Bulldog softball opens 2024 with shutout of HN

Above) Ada shortstop Karley Wagner hits as teammate Tessa Griffith leads off. Additional photos below.

By Cort Reynolds

ADA__The Ada High School softball team opened its 2024 campaign with a decisive 14-0 shutout over county rival Hardin Northern Monday, on March 25. 

The Bulldogs start out 1-0 with the non-league victory.

The Polar Bears, under new head coach Rob Overs, who served as an Ada assistant the past two seasons, are 0-1.

Junior Jenna Bassitt struck out 14 Polar Bears and allowed just one hit in hurling a five-inning shutout.

“The pitching was good,” Ada head coach Jeff Bassitt. “It is nice to get the first win, but we still have a lot of work to get done. Hardin Northern has a nice young team with a lot of potential.”

CONTINUES

Ada broke the game open with a six-run second inning, then tacked on three runs in the third and four more in the fourth frame.

The Bulldogs scored once in the bottom of the first inning. Bassitt walked and advanced on a wild pitch. Catcher Natilyn McClain laid down a sacrifice bunt and on the throw to first, Bassitt raced around third to score the game’s first run.

In the top of the second, HN got its only hit. Kaitlyn Whitaker rifled a sharp single to right-center field. But Bassitt struck out the remaining side to strand her.

Junior shortstop Karley Wagner singled up the middle and stole a base to start the second inning rally. Freshman Reese Jordan lined a double to left that plated Wagner.

Senior Katie Sizemore drew a walk and classmate Daicy Robinson was hit by a pitch. Bassitt roped a double down the left field line to extend the lead to 4-0.

First baseman Aidra Preston struck out but reached first when the catcher dropped the third strike and threw high to first base, while Bassitt sped home.

McClain walked and Tessa Griffith stroked a long sacrifice fly to left field. A pop-out to shortstop ended the threat but not before Aad stretched its lead to 7-0.

Bassitt again whiffed the side in the top of the third. In the home third, Sizemore reached on a fielding error at third base. Alainee Buxton then smoked a two-out RBI double that short-hopped the left field fence for an 8-0 lead.

Bassitt then sliced a shot in the gap that rolled to the fence in right-center field. The speedster kept her head down and circled the bases for a stand-up inside the park two-run homer that created a 10-0 margin.

Preston singled to right field, but was stranded by a fly out to left field. 

In the Polar Bear fourth, Bassitt struck out the first two batters. Heidi Trachsel then went down on strikes but was thrown out, McClain to Preston.

In the Ada fifth, the hosts added four more runs. Griffith walked and stole second, and Wagner was hit by a pitch. Griffith scored on a headfirst slide after a wild pitch which also advanced Wagner to third.

Jordan walked, and Sizemore sliced a two-run single to right field for a 13-0 cushion. Robinson followed by stroking an RBI single to drive in Sizemore with the game’s last run.

Emma Lambdin gloved a pop-up for the second out of the HN fifth. It was the only non-strikeout out recorded by Ada. Bassitt then struck out the last Polar Bear looking to end the contest via the 10-run rule. 

Bassitt collected two hits, three runs and four RBI. She also stole a base and had a sacrifice bunt. 

Wagner scored two runs, stole three bases and knocked out one hit. Sizemore had a hit, a walk, scored three runs and drove in two.

Robinson and Preston each amassed a hit, a run and one RBI. Griffith had a hit, a walk and swiped three bases. Buxton slugged an RBI double and scored a run.

Jordan collected a double, two runs, a walk, and two steals. 

Both HN hurlers, starter Lilah Holtzberger and reliever Morgan Stewart, are freshmen.

SCOREBOARD

WP-Bassitt (1-0)

LP-Holtzberger

2B-Bassitt (A), Buxton (A), Jordan (A)

HR-Bassitt (A)

Ada is slated to host Lima Senior Wednesday evening, then visit Cory-Rawson Thursday. On Saturday, the Bulldogs entertain local rival USV in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.