Story and photos byBy Cort Reynolds
ADA - The Ada softball team was hanging with league unbeaten Lincolnview until an 11-run outburst in the sixth paved the way for a 17-3 Lancer victory in Northwest Conference softball action on a drizzly Thursday evening.
Leading 6-3 after five frames, the Lady Lancers almost batted around twice in the decisive sixth when they smacked five doubles and took advantage of three Ada errors.
Lincolnview added four singles, two of them shots off the fence, in the 11-run onslaught. They cranked four home runs and nine doubles in the contest.
"We were running with them until the fifth and sixth innings," said Ada head coach Rebecca Dicke. "Then they blew it open with all the hits and errors.
"We made some pitching adjustments, but Lincolnview adjusted to them," she continued. "They are a good hitting team."
The Lady Bulldog record fell to 10-10 overall and 1-5 in the NWC with the loss. The hard-hitting Lancer girls improved to 18-4 and 6-0 in the NWC with the victory.
Lancer catcher Destiny Coil cranked a three-run home run in the top of the first inning to get the visitors off to a strong start.
One out later, Makayla Jackman clubbed a solo homer to make it 4-0.
Ada fought back in the bottom of the first. Senior outfielder Tori Green singled and scored on a double by senior catcher Alexis Waugh to pull the Bulldogs within 4-1 after one inning.
Bulldog hurler Leona Dalton shut out Lincolnview over the next two innings. Then in the home third, Waugh singled and scored when Dalton rifled a two-run homer over the fence in left-center field to edge within 4-3.
Dalton pitched around a two-out double off the bat of Kendall Bollenbacher in the Lancer fourth. Ada went down in order in the bottom of the fourth.
Leading off the top of the fifth frame, Coil smacked a 1-2 pitch over the scoreboard beyond the left-center field wall. On the very next pitch, Winter Boroff launched a drive over the center field fence to extend the lead to 6-3.
Jackman doubled down the left field line with one out. But then Bulldog Raeya Finn snared an Addysen Stevens line drive to right field and doubled Jackman off second base with a solid throw to end the inning.
Ada threatened in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Green looped a two-strike single over the head of shortstop Bollenbacher. But she was thrown out trying to steal second by Coil.
Lexi White then beat out an infield single over pitcher Taylor Post. But Post got the last out on a grounder to second base.
Lincolnview then brought out the big bats in the sixth. Andi Webb led off with a double to the fence in right-center. After a wild pitch, Dalton got the next batter to pop out to shortstop Brenna George.
Bollenbacher blooped an RBI single into shallow right field to make the score 7-3. Post then drove her in when she ripped a double to left-center field.
Coil was intentionally walked, and a run scored on Boroff's safety squeeze bunt when Waugh threw her out at first base to make it 9-3.
Jackman jacked another run-scoring double in the gap to advance the lead to 10-3. Stevens reached on a ground ball error to third base. Hanna Young then drove in two runs with a shot off the wall in center field.
Webb singled to right field, and Annie Mendenhall stroked a two-run double to left-center field for a 14-3 bulge. Bollenbacher slapped her second RBI single of the inning to left field.
Post smoked a two-run double to left field to provide a 16-3 margin. Coil then lined an RBI single off the top of the fence in right field to finish the 11-run explosion.
Dalton struck out the last batter, but the damage had been done as nine Lancers came home with two out.
"We just couldn't get that third out in the sixth," lamented Dicke.
Dalton flew out to deep right field leading off the Ada sixth. Post then retired the final two batters on a pop-out and a grounder back to her to end the game by the 10-run rule.
Jackman clubbed three doubles and a home run to help pace the Lincolnview offense. Coil crushed two longballs, and Post contributed a pair of two-baggers. Boroff added a home run.
Green singled twice while Bulldog freshman Daicy Robinson added a single. Waugh doubled in a run and singled for Ada, while Dalton homered.
Workhorse Dalton pitched her 18th complete game of the season. She struck out five and drove in two runs with her homer.
The Bulldog girls were out-hit 20-7 as the Lancers pounded out nine doubles and 13 extra-base hits.
123 456 7 R H E
Lvw 400 0211 x 17 20 1
Ada 102 000 x 3 7 5
WP-Post LP-Dalton (10-9)
2B-Stevens (L), Bollenbacher (L), Jackman 3 (L), Waugh (A), Webb (L), Post 2 (L), Coil (L)
HR-Dalton (A), Coil 2 (L), Jackman (L), Boroff (L)
The Bulldog girls league game at Paulding (16-3, 4-2 NWC), postponed twice already, has been rescheduled for Friday, May 7. NWC leader Crestview (7-0) knocked off the Lady Panthers 9-5 Thursday.
Ada visits Perry (1-14-1) for a makeup doubleheader Saturday, May 8 at 11 a.m. The Commodores played Hardin Northern to a 14-14 tie Thursday.
Fifth-seeded Ada hosts Hardin Northern (1-15-1) Monday, May 10 in a sectional first round game. Ada beat HN 15-5 on March 29.
The Bulldog league game at last-place Spencerville (3-15, 0-5 NWC) has been rescheduled for Friday, May 14.
