By Cort Reynolds
The Ada High School varsity softball team fell behind big early to non-league foe Riverdale and lost 25-2 Tuesday evening at War Memorial Park.
The Lady Bulldog record is now 2-4. The Lady Falcons improved to 4-1 after the win.
Riverdale scored a whopping 15 runs in the top of the first inning to put the game out of reach. The Falcon girls plated 12 runs before recording an out.
The Falcons scored four more runs in each of the second and fourth frames. They added one score apiece in the third and fifth innings.
Ada pushed two runs across the plate in the home half of the fourth. Freshman shortstop Aidra Preston was hit by a pitch and sped home with the first Bulldog score on a double by classmate Natilyn McClain.
Freshman infielder Karley Wagner singled home McClain, and junior outfielder Kayla Wince also drew a walk in the two-run inning.
"They have seven seniors on that team and a full-ride scholarship college pitcher," said Ada head coach Jeff Bassitt. "They are the best team we have played this year.
"We couldn't get out of the first inning," he added. "It was hard to rebound from that. They hit a lot of balls in the gaps."
Freshman hurler Jenna Bassitt started the game but hurt her back and had to leave the game. McClain relieved and pitched five innings.
Wagner compiled two hits, while senior Morgan Dirmeyer also beat out an infield hit. McClain smacked a double and a single to lead the Ada offense.
Winning Falcon hurler Alison Donaugh slugged two doubles and added two singles. She also struck out seven over three innings.
1 23 456 7 R H E
Rdl (15) 41 41x x 25 15 1
Ada 0 00 20x x 2 5 5
WP-Donaugh LP-Bassitt (2-3)
2B-McClain (A), Farmer (R), Howell (R), Donaugh 2 (R)
Ada's game at league foe Columbus Grove (3-1, 1-0 NWC) Monday was rained out and rescheduled for Wednesday, April 20. Their doubleheader at Arlington (0-5) this past Saturday was also postponed by inclement weather.
The Bulldogs are set to play a makeup game at Cory-Rawson (0-3) April 13. Ada (0-1 NWC) is slated to host local league foe Bluffton (2-4, 0-0 NWC) Thursday. The Pirates shut out McComb 11-0 Tuesday.
