LEXINGTON — The Colonel Crawford Lady Eagles remain alive in the Division III Lexington District softball tournament after defeating the Edison Lady Chargers 5-2 on Tuesday, May 16.

Despite some early offensive output by Edison, Crawford buckled down and ended the day with a victory.

Edison got to Crawford’s ace Sydney Studer early, leading off the game with a double. A wild pitch would advance that runner to third. Studer would walk the second batter, who would advance to second on another wild pitch, putting two runners in scoring position with no outs. The third wild pitch of the inning would plate both of those runners to give Edison the early 2-0 advantage. A fielder’s choice and two strike outs later, Crawford was out of the inning, down by the same 2-0 score.

In the home half of the first, leadoff batter Alexus Burkhart was hit by the first pitch. A sacrifice bunt executed by catcher Karissa Rowlinson advanced Burkhart into scoring position with one out. Studer hit into a fielder’s choice to move Burkhart to third and she would later score on an RBI single by Lydia Strouse. After one inning of play, Edison held a 2-1 lead.

Studer would settle down and would allow just one hit and no additional runs over the next five innings.

In the third inning, the Eagles’ bats came alive. After Rowlinson struck out to start the inning, Studer and Strouse walked back-to-back. Abbie Bradshaw would then deliver a single to load the bases for Crawford. Caitlin Koschnick belted an 2-RBI single to drive in Studer and Strouse and advance Bradshaw to third. Koschnick would later be thrown out at second on a steal attempt but this would allow Bradshaw to swipe home to finish up the Eagles’ three-run third inning and put them ahead by a score of 4-2.

The scoring concluded for Crawford in the bottom of the fourth when Kerrie Reynolds led off the inning with a triple to the outfield fence. Reynolds would score the fifth run of the game two batters later on a Burkhart sacrifice fly to left field.

Edison would manage a pair of singles in the top of the seventh but could not produce the runs during their failed comeback attempt.

Studer picked up the victory, throwing all seven innings while allowing five hits and two runs. Studer walked three hitters on the day and struck out 13.

Koschnick finished the contest with three hits, all singles and two runs batted in. Reynolds finished the day with a double and a triple for the Eagles.

Singles: Studer, Strouse, Bradshaw and Karlie Kurtzman; Runs scored: Burkhart, Studer, Strouse, Bradshaw and Reynolds; RBI: Strouse and Koschnick (2).

Colonel Crawford awaits the winner of the Galion versus Willard contest on Wednesday May 17. The district final game will be played at Lexington High School on Friday May 19 with action set to begin at 5 pm.

Col. Crawford’s Sydney Studer scores the tying run while teammate Lydia Strouse rounds third base to score the go-ahead run on a hit by Caitlin Koschnick on Tuesday against Edison. The Lady Eagles won the Div. III district semi-final game 5-2. Photo by Don Tudor.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2017/05/web1_inquirer-051617j-CC-v-Edison-sect_0076_edited-1-1.jpgCol. Crawford’s Sydney Studer scores the tying run while teammate Lydia Strouse rounds third base to score the go-ahead run on a hit by Caitlin Koschnick on Tuesday against Edison. The Lady Eagles won the Div. III district semi-final game 5-2. Photo by Don Tudor.

Col. Crawford’s Sydney Studer winds up to deliver a pitch against Edison in Tuesday’s Div. III district semi-final softball game at Lexington High School. The Lady Eagles won 5-2. Photo by Don Tudor.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2017/05/web1_inquirer-051617j-CC-v-Edison-sect_0017_edited-1-1.jpgCol. Crawford’s Sydney Studer winds up to deliver a pitch against Edison in Tuesday’s Div. III district semi-final softball game at Lexington High School. The Lady Eagles won 5-2. Photo by Don Tudor.