By Cort Reynolds
ADA – The Ada High School baseball team lost a 6-3 heartbreaker to visiting Cory-Rawson in their delayed home opener on Thursday, April 3.
The Hornets tallied four runs with two outs in the top of the seventh to pull off an unlikely comeback win.
Trailing 3-2, C-R loaded the bases on a single, a bunt hit and a walk with one out in their last at bat. A pop-out to second baseman Wes Mowery got Ada within an out of victory.
The next Hornet batter hit a one-hopper back to the mound, but Ada threw wide to home plate in an attempt to get the force-out which allowed the tying run to score.
A wild pitch then let the tie-breaking run scamper home. A walk loaded the bases again. Lane Banner then lifted a fly along the right field line that dropped in fair by six inches for a double to plate two more Hornets and provide a 6-3 lead.
Ada senior center fielder Kaine Fisher made a nice running catch of a fly ball to retire the next batter.
The Bulldogs threatened in the bottom of the seventh. Senior shortstop Levi Green stroked a single to left, and Thad Smith was hit by a pitch to bring the tying run to the plate.
But Cory senior hurler Mason Hall ended up striking out the side to preserve the lead and win. He ended up with 17 strikeouts and one walk.
The Bulldogs were out-hit, 10-5.
Ada fell to 1-3 after the tough-luck non-conference defeat. C-R improved to 1-1 with the win.
Junior Mason Wibley started and pitched 6.3 innings of solid baseball, allowing just one earned run. He struck out two, walked none and scattered eight hits.
Wibley also hit a double and scored a run.
Ada sophomore Brody Rister and Mowery scored a run apiece. Connor McKean contributed an RBI single.
Fisher singled and stole three bases. Smith added a single.
Ada trailed 2-0 after four innings. The Bulldogs tallied a run in the fifth but left the bases loaded, then took the lead with two runs in the home sixth.
Wibley doubled to right-center field to start the sixth inning rally. C-R then dropped a throw off a bunt at first base, and Wibley raced home to tie it 2-2.
After a strikeout, a wild pitch plated the go-ahead run to give Ada a 3-2 lead. Mowery walked, but Hall got out of the jam with a strikeout.
Hall aided his own cause with a double and a run. Hornet shortstop Dom Moon hit three singles, scored a run and drove in one. Hank Walters slapped a single, walked and scored a run.
Banner collected three hits and two RBI. Mason Fruth added two singles and a run. Hunter Cosart scored twice.
The Bulldogs stranded five runners, while C-R left eight on base. Ada committed six costly errors, while the Hornets made four miscues.
The Bulldogs visit arch-rival USV (0-2) Saturday for a doubleheader.
| 123 456 7 | R H E | |
| CORY-RAWSON | 001 100 4 | 6 10 4 |
| ADA | 000 120 0 | 3 5 6 |
WP-Hall LP-Rister
2B-Wibley (A), Banner (CR), Hall (CR)
