By Dan Messerschmidt
CCN Sports Director

SHELBY — In the postseason, the season ends suddenly.

Wynford had that experience when the Royals ran into a pitcher that was lights out in the person of Milan Edison’s Caden Cooper.

Cooper pitched a one-hit gem to lead the Chargers to a 3-0 victory in the Division III district final at Shelby High School Saturday.

“He was just phenomenal today,” Wynford coach Jordan Oliver said of Cooper. “His defense played well behind him and he kept us off balance with his breaking ball.”

The Royals managed only three base runners off Cooper. Wyatt Smith led off the bottom of the first with a walk but was promptly picked off by the lefty Cooper.

Brock Noblit got the only hit for Wynford (11-14) in the third inning but was stranded at second after a sacrifice by Cody Taylor moved him up. Jordan Imbody was safe on an error in the seventh but was also picked off by Cooper.

“I have always had a decent pick-off move,” Cooper said. “I knew that if I could at least get them off a few extra feet than they normally do, I could pick them off.”

Wynford starter Noah Smith kept his team in the game, blanking Edison (15-9) over the first three innings. However, the Chargers got Cooper all the offense he would need in the fourth inning.

Thomas Oeder led off with a walk and Jacobee Kessler bunted him to second. Cooper was safe on an error, moving Oeder to third and Jadon Hanson drove him home with a single.

Edison got one more in the fifth on a Caleb Bissell single and a double by Richard Crooks. The Chargers tacked on an insurance run in the seventh. Bryce Roberts doubled leading off and scored on a one-out single by Cody Scott.

But the story was Cooper. The junior southpaw finished with 10 strikeouts and only one walk. Cooper faced one over the minimum.

“Caden changes speeds well and really kept Wynford off-balance,” Edison coach Sean Hoover said. “He can throw hard enough to get the ball by you too. It’s not just his off-speed pitches. He has some speed behind it too.”

Noah Smith finished with two strikeouts and one walk in going the distance for the Royals. He was touched for eight hits and three runs.

Bissell and Scott led the Edison offense with two hits each. Roberts and Crooks doubled, while Cooper and Hanson singled.

Wyatt Smith, Caleb Stone, Jordan Imbody, Dakota Brady and Brandon Higginbotham played their last game in a Wynford uniform.

“We are happy with our seniors, proud of our seniors,” Oliver said. “They are able to go out with a little better taste in their mouth. It’s good momentum for the younger kids.”

The Royals were able to put together a tournament run after the regular season fell short of their own expectations.

“We got hot and played our best baseball of the year,” Oliver said of his team’s strong finish. “Baseball is a funny game. The best team doesn’t always win.

“I told the younger kids not to take this for granted,” Oliver said. “We’re in the district final. You may or may not get there again.”

Edison advances to the Elida regional tournament Thursday at 2 p.m., where the opponent will be Coldwater.

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Edison       000 110 1      3    8    1

Wynford   000 000 0      0    1    2

WP: Caden Cooper (10 SO 1 W)

LP: Noah Smith (2 SO, 1 W)

HR: None.

Triples: None.

Doubles: (E) Bryce Roberts, Richard Crooks.

Multiple hits: (E) Caleb Bissell, Cody Scott.

Records: Edison 15-9; Wynford 11-14.

Next: Edison vs. Coldwater, at Elida regional semifinal, Thursday, 2 p.m.; Wynford season over.