By Cort Reynolds
Playing at home, the Ada High School varsity softball team decisively defeated Northwest Conference foe Delphos Jefferson 9-3 to earn their first league win on a sunny Thursday evening, April 21, at War Memorial Park.
The Ada girls improved to 3-8 overall and 1-3 in the NWC after the victory. DJ fell to 3-7 and 1-2 in NWC play with the defeat.
"The fourth was the big inning," said Ada first-year head coach Jeff Bassitt. "We started out strong.
"It was a big win for us," he added. "We needed to play a complete game."
Ada took a 1-0 lead after the first inning and never trailed as the Bulldogs earned their first league win. Jenna Bassitt walked to lead off and stole second base. She advanced to third on a single by Aidra Preston.
Daicy Robinson then drove Bassitt home on a groundout back to DJ pitcher Kendall Schrader.
Ada executed a strikeout/caught stealing throw out by catcher Natilyn McClain to end the Wildcat second inning.
In the home third, Bassitt again started a rally by beating out an infield hit. Preston doubled, and Robinson knocked both runners in when she stroked a single under the second baseman's glove for a 3-0 lead.
DJ got on the board in the top of the fourth. Avery Rahrig reached base on an error, and advanced on a bunt single by Schrader.
Xandra Houx delivered a two-out RBI single to plate Rahrig and cut the deficit to 3-1. But Bassitt induced a grounder back to her to end the threat.
Ada blew the game open with a five-run fourth inning. McClain started the frame with an infield hit. Katie Sizemore laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached on an error when the throw was dropped.
Raeya Finn beat out an infield single to shortstop and drove in McClain for a 4-1 lead. Kayla Wince lofted a sacrifice fly to deep right-center field to plate Sizemore to advance the lead to four.
Bassitt then smoked an RBI double to the gap in left-center field. Preston single to left field to extend the lead to 7-1. Karley Wagner knocked in the fifth run on a single up the middle.
Schrader escaped more damage by striking out the next two hitters.
Bassitt put DJ out in order in the fifth with two whiffs. In the Bulldog fifth, Finn walked and Wince reached on a bunting error. Preston bunted for a hit to load the bases.
Wagner hit a high pop fly on the infield that was dropped by the shortstop, scoring Finn to make it 9-1.
Rahrig led off the DJ sixth by smacking a solo home run over the fence in left-center field. Jessa Rostorfer lofted a double into right-center field. She then scored one out later when Schrader tripled to right field.
But two line drive outs on the infield ended the inning with Ada still comfortably ahead, 9-3.
Delphos threatened to start the top of the seventh on a walk and an error. Coach Bassitt called timeout and held a meeting on the infield.
"I told them we just needed to get an out, we had the lead," he explained.
Freshman Bassitt struck out the next batter and then induced a pop-out to second sacker Wagner. Bassitt then recorded her 13th strikeout to end the game with a flourish.
Preston hit a double and three singles to lead the Ada attack. Robinson drove in three runs on two hits in her second game back from a sprained ankle.
"It is nice to have Daicy back in the lineup," noted Bassitt.
Bassitt smacked a double and a single. Wagner, McClain and Sizemore each added a hit.
Schrader struck out 10 and hit an RBI triple to go with a single. Rahrig had one RBI on a homer, and Rostorfer doubled.
123 456 7 R H E
DJ 000 102 0 3 6 5
Ada 102 510 x 9 11 5
WP-Bassitt (3-6) LP-Schrader
2B-Preston (A), Bassitt (A), Rostorfer (DJ)
3B-Schrader (DJ)
HR-Rahrig (DJ)
Ada plays at former NWC foe Lima Central Catholic Monday, April 25.
