By Cort Reynolds
Visiting Kenton won a tense 3-2 pitcher's duel over county rival Ada in a non-conference softball game Wednesday evening.
The Lady Bulldogs dropped to 8-10 overall with the loss, while Kenton improved to 2-14 with the win.
Ada sophomore Leona Dalton hurled a two-hit complete game but was tagged with the tough loss. She struck out seven and walked three while giving up just two earned runs.
The Bulldogs scored in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. Raina England singled, stole a base and came in to score on a hit by Kiersten Cortez.
Kenton tied it in the top of the third after Riley Reed walked and stole two bases.
The Wildcats then broke the 1-1 tie with two big runs in the fourth. Madison Adams drove in Brooklyn Bays on a groundout, and Jasmine Reisinger scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
Maddie Schuttie singled, but Dalton escaped without further damage by inducing a forceout grounder and getting a called third strike.
In the Ada fourth, Dalton beat out a bunt up the first base line with two out. Aubrey Madison walked to put the tying runs on base, but a strikeout by Wildcat hurler Lacie Nichols ended the threat.
Dalton retired Kenton in order in the fifth. In the bottom of the frame, Ada sliced the deficit to one. Cortez grounded a two-out double down the third base line to start the rally.
Lexi Waugh walked and Brenna George was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Tori Green then hit a soft liner up the middle. The shortstop fielded the ball and tried to force the speedy George out at second base, but she beat the late toss to bring Cortez home and make it 3-2.
Dalton tried another bunt up the line and it appeared she would beat it out and tie the game. But her discarded bat hit the ball as it was rolling to make the third out and leave the bases full.
In the Kenton sixth, Bays launched a long fly to deep left-center field that was dropped for an error. But Dalton rebounded to strike out Reisinger and retire Adams on a high pop-up to herself.
Cortez then gloved another high pop fly in foul territory beyond third to end the half inning. Madison started the Ada sixth by blooping a single to shallow right-center field.
Lexie White advanced her to second with a good sacrifice bunt. Yet when Ennis hit a grounder to shortstop, the runner was caught off second base and tagged for a big second out.
The speedy Ennis stole second base to get into scoring position, but was stranded on a pop-out to Nichols.
In the Wildcat seventh, Ennis snagged a leadoff liner to center field. Dalton earned another called third strike, and then England made a nice play at shortstop on a hard grounder to end the last Kenton at bat.
Cortez led off the bottom of the seventh with a long fly that dropped into left-center for a double. After a strikeout, George punched a single to shallow center field.
Cortez was waved home but was thrown out at the plate for the second out. George stole second to reach scoring position. But Nichols induced a grounder back to the circle to end the threat and game.
Cortez led the Ada offense with two doubles, a single, one run and one RBI. England singled and scored a run. Ennis, George, Green and Madison each contributed a hit.
Chesney Moore and Schuttie recorded the only two Kenton hits. Nichols scattered eight hits over seven innings to earn the win. She struck out five, walked two and allowed two earned runs.
Ada left 10 costly runners on base while Kenton stranded four. The Bulldogs made two errors and the Wildcats were charged with one miscue.
123 456 7 R H E
Ken 001 200 0 3 2 1
Ada 100 010 0 2 8 2
WP-Nichols LP-Dalton (8-9)
2B-Cortez 2 (A)
Weather permitting, Ada will resume league play at winless Spencerville (0-15, 0-5 NWC) today.
