By Cort Reynolds
DOLA - Ada senior Leona Dalton slammed two three-run homers and pitched the visiting Lady Bulldog softball team to a 15-5 win at county rival Hardin Northern Monday evening.
Ada improved to 1-0 this season with the season-opening win, while HN fell to 0-1 with the loss.
Dalton led a 15-hit Bulldog offensive attack with four hits and six runs batted in. She also struck out six Polar Bear girls over seven innings to earn the pitching victory.
"After getting over a few first-game jitters the girls seemed to settle down defensively, and everyone in the lineup was able to put the ball in play to earn the win," said Ada head coach Rebecca Dicke.
Dalton smacked a three-run homer in the top of the third inning to give the purple and gold a 3-1 lead. Yet HN rallied to take a 4-3 edge after five frames.
But Ada responded by plating eight runs in the sixth inning to take control of the contest. Dalton ripped her second home run in the decisive sixth frame.
"We put the ball in play and smoked it, we had a hitting streak and batted around," said Dicke of the big inning. "They made a few errors, but we had some extra-base hits and really pushed the runs across the plate."
In the top of the seventh Ada batted around again, paced by three straight singles and some HN miscues. The Bulldogs scored four runs with one out to put the game well out of reach.
Bulldog senior catcher Alexis Waugh hit 2-5 with a triple and single to aid the offensive onslaught.
Ada senior Kiersten Cortez contributed a double and scored two runs. Freshman Katie Sizemore scored three runs, while leadoff junior hitter Lexi White scored twice. Dalton crossed home plate three times as well.
Bulldog freshman Daicy Robinson batted 2-2 with two doubles in her varsity debut, and drove in two runs. Ada senior middle infielder Brenna George contributed a double and a single.
Dalton gave up just one earned run on six hits with one walk in seven innings. "She was throwing pretty good, keeping the hitters off balance and hitting her spots," said Dicke.
Ada out-hit HN, 15-6. Polar Bear junior Brenna Flowers doubled in the third inning. Sophomore Cadence Coy also hit a double in the sixth frame. Eibling also hit a single for Northern. Senior Haylie Spearman took the pitching loss for HN.
"It was good to get that first win," said Dicke. "If we continue to put the ball in play and Dalton pitches well, I think we can have a pretty good season," she summed up.
123 456 7 R H E
Ada 003 008 4 15 15 4
HN 001 211 0 5 5 5
WP-Dalton (1-0) LP-Spearman (0-1)
2B-Robinson 2 (A), George (A), Cortez (A), Flowers (HN), Coy (HN)
3B-Waugh (A)
HR-Dalton 2 (A)
Ada is slated to host non-league foe Arcadia Tuesday evening. The Lady Bulldogs then entertain BVC rival Cory-Rawson Thursday, April 1. C-R lost 37-17 to USV Monday.
Saturday's scheduled opening twinbill at home vs. Perry was cancelled due to a wet playing field.
