By Cort Reynolds
ADA - Host Ada swept Arlington in a non-league softball doubleheader Saturday as senior hurler Leona Dalton picked up both wins with strong pitching.
The Lady Bulldogs improved to 4-2 overall with the pair of convincing victories. Arlington fell to 0-3 with the defeats.
Dalton struck out 16 Lady Red Devils in the opener and held the visitors without a hit in a run-rule shortened, five-inning 10-0 victory.
Utilizing pinpoint control, she also did not walk a batter.
"Leona had a stellar day," said Dicke. "She looked really good on the mound. Sixteen strikeouts tied her personal-best in the first game, and then 17 in game two broke her own record.
"It was probably the best I have seen her pitch, she looked very good and strong," she added. "She made her pitches move."
Dalton gave up just two total hits and did not allow a run in 13 2/3 innings of pitching on the day.
In the home second inning of the opener, Dalton was hit by a pitch, catcher Alexis Waugh drew a walk and outfielder Tori Green singled to spark a three-run frame.
In the bottom of the fourth first sacker Katie Sizemore drilled a double, followed by singles from Daicy Robinson and Green as Ada scored two more runs to build a 5-0 lead.
In the Ada fifth, Ada added on to its lead. Kiersten Cortez singled and Dalton walked. Waugh also walked to load the bases. Sizemore then delivered a three-run double to clear the bases and provide an 8-0 cushion.
Green reached on an error and stole second base. Freshman Kayla Wince drove her in with a single, and then raced home on a pair of Arlington throwing errors to enact the 10-run rule and end the contest.
Freshman Sizemore drilled two doubles, and senior Green added two hits in the opener to support Dalton's shortened no-hitter.
G1 123 456 7 R H E
Arl 000 00x x 0 0 5
Ada 030 25x x 10 7 2
WP-Dalton (3-2) LP-Russell
2B-Sizemore 2 (Ada)
In the nightcap, Ada came from behind to win 7-3. Dalton relieved first-time starter Wince in the initial inning, and went on to strike out 17 Devils to earn her fourth win of the season.
Three runs by Arlington in the top of the first came via walks.
Dalton relieved Wince with the bases loaded and one out in the first. She got out of the jam behind two strikeouts, sandwiched around a run-scoring error.
Ada trailed 3-0 until the bottom of the third frame. Brenna George smacked a leadoff double and scored on an RBI single off the bat of Cortez.
Waugh doubled off the base of the fence in right field and scored on an RBI single by Sizemore. Robinson drove her home with a double, and Green singled as to tie it 3-3.
Ada took the lead in the fourth. Lexi White hit a single and George walked. Cortez plated White with an RBI double to make it 4-3.
Dalton walked but with two out Robinson delivered a two-run single to advance the lead to 6-3.
In the bottom of the fifth Morgan Dirmeyer, White and George each walked to load the bases. Cortez hit a fly ball to center field that was misplayed, allowing Dirmeyer to score the last Bulldog run.
Green singled and swiped two bases in the home sixth, but was stranded on third base.
Green slapped three hits to pace Ada in the nightcap. Robinson and Cortez each added two base hits as the Bulldog girls pounded out four doubles in game two.
Both of Arlington's hits - a pair of singles - in the second contest came in the seventh inning as Ada came close to recording a double no-hitter.
G2 123 456 7 R H E
Arl 300 000 0 3 2 1
Ada 003 310 x 7 9 2
WP-Dalton (4-2) LP-Durliat
2B-George (Ada), Waugh (Ada), Robinson (Ada), Cortez (Ada)
The Bulldogs resume NWC play at Bluffton (2-6, 1-0 NWC) Monday, April 12 at 5 p.m.
"We are looking for a strong performance with our bats and another good outing from Dalton," said Dicke. "We need to minimize our errors as well to have a good game against them."
