By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON–The visiting Ada High School softball team defeated local rival Bluffton 6-2 in a Northwest Conference game Thursday evening, April 13.
The Ada girls record improved to a sparkling 10-1 overall after the win. The purple and gold stayed in first place in the NWC at 3-0 with the convincing victory, tied with perennial power Crestview.
The Pirate girls fell to 5-6 overall and 1-1 in the NWC with the loss.
“It was very nice to get another NWC win,” said Ada second-year head coach Jeff Bassitt.
Sophomore Jenna Bassitt hurled a complete game to improve to 9-1 this season. The win avenged a gut-wrenching extra inning loss to the Pirates last year in Ada.
The Bulldog girls pulled ahead early 2-0 with single runs in the second and third innings.
Sophomore Natilyn McClain doubled down the left field line in the opening frame, but was stranded.
Sophomore Karley Wagner hammered a two-out solo home run over the wall in center field in the second frame to make it 1-0.
Bassitt struck out the side out in the Pirate second.
She singled in the Ada third, stole two bases and scored the second run on an error.
Bluffton went out in order in the bottom of the third.
In the Ada fourth, senior Kayla Wince beat out a bunt single and stole second. A blooper into short center was dropped. Sophomore Belah Price then singled home classmate Tess Griffith with the fourth Bulldog run.
Bassitt doubled but Price was thrown out at home trying to score to keep the margin at four.
In the bottom of the fourth, Bluffton got on the scoreboard. After a walk, Lauren Bassett singled and then a Hannah Davis pop-up to right field fell but was turned into a force play at second. But Bassitt escaped further damage with a strikeout.
“That was big to get out of that with the bases loaded,” said Bassitt.
Ada went down in order in the fifth after a nice catch in center field by Pirate Olivia Matthews.
A single led off the Pirate fifth. Ashley Fleece then singled, and another single by Olivia Hobensack loaded the bases. Vanessa Cross walked to force in a run.
But Bassitt again wriggled out of trouble with a two-run lead.
Neither team scored in the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, Ada plated two key insurance runs.
Price grounded a single into left field with one out to start the rally. Bassitt was intentionally walked. Preston then stroked a single to center field to score both runs and extend the lead to 6-2.
“Those were big insurance runs,” said Bassitt.
Leading off the home seventh, Fleece popped out to Bassitt. Hobensack struck out looking. Cross then flew out to Griffith in center field to end the game.
Losing pitcher Davis struck out 14 Bulldogs and walked just two on 130 pitches. She allowed three earned runs.
Bassitt struck out eight, while she walked three and permitted one earned run.
“It was two good pitchers pitching well,” said Bassitt. “If you get eight or nine hits you have a chance to win that sort of game.”
Wagner had one RBI from her solo circuit blast.
Bassitt smacked a double and a single. Price hit two singles and drove in a run. Aidra Preston stroked a two-run single.
Adanna Johnstone, Bassett, Fleece and Matthews all singled for the Pirates.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Ada 0 1 1 2 0 0 2 6 8 4
Blf 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 5 3
WP-Bassitt (9-1) LP-Davis
2B-Bassitt (A), McClain (A)
HR-Wagner (A)
Ada hosts county foe Ridgemont (3-7) Friday, then visits Botkins (1-5) on Saturday.
