By Cort Reynolds
ADA__ The Ada High School baseball team lost 20-0 to visiting local rival Bluffton in the Northwest Conference opener on a sunny, warm Monday evening, April 15, at War Memorial Park.
The Pirates plated nine runs in the second inning to break the contest wide open. They scored in all five innings of the mercy-rule shortened game.
The defeat dropped the Bulldog record to 0-4 overall and 0-1 in the NWC. Bluffton improved to 3-3 overall and 1-0 in league play with the win.
Bluffton out-hit Ada 10-2, and took advantage of 11 Bulldog errors.
The Pirates scored two runs in the top of the first inning, then exploded for nine runs in the second frame. The visitors plated two runs in the third and six more in the fourth frame to build a commanding 19-0 cushion.
One more Pirate run in the top of the fifth closed the scoring.
Senior hurler Tyler Cupples struck out nine and gave up just two hits and no runs in five innings to earn the win.
Bluffton senior second baseman Braeden Jordan collected two hits, three runs, two RBI and walked once.
Shortstop Quinn Eachus hit a double, singled and drove in four runs. He also scored two runs. Left fielder Luke Jebsen scored three runs, walked twice, singled and knocked in a run.
Pirate center fielder Landen Worcester drove in three runs with a double and scored two runs. Right fielder Garret Bogart smacked an RBI double and scored a run.
Third baseman Evan Speicher singled home two runs, walked twice and scored a pair of runs.
First baseman Jacob Granger singled in two runs, scored three times and walked twice. The Pirates drew 13 walks.
Junior first baseman Max Puerto and sophomore Mason Wibley each singled to provide the Ada hits.
Wesley Mowery started for Ada and went 1 2/3 innings. He allowed five hits and struck out two while issuing five walks. Only one of the 11 runs Bluffton scored when he was pitching was earned.
Ada junior Levi Green pitched a scoreless inning of relief in the fifth frame.
Freshman Blake Zoladz hurled 1 1/3 innings of relief, with Kaine Fisher getting two outs on the mound.
Ada left four runners on base, while Bluffton stranded 10.
Ada hosts Spencerville (1-5, 0-1 NWC) Tuesday in a makeup game, and visits local rival Allen East (3-4, 0-0 NWC) Thursday.
123 456 7 R H E
Bluf 292 61x x 20 10 2
Ada 000 00x x 0 2 11
WP-Cupples LP-Mowery
2B-Eachus (B), Worcester (B), Bogart (B)
