Photos by Mark Andreasen / Click to enlarge and view at your own pace.

By Cort Reynolds

ADA – The Ada High School softball team whipped former conference rival Columbus Grove 11-0 in their “Battle of the Bulldogs” on Thursday, April 17.

“It was nice to see a lot of different girls get hits,” said fourth-year Bulldog head coach Jeff Bassitt. “We hit the ball pretty well and pitched well.”

Ada improved to 10-2 with the victory. Columbus Grove fell to 2-7 after the defeat. The purple and gold girls out-hit Grove, 13-2.  

After a scoreless opening frame, CG threatened in the second. The lead-off batter singled, but the next two were retired. A line-hugging shot that may have tipped the first baseman’s glove rolled down the line into foul territory. 

But right fielder Alainee Buxton hustled the ball back into the infield, and the lead runner was cut down at home by several feet on the relay throw to end the threat.

The Ada girls seized control with a four-run second. Senior Karley Wagner singled to left-center leading off. Then on a 3-2 pitch, Aidra Preston golfed a two-run home run over the left field fence to put the hosts on top, 2-0.

“Aidra opened up things up for us and got our offense going,” said Bassitt.

Reese Jordan then pulled a hard grounder just inside third base down the left field line for a double. Dailah Preston singled her home to make it 3-0.

Buxton walked, but the CG second baseman made a nice catch of a pop-up behind second while being tripped up by the shortstop.

Freshman shortstop Emily Shanks laid down a sacrifice bunt. Senior catcher Natilyn McClain then ripped a hard shot off the third baseman’s glove for an RBI infield single, extending the lead to 4-0.

Ada senior pitcher Jenna Bassitt struck out the first two batters in a 1-2-3 Grove third. Ada tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third. Aidra Preston was hit by a pitch, and Jordan stroked a sharp single to left field. 

Sophomore Dailah Preston delivered a single to center field for a 5-0 cushion. Two outs later, Jordan slid home safely on a wild pitch to extend the margin to 6-0.

Bassitt again set CG down in order in the fourth. Ada then put the game out of reach with five runs in the home fourth.

Shanks led off with a walk, and McClain crushed a double high off the left field fence for an RBI double. Tess Griffith then roped a double down the left field line to expand the lead to 8-0. 

Wagner smoked a double off the base of the left field fence to make it 9-0 after a third consecutive two-bagger.

Two outs later, Dailah Preston singled to left to plate the 10th run. Buxton then lined a change-up into left-center field to score the 11th and final run.

Bassitt walked two in the fifth. But a soft liner to Jordan at third base ended the game with another five-inning shutout.

McClain smacked three hits, drove in two and scored once. Dailah Preston also was 3-3 with three RBI and two runs scored.

Second sacker Wagner doubled in a run, singled and scored twice. Senior center fielder Griffith doubled home a run and scored once.

Aidra Preston hammered a two-run homer, her first of the season, and scored twice. She is the sixth Bulldog to go deep this season. Speedy sophomore Jordan hit a double, singled and scored twice.

Buxton walked and hit an RBI single.

Bassitt struck out six to win her 10th game. She allowed two hits, no runs and two walks. She has allowed just one earned run over her last 27 innings and five games.

The Bulldogs host Hardin County rival Ridgemont (2-5) Friday. 

Weather permitting, Lincolnview (9-1) visits Ada Saturday for a high noon showdown between last season’s top two Northwest Conference squads. 

The Lancer girls beat LCC 13-0 Thursday behind a five-inning perfect game from freshman Ila Hughes. Hughes also hit two home runs and two singles.

WP-Bassitt (10-2)

2B-McClain (A), Wagner (A), Jordan (A), Griffith (A)

HR-A. Preston (A)