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MiddletownJournal.com

Cougars close in on division title

Stewart has five RBIs and improves to 6-2 on the mound

TRENTON — Edgewood pitcher Chase Stewart may not have had his best game Monday.

But it was more than enough.

Stewart threw seven solid innings and batted in five runs as the Cougars came back to beat Monroe 8-4.

Edgewood (13-5, 8-1 Mid-Miami League) — defending MML South champs — can clinch at least a tie for the MML South with a win today against Stebbins, or a Talawanda loss. The Braves have three losses, but earned a split against Edgewood.

"Chase didn't have his best stuff, but he had the mental focus to shut the door," said Edgewood coach Brian Caudill.

Stewart (6-2) got off to a rough beginning, allowing a run in the first inning and striking out in his first at bat.

"I'm buddies with all those guys," said Stewart of the Monroe players. "Those first few innings, I was trying to throw too hard."

In the fifth inning, with his team trailing 4-3, Stewart hit a two-run home run over the left field fence, giving Edgewood the lead for good. The Cougars added three runs in the sixth to put the game away.

"After I hit the home run, I got back to hitting my spots," said Stewart, who retired 11 of the 12 final Monroe batters, with the lone baserunner reaching on an error.

Monroe catcher Tyler Ott led the Hornets (13-9, 4-3), going 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs.

Contact this reporter at (513)

705-2837

or

jtrotter

@coxohio.com.