By Cort Reynolds
Playing at home in War Memorial Park, the Ada High School softball team defeated Hardin County rival Ridgemont 10-3 on Friday evening, April 14.
The Ada girls record improved to 11-1 after the non-league win. It was the fifth game in as many nights for the weary Bulldogs.
The Gopher girls dropped to 3-8 after the loss.
“We started off a little slow and had to adjust to their pitching speed,” said Ada second-year head coach Jeff Bassitt. “Jenna took an inning or two to settle in. Then she did a good job of keeping their batters off balance by mixing it up. Her change-up was working well.”
Sophomore Jenna Bassitt hurled a complete game to improve to 10-1 this season. It was her fourth game pitching in five nights.
The Bulldog girls scored two runs in the home first. Bassitt walked, stole a base and came home on a passed ball. Daicy Robinson blooped a single into right field.
Katie Sizemore and Kayla Wince each singled to load the bases.
Karley Wagner then stroked a single to center field to make it 2-0.
Ridgemont tied it with two runs in the top of the second. After a one-out single, Albany Bailey singled to shortstop. Bralynn Caldwell then smacked a two-run double down the left field line to tie it.
Bassitt got out of the inning by dealing a called third strike.
In the top of the third, the Gopher girls took the lead. Kylie Shreve led off and sliced a long drive to right field that just eluded a diving Belah Price. Shreve then motored around the bases for an inside the park home run and a 3-2 lead.
After a single to left by Amiah Jones, Tess Griffith turned in a nice double play on a fly ball to center field when she doubled the runner off first with an accurate throw.
Ridgemont then hit a double, but Bassitt struck out the next batter looking again to keep the margin to 3-2.
In the home third, Ada regained the lead for good. Sizemore and Wince each walked. Griffith then smoked a two-run single to center field to provide a 4-3 lead.
Bassitt whiffed two in the top of the fourth. Preston led off the Ada fourth with an infield single to shortstop. Sophomore Natilyn McClain sacrifice bunted her to second. Robinson then singled home Preston to make it 5-3.
One out later, Wince sliced an RBI triple into the left-center field gap. She then sped home on a wild pitch to stretch the margin to 7-3.
In the Gopher fifth, Bassitt struck out the first batter. Sizemore then made a diving stab of a hard one-hopper at third, then got up and threw the hitter out to complete the fine play.
Jones doubled off the base of the fence in left field, but the next hitter flew out to center field.
In the home fifth, Bassitt drew a two-out walk and stole her way to third base. She then raced home on a passed ball to make it 8-3.
Bassitt struck out the Gopher side in the sixth, the last two looking.
In the bottom of the sixth, Wince legged out a single to shortstop. Wagner reached on an error as Wince scored to make it 9-3. Marley Bulerin singled to center field.
Bassitt then sliced an RBI single down the right field line to extend the margin to 10-3.
In the Ridgemont seventh, Bassitt struck out two to end with a flourish.
Robinson collected two hits, two runs and an RBI. Wince hit a triple, two singles and scored three runs. She also stole two bases.
Bassitt stole five bases, scored a run and drove in one with a hit.
Griffith compiled two hits and two RBI. Wagner added two singles and an RBI. Raeya Finn singled and stole a base, and Bulerin added a single.
Aidra Preston hit a single and walked.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Rmt 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 3 8 3
Ada 2 0 2 3 1 2 x 10 14 4
WP-Bassitt (10-1) LP-Caldwell
2B-Jones (R), Shreve (R)
3B-Wince (A)
HR-Shreve (R)
Ada visits Botkins (1-6) Saturday. Botkins lost to USV 18-2 Friday night.
