Look for Ada vs. Ridgemont story on Tuesday.
By Cort Reynolds
McGUFFEY - Visiting Ada swept local rival Upper Scioto Valley and Botkins in a non-league triangular doubleheader Saturday in McGuffey.
The Lady Bulldogs improved to 8-4 overall with the victories. The Lady Rams dropped to 2-9 with the defeat while Botkins also dropped to 2-8 with a five-inning loss.
"It was a pretty tight game but we managed to get our bats going in the sixth and seventh innings to pull it out," said Ada head coach Rebecca Dicke of the USV contest.
Senior hurer Leona Dalton struck out eight Rams to win her seventh game of the season. She walked one and allowed one earned run on three hits in the complete-game victory.
USV scored in the home first and held Ada scoreless for the first six frames.
In the bottom of the fifth, Ram Jazmyn Ross reached via an error and crossed home on a run-scoring triple by Brielle Cotterman as the hosts took a 2-0 lead into the final two innings.
But then the Ada bats came alive. Speedy sophomore Kayla Wince hit a two-run, inside the park homer to also plate senior Brenna George in the top of the sixth.
Dalton drove in a run with a double in the sixth as Ada grabbed a 3-2 lead.
Then in the top of the seventh inning, senior catcher Alexis Waugh cranked a two-run triple to extend the Ada lead to 5-2.
Losing pitcher Emma Hunsicker hit a triple in the bottom of the seventh, but Dalton kept USV off the board to hold on for the 5-2 win.
The Bulldogs out-hit the Rams 6-4 and made three errors to six miscues by the USV girls.
Cotterman also singled in the third inning for the Rams.
123 456 7 R H E
Ada 000 003 2 5 6 3
USV 100 010 0 2 4 6
WP-Dalton (7-4) LP-Hunsicker
3B-Waugh (A), Dalton (A), Cotterman (U), Hunsicker (U)
HR-Wince (A)
ADA VS BOTKINS
In game two Ada pitched a combined no-hitter to whitewash Botkins 10-0. Dalton recorded all 15 outs to register her second five-inning no-hitter in eight days.
Dalton struck out 10 vs. Botkins with two walks. She hurled the first four frames, then was relieved by freshman Katie Sizemore to start the fifth.
When Botkins drew some walks, Dalton re-entered and recorded the last three outs to finish the shutout and no-hitter.
Ada broke open a scoreless game with six runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Raeya Finn had an RBI single in the key inning. Waugh also knocked in a run during the outburst with a double. George, Wince and Dalton each smacked a double in the six-run frame.
In the fifth inning, George doubled and Dalton legged out a triple as the Bulldogs tacked on four more runs to enact the 10-run rule.
"We just put the ball in play and had a lot of extra base hits to move runs across the plate," said coach Dicke. "We had lots of energy and were excited to be playing ball."
Ada out-hit Botkins, 10-0. Dalton collected four runs batted in,
while George drove in three runs with a pair of doubles.
Freshmen Daicy Robinson and Sizemore each singled, as did Kiersten Cortez.
In the twinbill, Dalton pitched 11 innings and gave up three hits while compiling 18 strikeouts. She permitted just one earned run to improve her record to 8-4.
123 456 7 R H E
Bot 000 00x x 0 0 4
Ada 006 04x x 10 10 1
WP-Dalton (8-4) LP-Payne
2B-Waugh (A), Dalton (A), George 2 (A), Wince (A)
3B-Dalton (A)
Ada (1-2 NWC) visits struggling Delphos Jefferson (2-12, 0-2 NWC) Monday, April 19 in a league contest. Lima Senior took two from DJ, Saturday 16-6 amd 15-5.
"We want to continue to bring positive energy, put the ball in play and hopefully take home a win," said Dicke.
The Bulldogs host former league foe Lima Central Catholic Thursday, April 22.
In a late addition to the schedule, Ada also plays at non-league powerhouse Minster (11-3) Friday, April 23 under the lights at 6 p.m.
"We can always use good competiion to improve our game," said Dicke.
