By Cort Reynolds
Playing at home, the Ada High School softball team rallied late but lost 5-4 to Lima Central Catholic in a non-conference matchup Monday evening, April 24.
The Bulldogs scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh, and had the tying run on third base with one out.
But they could not tie it as Thunderbird hurler Emma Skinner ended the game with a pair of crucial strikeouts.
With the upset loss, Ada dropped to 14-2. The Thunderbird girls won their first contest of the spring by playing a clean game defensively and string together three straight doubles in a big fifth inning.
“We had a chance at the end,” said Ada head coach Jeff Bassitt. “But we got our bats started late. Take nothing away from LCC, they played a good game and deserved it.”
The game was scoreless until the third inning, when LCC tallied a run to go ahead 1-0.
Ada threatened in the fourth frame, but left two runners on base after a bloop single from Katie Sizemore and a Kayla Wince walk.
LCC then broke the game open with a big fifth inning. Kiegh Macklin slammed a one-out double halfway up the center field fence. An RBI double off the bat of Anna Wannemacher into the left-center field gap plated her.
Skinner pulled a third straight T-Bird double down the left field line to put the visitors ahead, 3-0. Maria Pignataro then grounded out to second base to drive in another run and extend the lead to 4-0.
Bulldog Belah Price singled to lead off the home fifth inning, but was stranded when Aidra Preston’s hard line drive went right to the center fielder.
In the top of the sixth, LCC’s Melana Badea smashed a two-out solo home run on a 3-2 pitch over the center field fence to stretch the margin to 5-0.
Macklin hammered a triple down the right field line. But she was later tagged out in a Sizemore/McClain rundown between third and home to keep the margin at five.
Ada got its bats going in the home sixth. Natilyn McClain looped a single to lead off. Sizemore sliced a single to right field and stole second, followed by a called third strike.
A wild pitch plated McClain, and Karley Wagner then smoked a double to right-center field to score Sizemore and pull the Bulldogs within 5-2.
But Skinner made a key play when she fielded a Tess Griffith grounder and made a risky but accurate throw to third base to barely cut down the Ada runner.
After a wild pitch, she regrouped to get the last out on a pop-up to shortstop.
In the top of the seventh, Bassitt hit Kyla Badea and walked Pignataro. But the Ada sophomore struck out Sophia Miller to strand both T-Bird runners.
Ada authored a last-ditch comeback in the home seventh. Freshman Marley Bulerin led off with a walk. Bassitt crunched a hard grounder that skipped past the right fielder all the way to the fence, and she sped all the way to third for an RBI triple.
Preston hit a soft liner that the second sacker gloved for the first out. McClain then launched a double over the center fielder’s head to plate Bassitt and inch Ada within 5-4.
McClain then stole third with heady baserunning. But Sizemore was called out on a questionable inside third strike. Wince then went down swinging to end the threat and the game.
Bassitt struck out seven and walked one. She scattered 11 hits over seven innings to suffer just her second loss in 14 decisions. She also hit a triple and scored a run.
Junior Sizemore contributed two hits as Ada was out-hit, 11-7. McClain slugged a double and a single while playing second base and then finishing up at catcher.
Sophomore Wagner stroked a double, and Price had a base knock.
Medea led LCC with a home run and a double. Macklin smashed a triple and a double.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
LCC 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 5 11 1
Ada 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 4 7 2
WP-Skinner LP-Bassitt (12-2)
2B-M. Badea (L), McClain (A), Macklin (L), Wagner (A), Skinner (L), Wannemacher (L)
3B-Bassitt (A), Macklin (L)
HR-M. Badea (L)
Ada plays at winless Fostoria Tuesday in a non-league game.
Ada (5-0 NWC) then entertains co-league leader Crestview (10-4, 5-0 NWC) Thursday in a showdown for first place in the conference.
