By Cort Reynolds
The visiting Ada High School softball team had its historic season-opening undefeated start snapped with a 7-5 loss at Riverdale in a seesaw non-conference contest Tuesday evening, April 11.
The Ada girls dropped to 8-1 overall with their first loss of the season. The Falcons improved to 4-2 with the victory.
“Errors hurt us tonight,” said Ada second-year head coach Jeff Bassitt. “Riverdale is a good team, but the game could have been won. They jumped out in front early.”
Ada trailed 2-0 after the first inning. Yet the Bulldogs responded to take the lead with a three-run second inning.
Karley Wagner tripled to right-center field to score Kayla Wince for the first Ada run in inning two. But Wagner was called out at home trying to stretch it into a home run on a controversial call.
Tess Griffith doubled and Raeya Finn walked to keep the rally going. Jenna Bassitt slugged a two-run triple to center field to put Ada ahead, 3-2.
Riverdale regained the edge with three runs in the home half of the second to go ahead 5-3 after two innings.
Bassitt struck out the first two Falcons, then hit a batter. After an Addy Farmer single was compounded by an error, Riverdale scored two runs to seize a 4-3 edge. The next batter walked, followed by a Thacker RBI hit.
The Bulldogs edged within 5-4 by scoring a run in the top of the fifth frame. Natilyn McClain walked and came around to score on a Wince single to left field.
Furr doubled with one out in the Falcon fifth. Kimberly singled to right to plate Furr and stretch the lead to 6-4.
In the Falcon sixth, Miller doubled to center field and scored to stretch the margin to 7-4.
In Ada’s last at bat, the Bulldogs rallied in an attempt to keep their unbeaten season alive. Aidra Preston walked and scored on Katie Sizemore’s line-drive double to center. With two out, Wince singled to put runners on the corners.
With the tying run on first, Ada grounded out to shortstop to end the threat and the win streak.
“We made some physical and mental errors,” said Bassitt. “But we never gave up, and we battled back. We had a chance to tie it in the last inning.”
Bassitt pitched all seven innings. She gave up seven hits and four earned runs, and hurled nine strikeouts. Farmer struck out four to get the win.
Ada out-hit Riverdale 9-7, but stranded seven runners. Senior Wince knocked out three singles.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Ada 0 3 0 0 1 0 1 5 9 4
Rdl 2 3 0 0 1 1 x 7 7 0
WP-Farmer LP-Bassitt (8-1)
2B-Sizemore (A), Griffith (A), Furr (R ), Miller (R )
3B-Bassitt (A), Wagner (A)
Ada plays at struggling Kalida (0-6) Wednesday, then visits NWC rival Bluffton (5-5, 1-0 NWC) Thursday. Kalida lost 15-0 to Leipsic Tuesday.
“We will try to get back on track Wednesday at Kalida,” said Bassitt.
The Pirates won their NWC opener 5-4 at Delphos Jefferson Monday, then lost to McComb 4-0 Tuesday.
