By Cort Reynolds
ADA - Visiting Crestview was relentless as the Lady Knights run-ruled the Ada softball team 24-0 Thursday on a warm but dark evening.
The Lady Bulldogs dropped to 8-8 overall and 0-4 in NWC play with the defeat. The Lady Knights improved to 10-3 overall and 4-1 in league action with the victory.
Crestview is second in the NWC standings, a game behind 5-0 Bluffton, who handed them their lone league loss.
Crestview jumped out to an early 6-0 lead and was never headed. Kali Small slugged a run-scoring triple to right field to make it 9-0 in the top of the third.
Alexis Gregory then smacked a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left-center field for a two-run homer. Codi Miller laced a double over the center fielder's head, and Hanna Binnion blooped a single into center.
A wild pitch scored Miller to give the Knights a 12-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the third inning, Ada senior Raina England singled to center field with one out. But she was stranded after a flyout and a strikeout.
Crestview added three runs in the top of the fourth frame against relief pitcher England, who replaced Leona Dalton. Avery McCoy walked and Caitlin O'Hagan reached on an error that allowed McCoy to score.
Two more walks and an infield RBI single by Small made it 14-0. Gregory smacked a long fly to deep center that Alexis Ennis caught, but the sacrifice fly drove in another run.
After a wild pitch, Miller stroked a sharp RBI single to center field but the second runner was cut down on a relay throw to catcher Lexi Waugh at home plate to keep the score at 16-0.
Ada went down in order in the home fourth. In the Crestview fifth, a walk and an error led to a three-run home run by Aleigh Chesbro over the center field fence.
Small stroked a double into the right-center gap before a fly out was gloved by Tori Green in left field. A dropped pop-up amid infield confusion let in a run and extended the inning for Ashley Call to smack an RBI double to left-center.
An infield hit and a bloop single brought in two more runs to make it 24-0.
Bulldog sophomore Green beat out an infield single to lead off the bottom of the fifth frame. But she was called out trying to steal second base.
Speedy senior Ennis then beat out a two-out infield single slapped into the hole at shortstop. But a fly out to center field ended the game.
F
Cvw 24
Ada 0
WP-Small LP-Dalton (8-7)
2B-Call (C), Small (C), Miller (C)
3B-Small (C)
HR-A. Gregory (C), Chesbro (C)
Ada (7-4 home) hosts Van Buren Saturday in a non-league doubleheader scheduled to start at 10 a.m.
