By Cort Reynolds
Playing at home, the Ada High School softball team rallied late but lost a classic pitchers’ duel 3-2 to visiting county rival Riverdale on Tuesday evening, April 9.
The Bulldogs fell to 5-2 with the tough defeat. The Falcons improved to 6-0 after the win.
“We faced a good team,” said Ada head coach Jeff Bassitt. “We had a few opportunities to score runs, but stranded a few runners. Both pitchers pitched well.”
The Bulldogs trailed 3-0 after three innings, but rallied late to nearly pull off a comeback. Ada tallied two runs in the fifth and threatened in the seventh after a leadoff single.
Katie Sizemore singled to right-center field off Riverdale ace Addie Farmer to start the home seventh. Ada then attempted to steal but a missed sign and a foul pop-up led to disaster for the hosts.
Falcon first baseman Mackenzie Furr raced over in front of the dugout to make a fine grab of the foul pop. She then whirled and threw to first base to double off the Bulldog pinch runner before she could scamper back to first safely.
The unique double play stifled the Bulldog momentum. Ada then grounded out to second base to end the game.
Farmer struck out 10, and Ada hurler Jenna Bassitt whiffed 11 in the well-pitched contest between junior standouts. Both teams mustered just three hits in the tight game.
The Bulldogs had a hard time laying off Farmer’s rising fast ball, especially early on, but started to take better at bats in the latter innings before running out of time.
A one-out bloop single over shortstop in the first inning by Miranda Miller ignited a two-run Falcon frame. Addie Farmer then smoked a double off the base of the fence in left-center field.
With runners on second and third, Furr lifted a sacrifice fly to right fielder Alainee Buxton to drive in Miller with the first run. Her throw home was just up the third base line and skipped past the catcher, which allowed Farmer to scurry home with the second run.
Bassitt got the last out on a strikeout. She walked leading off the Ada first, and stole two bases to advance to third.
But Farmer hurled two strikeouts and made a nice running catch of a pop-up along the first base line to end the threat.
Bassitt hit a batter in the second inning, but she was erased in a rundown and the Ada hurler ended the frame with a whiff.
Farmer struck out the side in the Bulldog second.
In the Falcon third, the visitors tacked on one run. Miller and Farmer each drew two-out walks. Furr then lined a single to left-center field to stretch the lead to 3-0.
A pop-out to Aidra Preston at first base ended the inning.
Ada senior Daicy Robinson smacked a line drive leading off the Ada third, but it was right at the first baseman for an out. Farmer then struck out the next two hitters.
Bassitt whiffed the Falcon side in the top of the fourth, two swinging and one on a called third strike.
In the bottom of the fourth, Preston sliced a ball inside the first base line and legged out a leadoff double.
Natilyn McClain laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her to third base. Farmer reared back and recorded a key strikeout. She then retired the side on a fly-out to center field.
Riverdale threatened to add to its lead in the fifth. Bassitt hit catcher Eden Morris and walked the dangerous Farmer with two out. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position.
Emma Tucker lined a shot to right field, but Buxton gloved the drive to end the threat.
Ada broke through in the fifth. Sizemore drew a one-out walk, and Robinson pulled a single through the hole into left field. A Farmer wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third with one out.
Buxton laid down a bunt right in front of home plate. Morris fielded it and threw her out at first base. But the return toss home was too late as Sizemore narrowly beat the throw to score the first Bulldog run.
Bassitt hit a grounder to shortstop, and the ball was misplayed to cut the lead to 3-2 as flex runner Dailah Preston scored.
Bassitt swiped second base to reach scoring position. But Farmer got a key strikeout to end the inning still ahead by a run.
Bassitt retired the Falcons in order in the top of the sixth. With one out in the Ada half of the sixth, Tess Griffith smacked a line drive but right at the center fielder for the second out.
Karley Wagner drew a walk to keep the inning alive. Reese Jordan chopped a grounder to the right of Farmer, but she gloved it with a backhanded stab and threw her out to end the inning.
Bassitt set Riverdale down one, two, three in the seventh with two strikeouts and a pop-out to Preston.
Ada had momentum heading to their last at bat. Sizemore ripped a leadoff single to gap in right-center, and the defense did well to hold her to a single.
But then the unusual 3-4 double play off a foul out when Ada was attempting to steal ended the threat. Buxton grounded out to second base to finish the tautly-played contest.
Furr collected two key RBI, while Farmer hit a double and walked twice to lead the Falcon offense. Miller added a single and a run.
Preston smacked a double for the Ada extra-base hit. Bassitt walked and stole three bases. Sizemore singled, scored a run and walked once.
Robinson singled and Wagner coaxed a walk. Buxton had one RBI.
“Our defense played pretty well,” said Bassitt.
Farmer and Bassitt both went the distance on the pitching rubber. Bassitt walked three and hit two batters while whiffing 11. She allowed two earned runs.
Bassitt retired the last seven Falcon hitters, and set down 11 of the last 13 batters she faced. She only allowed one hit after the first inning.
Farmer walked three, whiffed 10 and gave up one earned run.
Both offenses were held to three hits in the close battle. Ada was charged with two errors, while Riverdale made one miscue.
123 456 7 R H E
Rdale 201 000 0 3 3 1
Ada 000 020 0 2 3 2
WP-Farmer LP-Bassitt (4-2)
2B-Farmer (Riv), A. Preston (A)
Weather permitting, Ada hosts Kalida (0-1) Wednesday, April 10 in another non-league game.
The Ada Northwest Conference opener is slated to be at Columbus Grove (4-1, 0-1 NWC) April 11.
