and Castronova, O’Palick and Brown all collected two singles. Finally, Leah Figueroa finished with a double.

“They hit the ball,” Minniefield said. “We defended well. They hit the ball well. They are a good team.”

Big Red struck first with a pair of runs in the first to take the early lead. Edwards singled to right scoring Sophia Zorne giving her team a 1-0 lead, and Riley Zorne plated Smarrella to extend Big Red’s out to 2-0.

The Cardinals countered with two runs in the third when Economous doubled to center scoring Brown and Figueroa to tie the score at 2. Big Red answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning when Edwards belted a home run over the fence in right scoring Smarrella to regain the lead for the home team at 4-2.

Canfield cut into its deficit with a run in the fourth as Triveri brought home Seiple, who ran for Ortiz, with a sacrifice fly to center making the score, 4-3. The Cardinals took the lead with two runs in the fifth. First, Economous singled home Figueroa to even the score before Economous scored on single by Ortiz to give the Cardinals their first lead of the game at 5-4.

Big Red answered back in the home half of the inning as Edwards scored on a sacrifice fly by Cadile to deadlock the score at 5.

The Cardinals came right back in the sixth to regain the lead as Triveri scored on a groundout by Economous making the score, 6-5. Undeterred, Big Red delivered two runs in their half of the inning to regain the lead at 7-6. Edwards plated Sophia Zorne with a single to right to make it 6-all before Smarrella scored the go-ahead run on a groundout by Tuttle.

The win enabled Big Red to sweep the season series. Big Red defeated Canfield, 7-3, March 30 in a game that was also played at home.

“This game was a little different,” Minniefield said. “I am glad we continued to fight, we did not give up, we fought until the end and things turned out in our favor.”

Canfield is scheduled to play Cardinal Mooney at 5 p.m. today at home.

Big Red – the No. 2 seed – is slated to play No. 3 seed Tri-Valley in an Ohio Division III East/Southeast District Semifinal at 5 p.m. Wednesday at home. The winner will advance to the district final.

“We don’t know too much about them,” Minniefield said. “We are going to go and play a game. We want to have fun, and hopefully, we are able to come out on top.”

Big Red is going to spend the next couple of days getting ready for the Scotties.

“We are going to do what we normally do,” Minniefield said. “We are going to build on things we have started. We are going to have a nice defensive practice, and we are going to be ready to go.”

Big Red 11, Canfield 9 (10 innings)

Canfield 002 121 300 0 – 9 24 1

Big Red 202 012 200 2 – 11 13 1

CANFIELD (10-9): Ortiz LP (7K, 3BB) and Figueroa. Triveri 2S, 2D, 2RBI; Payne 3S, T, RBI; Figueroa D; Economous 2S, D, 4RBI; Castronova 2S; Ortiz 3S, RBI; Testa 3S; O’Palick 2S; Brown 2S.

BIG RED (13-7): Cadile WP (4K, 1BB) and Smarrella. R. Zorne 2S; Smarrella 3S, 3RBI; Edwards 2S, 2HR, 6RBI; Tuttle RBI; S. Zorne S, RBI; Cadile RBI; Guntrum 2D; Chamberlain S.