Bulldog girls fall at Paulding
By Cort Reynolds
PAULDING - The Ada softball team made the long trip to Paulding and lost 10-4 after an hour-long rain delay in Northwest Conference softball play Friday evening.
The Lady Bulldog record fell to 10-11 overall and 1-6 in the NWC with the defeat. The Panther girls improved to 17-3 and 5-2 in the NWC with the victory.
"We hung with them most of the game and our defense kind of let us down late in the game," said Ada head coach Rebecca Dicke. "They had a few singles drop in.
"We have to get a few more hits and play tighter defense," she added.
Ada tallied three runs in the top of the first inning to take an early lead.
Senior shortstop Brenna George and senior catcher Alexis Waugh walked before senior hurler Leona Dalton hammered a one-out, three-run home run to right-center field to give Ada a 3-0 lead.
But Paulding tied it with three runs in the bottom of the first. Leigha Egnor tripled, followed by a walk and a Bulldog error.
After a fly out, a Panther single and another bases-loaded hit by Megan Harpel tied it, 3-3.
In the Ada third, the Bulldogs inched ahead. Dalton stroked a two-out single, followed by a single from Bulldog freshman Daicy Robinson. Kiersten Cortez walked to load the bases, and Lexi White drew another walk to drive plate Dalton for a 4-3 lead.
But the Bulldogs left the bases loaded when an unassisted ground-out to third base ended the inning.
In the bottom of the third, Paulding took the lead for good with three runs. Egnor, Gabbie Stallbaum and Kaeli Bustos each singled and came in to score on productive outs and good baserunning for a 6-4 margin.
Ada threatened in the top of the fifth after two Panther errors and a walk. But Dalton was called out at home on a controversial fielder's choice grounder to third. A strikeout left the bases full for the second time.
"That was a tough call there at home, but we still had a few other opportunities we did not take advantage of," recalled Dicke.
In the Ada sixth, senior Tori Green advanced to third on an error, a groundout and a passed ball. But she was stranded at third base.
In the Panther half of the sixth, the hosts added four runs to put the game out of reach. Harpel reached on a one-out error. With two out, Maci Kauser and Jalynn Parrett each singled, driving in one run.
Egnor's fly ball to right field was misplayed, and all three runs came around to score on the error.
Workhorse Dalton pitched her 19th complete game of the season in the loss. She struck out seven and allowed seven hits, while permitting six earned runs. She scored twice and drove in three of the four Ada runs with her seventh homer of the spring.
The Bulldog girls were out-hit, 7-3.
Panther hurler Egnor earned the pitching win with seven strikeouts. She walked six Bulldogs.
123 456 7 R H E
Ada 301 000 0 4 3 2
Pau 303 004 x 10 7 3
WP-Egnor LP-Dalton (10-10)
3B-Egnor (P)
HR-Dalton (A)
Ada visited 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 then hosts Hardin Northern (1-15-1) Monday, May 10 in a Div. IV sectional first round game at 5 p.m.
The Bulldogs whipped HN 15-5 on March 29. The Ada/HN winner advances to probably play at third seed Wayne Trace Thursday, May 13.
Ada also hosts winless non-league local foe Cory-Rawson (0-14) May 12.
The Bulldog girls league game at last-place Spencerville (3-15, 0-5 NWC) has been rescheduled for Friday, May 14.
Ada boys done in by Bearcat 6th inning
SPENCERVILLE - The visiting Ada baseball team was tied late but fell 9-4 to Spencerville Friday evening due to a big inning from the hosts in a Northwest Conference makeup contest.
The Bulldogs dropped to 6-11 and 1-6 in the NWC following the defeat. The Bearcats improved to 4-15 and 3-4 in the NWC with the win.
Ada trailed 2-0 after three innings, but scored four times in the top of the fourth to lead by two. The Bearcats tied it with two runs in the home fourth, then pulled away with a decisive five-run sixth frame.
Jacob Poling led the Bulldogs with two hits and one run batted in. Losing pitcher Kadin Phipps walked twice and scored in the Ada fourth.
Spencer Wall walked and scored a run, while Roman Snyder Snyder hit an RBI single. Monty Sheldon walked, scored once and knocked in one run.
Cameron Bober contributed a hit and scored once while driving home a run. Tyler Jameson added a hit.
Jacob Morgan walked and scored one of the Ada runs. Jacob Poling singled twice and scored the other Bulldog run in the fourth.
Jacob Sutherly drove in both Ada runs with a single. Aiden Boulanger added the other Bulldog hit.
Bearcat Evan Osting struck out 11 over seven innings to earn the win. Osting also doubled and scored a run. Bearcats Emerson Layman and Tyler Koenig each drove in two runs.
Spencerville barely out-hit Ada, 6-5. The Bulldogs were charged with four errors compared to zero misplays by the Bearcats.
123 456 7 R H E
Ada 000 400 0 4 5 4
Svl 101 205 x 9 6 0
WP-Osting LP-Phipps
2B-Koenig (S), Osting (S)
Ada's league finale at Paulding (14-6, 6-1 NWC) was postponed due to rain and is rescheduled for Monday, May 10.
The Bulldogs host Cory-Rawson (4-14) in a non-league makeup game Wednesday, May 12.
