The golden rule of hitting _ keep your eye on the ball _ is usually drilled into players over and over at a young age.
For Edmeston's Jordan Williams, it seems to be getting easier to follow the rule.
Williams went 3-for-3, including a double, two home runs and five RBIs, to lead visiting Edmeston to a 12-4 baseball victory over Morris on Friday, clinching the sixth straight Tri-Valley League West Division title for the Panthers (13-2, 6-0).
Williams, a junior who led the Panthers in nearly every offensive category last season, came into the game hitting .167, which Edmeston coach Mike Clark said left the team wondering what had happened.
Clark said Williams' parents took him to see an eye doctor Wednesday and it turns out Williams had 20-40 vision in his left eye.
Friday was the first game with Williams wearing contact lenses.
"I guess seeing the ball really helps," Clark said with a laugh. "We've all been kind of searching and trying to break it down. His swing is pretty much the same as last year. We've been confused. It was almost a relief to find out it was his eyes. After one game, that appears to be what it was."
Alex Stevens contributed three hits and three runs for the Panthers, who visit Cherry Valley-Springfield on Thursday.
"We've come away empty the past two years and hopefully it will be a little different this year," said Clark, whose team has lost to CV-S in the T-V league final the past two seasons. "But to be honest, I'm not sure who is leading on the other side. We kind of take care of our business and let the others do what they are doing."
Justin Utter had a two-run double during a four-run sixth inning to lead the Mustangs.
Edmeston 12, Morris 4
Edmeston015 042 0 _ 12 10 2
Morris000 004 0 _ 4 3 2
Nick Davoulas (W,2-1), Alex Stevens (5), Anthony Wolcott (6), Matt Laymon (7) and Alex Stevens, Jordan Williams (5), Jesse Howell (6), Jordan Williams (7). Sean Babbitt (L), Clair Tompkins (5) and Matt Tracy. 2B _ Matt Laymon (E), Jordan Williams (E), Justin Utter (M). HR _ Jordan Williams (E) 2.
Cooperstown 7, Canastota 3
Reigning Daily Star Player of the Year Philip Pohl tripled and homered, and limited visiting Canastota to one hit over six innings in Cooperstown's Center State Conference victory.
Pohl, a senior who'll play for Clemson next season, struck out 10 and walked one.
He homered to left-center in the third inning, clearing the trees behind the fence at Doubleday Field.
It was Pohl's second homer of the season after he hit five in 2007.
"Teams have really been avoiding him," Coopestown coach Frank Miosek said. "It gets frustrating at times, but if I had to face him, I'd probably walk him, too."
Miosek said Canastota hitters couldn't catch up to Pohl's fastball.
"He didn't use his curveball until the sixth inning, but he didn't need it," Miosek said.
Pohl also hit a two-run triple during a six-run fourth inning.
Doug Kline had two hits for the Redskins (10-3, 7-0), who play host to Mount Markham on Monday.
Cooperstown 7, Canastota 3
Canastota000 000 3 _ 3 3 0
Cooperstown001 600 x _ 7 10 1
Brett Olden (L), Eric Cerio (4), Kody Parkhurst (5) and Nate Hopkins. Philip Pohl (W,3-1), Brad Ashford (7) and Kyle Liner. 2B _ Tyler Combs (C). 3B _ Philip Pohl (C). HR _ Philip Pohl (C).
CV-S 14, Milford 1
David Adams went 3-for-4, including a double and three RBIs, as Cherry Valley-Springfield won in the Tri-Valley League on the road.
Nate Herringshaw contributed three hits, including a double, triple and two RBIs, for the Patriots, who reveived two hits from Zach Pecenak.
Winning pitcher Adam Halay struck out nine and walked none.
Milford (11-4, 4-4) visits Worcester on Monday.
CV-S 14, Milford 1
CV-S314 015 0 _ 14 13 3
Milford000 100 0 _ 1 3 5
Adam Halay (W) and Spencer Staley. Logan Griffiths (L,2-2), Richie Mann (4) and Trevor Kosturock, Logan Griffiths (4). 2B _ David Adams (C), Nate Herringshaw (C), Zach Pecenak (C), Scott Seeley (M). 3B _ Nate Herringshaw (C).
Sidney 7, Delhi 5
Rocky Lanza drove home the go-ahead run with a groundout in the fifth inning as host Sidney won in the Midstate Athletic Conference.
Winning pitcher Aaron Wood went 2-for-3. He also struck out five and walked two in five innings.
"It was a very sloppy game," said Sidney coach Kyle Vibbard, whose team committed six errors. Delhi had five errors.
"It was just one of those games where both teams made defensive blunders," he continued. "We threw the ball around, which is uncharacteristic of us. It was just a sloppy game. Someone had to win."
Markus Delello contributed two hits and three RBIs for the Warriors (11-7-1, 8-1), who visit Unatego on Monday.
Trent Kathmann tripled for Delhi.
Sidney 7, Delhi 5
Delhi020 030 0 _ 5 7 5
Sidney102 211 x _ 7 8 6
Troy Tucker, Luke Burns (5,L), Devon Bedient (6) and Devon Bedient, Josh Sikora (6). Aaron Wood (W,3-1), Aubrey Wood (2) and Travis Fusco. 3B _ Trent Kathmann (D), Aaron Wood (S), Markus Delello (S).
Walton 10, Greene 5
Junior Chris Mead went 3-for-3 with a triple, a double, three runs and three RBIs, leading Walton to a Division I road victory in the Midstate Athletic Conference.
Mead sparked a four-run second inning for the Warriors (9-5, 4-5) with a bases-loaded triple over Greene's center fielder. He then scored on a fielding error to put Walton ahead, 6-1.
Chad Gardepe and Phil Hanley had two hits apiece for Walton, which received a four-hitter from winning pitcher Jon Howard (5-2). He struck out nine, walked eight and yielded three hits to Dan Carlin.
Walton hosts Unadilla Valley on Monday.
Walton 10, Greene 5
Walton240 130 0 _ 10 11 2
Greene111 101 0 _ 5 4 3
Jon Howard (W,5-2) and Richard Fletcher, Casey Killian (6). Scott Gorton (L), Justin VanWert (5), Jason Hollings (7) and Dan Carlin. 2B _ Chris Mead (W), Chad Gardepe (W), Dan Carlin (G). 3B _ Chris Mead (W), Phil Hanley (W), Cody Endress (W), Dan Carlin (G).
Unatego 10, UV 0
Alex Hendrickson and Jordan Price each went 4-for-5, and Mike Simonds allowed one hit over six innings in Unatego's Midstate Athletic Conference road victory.
Hendrickson hit an RBI single during Unatego's three-run second inning.
Simonds struck out five.
Mike Bluy tripled in the sixth inning for Unadilla Valley (3-11), which plays host Harpursville at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Unatego 10, UV 0
Unatego030 213 1 _ 10 16 3
UV000 000 0 _ 0 2 3
Mike Simonds (W), Tyler Newman (7) and Cody Komenda. Rastiss Hendershot (L), Dylan Webb (6) and Jake Curtis. 2B _ Alex Hendrickson (Una), Jordan Price (Unat). 3B _ Mike Bluy (UV).
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