By Cort Reynolds
SPENCERVILLE – The visiting Ada High School baseball team rallied late but lost 5-3 at Spencerville in the Northwest Conference season closer on Thursday evening, May 4.
The Bulldog boys fell to 4-13 overall and finished 0-8 in the NWC with the tough loss. The Bearcats improved to 2-15 overall and 2-5 in the NWC after the win.
“We had our chances tonight,” said Ada head coach Toby Smith. “We love our team and can’t wait for us to break through and get those wins that we are so close to getting.”
Ada threatened in the first inning but couldn’t score. Max Puerto reached on a leadoff error and advanced to third on a single by Levi Green.
Green stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Spencer Wall walked to load the bases.
But two strikeouts by Carter Ringwald got the Bearcats out of the jam unscathed.
In the top of the second, Ada mounted a two-out rally. Levi Sousley walked and stole second base. Puerto singled him home to make it 1-0.
Jacob Sutherly walked, but a groundout to third ended the threat.
Wall pitched around two singles in the Bearcat second with two whiffs to keep Ada in front by a run.
Two Bulldogs were caught stealing in the third after walks to keep the margin at one.
Spencerville took the lead with two runs in the home third. A one-out error and steal led to an RBI single off the bat of Evan Osting to tie it.
Two more infield errors led to the second Bearcat run.
Sousley drew a two-out walk in the fourth but was stranded. The Bearcats tacked on a run in the fourth to lead 3-1. Wall set the hosts down in order in the fifth frame.
Mason Wibley singled with two out in the Ada sixth, but was thrown out trying to steal.
In the home sixth, the Bearcats tallied two huge insurance runs. A single and an RBI triple by Aidan Graham made it 4-1. Ringwald then stroked a two-out, RBI single to stretch the lead to four runs.
Ada sophomore Kaine Fisher singled to lead off the Bulldog seventh. Sousley walked again, followed by a Puerto walk to load the bases.
Sutherly plated Fisher with one run on a sacrifice fly to right field. Green doubled to center field to cut the deficit to 5-3.
After a strikeout, Wall walked to put the tying run on first. However, the game ended on a grounder to second base to thwart the Bulldog rally two runs short.
Sophomore Levi Green doubled, singled, swiped a base and drove in a run. Puerto amassed a single, stole a base and collected an RBI.
Sousley walked three times, stole a base and scored two runs. Wall also coaxed three bases on balls.
Dalton Amos singled. Fisher stroked a single and scored a run, while Wibley added the other hit.
Graham hit an RBI triple and singled to lead the Bearcats.
Wall pitched a solid six-inning complete game for Ada. He allowed seven hits and two earned runs. He walked none and struck out seven.
Ringwald earned the win with six innings of five-hit baseball. He walked eight and whiffed seven, allowing three earned runs.
Graham relieved him in the seventh and gave up no runs on one hit, a walk and a strikeout to garner the save.
The Bearcats narrowly out-hit Ada, 7-6.
Spencerville stranded nine runners on base compared to six left on by Ada.
The Bulldogs committed three errors, while the Bearcats were guilty of one miscue.
Ada visits winless Vanlue (0-12) Friday, and plays at Arcadia (6-14) Saturday in a couple of road games vs. BVC foes.
R H E
ADA 010 000 2 3 6 3
SVILLE 002 102 x 5 7 1
WP-Ringwald LP-Wall Sv-Graham
2B-Green (A)
3B-Graham (S)
LOB-ADA 9, SPENCERVILLE 6.
E--Roman Snyder, Lester Amos, Max Puerto, Schwartz.
2B--Levi Green.
3B-- Graham.
SB—Levi Green, Levi Sousley, Max Puerto, Patterson (2).
PB-E. Layman.
BB--Spencer Wall (3), Levi Sousley (3), Jacob Sutherly, Roman Snyder, Max Puerto.
ADA IP H R ER BB SO HR
Spencer Wall 6.0 7 4 2 0 7 0
SPENCERVILLE
Ringwald 6.0 5 3 3 8 7 0
Graham 1.0 1 0 0 1 1 0
