By Cort Reynolds
COLUMBUS GROVE - The visiting Ada softball team came up big late to win a surprisingly one-sided Northwest Conference finale 10-4 at rival Columbus Grove Thursday evening.
The Ada girls improved to 13-7 overall with the win, and finished 5-3 in the NWC. CG fell to 14-3 and 4-3 in the league after the defeat.
"We played well; we put a lot of pressure on their defense," said Ada head coach Troy Erickson. "Teara Coulson had a great day in the outfield defensively. She was all over the place. We played pretty mistake-free softball."
Ada broke away from a 1-1 tie with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. They then extended the margin to 10-1 with a five-run outburst in the sixth frame.
CG plated three desperation runs in the bottom of the seventh with the aid of a botched rundown and a bases-loaded walk, but it was too little, too late.
Former Ada hurler Teyah Sautter took the loss, as the purple and gold out-hit Grove 14-6. Ada freshman Leona Dalton earned her 11th win with a strong, complete-game outing.
Dalton allowed six hits, three earned runs and six walks while striking out two.
"Leona kept Grove off balance and frustrated them," said Erickson. "She was in complete control until the seventh inning.
We played small ball to perfection, kept moving the line, and put a lot of pressure on their corner defenders.
"That is probably the best we played all year in terms of hitting, defense, pitching and baserunning," he continued. "I am very proud of them. It is a big win for the girls."
Six Ada players pounded out two hits apiece in a balanced attack. Senior Sydney Newland doubled twice, drove in a pair of runs in the fifth with a clutch two-bagger, and scored once to lead the onslaught.
Senior leadoff hitter Olivia Alexander amassed two singles and scored twice. Senior Kaiti Newland doubled in two runs in the sixth, singled and scored a run. "Kaiti played well defensively in the outfield, too," noted Erickson.
Junior Raina England singled twice, had one RBI and scored a run. Sophomore Sidney Gossard collected a pair of singles and scored a run. Junior Alexis Ennis scored two runs and slapped a pair of singles.
Senior Maddie Gossard ripped a two-run double in the five-run sixth inning, and scored once. Senior Nicki Lehsten added a single, one RBI and a run scored.
"I changed the lineup a little bit to lengthen it, and it paid off for us," said Erickson. "Our slappers were more spread out at one, six and nine in the batting order. They couldn't pitch around our big hitters.
"That was the intensity and level of play I have been looking for all season," he noted. "We were lethargic at LCC Tuesday, and had an intense practice Wednesday. That intensity is what we need going into the tournament."
123 456 7 R H E
Ada 010 045 0 10 14 1
CG 000 100 3 4 6 x
WP-Dalton LP-Sautter
2B-S. Newland 2 (A), K. Newland (A), M. Gossard (A)
Ada is now 10-5 on the road this season. They are expected to add Mohawk to the schedule in a home game Tuesday, May 8. "Mohawk is a pretty solid team, it will be a good tune-up game for us," said Erickson.
The purple and gold (3-2 home) then will host a sectional final game Thursday, May 10 vs. the Kalida/Continental first round winner.
Paulding and Crestview are tied for second place in the NWC at 5-2 with a game left. The Lady Knights, 19-time NWC champs, edged previously unbeaten league leader Spencerville 2-1 Thursday to keep the league title race in doubt.
The Bearcats (6-1 NWC) can still clinch an outright league title with a win in their last league game at dangerous Columbus Grove Friday, May 11.
But if they lose, the Bearcats could fall into a three-way share of the league crown. Spencerville has never won a shared or outright NWC softball title.
Perennial power Crestview plays at last-place Delphos Jefferson (0-7 NWC) in their league finale May 10, and will be heavily favored to win and end up 6-2. Paulding visits Allen East (2-5 NWC) in their conference makeup finale May 14.
After a 3-0 league start, Ada tied for fourth with late-charging Bluffton in the NWC at 5-3. "It's a little disappointing, but I am focused on the tournament now," said Erickson.
