CASTALIA — The Margaretta Polar Bears softball opened Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division play in dominant fashion Monday, putting together a complete performance in an 11-1, five-inning win over Edison at Lions Park. From the very first inning, Margaretta established control and never let it go. After Cassidy Lane set the tone with a quick, scoreless top of the first, the Polar Bears’ offense came alive in the bottom half. Showing patience and discipline at the plate, Ellianna Young, Lucy Edwards, and Lane all worked walks to load the bases and immediately put pressure on Edison. That approach paid off right away. Brooke Hastings put the ball in play and forced a miscue at home that brought in the first run. Moments later, Kenadee Lesch lined a single to right field, and with another defensive misplay, two more runs crossed the plate. Isla Palomo followed with an RBI single, capping a five-run inning that gave the Bears a commanding early lead. Margaretta’s aggressive, team-first approach at the plate continued to show in the second inning. After Edison scored its lone run, the Bears responded immediately. Edwards sparked the inning with a double, and Lane followed with a single to keep the pressure on. A walk loaded the bases before Lesch drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. Tessa Lane added another RBI with a clutch single, stretching the lead to 7-1. The Bears broke the game open in the third inning behind timely hitting and power. Edwards collected her second double of the game, and after Lane reached base again, Hastings delivered the biggest swing of the day — a three-run home run to center field. The blast pushed the lead to double digits and all but sealed the outcome as Margaretta added another run to make it 11-1. In the circle, Cassidy Lane delivered a strong and efficient performance. The senior allowed just three hits while striking out six in a complete-game effort. After giving up a leadoff double in the fourth inning, she locked in and retired the final six batters she faced, preserving the run-rule victory. Margaretta finished with 10 hits on the day, including multiple extra-base hits from Edwards (two doubles), Lesch (double), and Hastings (home run). Just as importantly, the Bears showed strong plate discipline early in counts, drawing key walks that helped fuel the decisive first inning. The win improves Margaretta to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, and it also allowed the team to conserve pitching heading into a packed week of games. With contributions throughout the lineup, solid defense, and a commanding presence in the circle, the Polar Bears delivered a statement performance — one that reflects a team playing with confidence, discipline, and momentum as conference play gets underway. Edison 010 00 — 1 3 2 Margaretta 524 0x — 11 10 0 WP: Lane. LP: Perry 2B: (E) Bissell; (M) Edwards 2, Lesch. HR: (M) Hastings