By Cort Reynolds

ADA – The Ada High School softball team scored nine first inning runs and rolled to a 17-0 romp over Blanchard Valley Conference rival Leipsic on a windswept Monday evening, April 21.

“We hit the heck out of the ball,” said Bulldog head coach Jeff Bassitt. “That is the best we have hit all year, and the best start we have had this season.”

Ada improved to 12-2 overall and 4-2 in the BVC with the five-inning blowout victory. Leipsic fell to 4-4 and 2-2 in BVC play after the lopsided defeat.

The Bulldog girls out-hit the Vikings, 20-1. Sophomore Dailah Preston drove in a career-high six runs on two doubles and a triple to pace the onslaught.

Ada sent 13 batters to the plate in their first inning outburst. After whiffing the side in the top of the first, Jenna Bassitt singled leading off the home first.

She stole second and sped home on the catcher’s throwing error. Emily Shanks reached first on another error, stole second and raced in to score on Natilyn McClain’s run-scoring single to center field. 

Griffith ripped a hard single off the shortstop. McClain scored on a Karley Wagner groundout. Aidra Preston drove in the fourth run, and Reese Jordan doubled in a fifth tally.

Dailah Preston smacked an RBI triple to right-center and scored on the botched relay throw for a 7-0 margin. Alainee Buxton singled to center, and Bassitt beat out an infield hit to third base.

Shanks drove in two more runs with a double off the base of the fence in right-center to make it 9-0.

Shortstop Shanks made a nice reaching catch of a line drive to end the top of the second. In the Bulldog half of the second, the hosts plated three runs. 

Wagner legged out an infield single and Aidra Preston’s high pop-up in the wind dropped just fair near home plate. Jordan singled to left field and the bases were full.

A wild pitch scored Wagner to make it 10-0. Dailah Preston roped a two-run double to the left-center gap for a 12-0 cushion. 

Leipsic threatened with a single and hit batter in the third, but Bassitt got out of it with a fly ball to left field.

Griffith drilled a one-out solo home run to center field in the Ada third. Aidra Preston lined a single to left and Jordan walked. Dailah Preston smacked a two-run double to left for a 15-0 margin. 

In the home half of the fourth, Bassitt beat out a bunt single leading off. An out later, McClain launched a two-run shot over the fence in left field to provide a 17-0 advantage.

Sophie Fleming singled to left and Emma Lambdin beat out an infield hit, but both were stranded.

In the top of the fifth, Bassitt set Leipsic down in order and finished the shutout with a whiff.

Bassitt stroked three hits, scored three runs and stole a base.  

Jordan ripped a double and a single, scored three runs and had one RBI. 

McClain drove in three runs with a homer, single and scored twice. Griffith smoked a home and added a single to go with two runs and a steal. Aidra Preston batted 3-3 with three runs, an RBI and a stolen base.  

Wagner and Shanks each hit 1-3 with a run. Shanks had two RBI and Wagner drove in one run. Buxton, Fleming and Lambdin added a single apiece.

Bassitt struck out eight batters, walked one and allowed one single in five innings of shutout pitching. She has allowed one earned run in her last 39 frames as she won her 12th game.  

Ada (5-0 at home) hosts tough league foe Van Buren (6-3, 4-0 BVC) Wednesday in a key contest. The Bulldogs then entertain traditional local rival Allen East (2-6) Thursday, April 24.

Last Saturday’s showdown between Ada and Lincolnview (9-2), the top two teams in the Northwest Conference in 2024, was rained out. It may be made up on May 16.

123 456 7 R H E

Leip 000 00x x 0 1 3

Ada 933 2xx x 17 20 0

WP-Bassitt (12-2) LP-Hermiller

2B- Jordan (A), D. Preston 2 (A), Shanks (A)

3B-D. Preston (A)

HR-Griffith (A), McClain (A)