By Cort Reynolds
McCOMB - The host McComb baseball team erupted for six runs in a wild first inning and held on for a 9-6 win over Ada Tuesday evening.
Ada fell to 3-3 with the non-league defeat.
The Bulldogs raced to an early lead by scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. But the Panthers responded by tallying six times in the home half of the first.
The Panthers then tacked on single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to extend their lead to 9-3.
Ada rallied to plate three runs and halve the deficit in their last at bat in the top of the seventh, but the lead was too much to overcome.
Senior Ethan Hall smacked two doubles, singled and drove in two runs to pace the 11-hit Ada offense.
Bulldog sophomore leadoff hitter Zac Swaney singled twice, stole two bases and scored a pair of runs. Sophomore Brandon Hull doubled and scored a run.
Senior Austin Amburgey singled and drove in a run. Junior Phillip Coulson singled in a run, scored twice and swiped two bases.
Senior first baseman Connor Frazier added a single. Junior Landon Blankenship contributed the other Bulldog hit and pitched the first three innings. he allowed eight hits and four earned runs with two walks.
Dylan East pitched the final three innings of hitless relief. He struck out four, walked two and allowed one earned run. East also singled in two at bats.
Ada out-hit McComb 11-8.
123 456 7 R H E
Ada 300 000 3 6 11 2
McC 601 110 x 9 8 4
WP-Wasson LP-Blankenship
2B-Hall 2 (A), Hull (A), Durfey (M), Schroeder (M), Simons (M)
Ada (1-3 road) is scheduled to open NWC play Thursday at local rival Bluffton.
