By Cort Reynolds
DOLA - The Ada baseball team erupted for six runs in the fifth inning and Phillip Coulson was strong in relief as the Bulldogs won their season opener at county rival Hardin Northern Monday evening, 6-2.
HN scored two quick runs in the bottom of the first frame to go up 2-0 off Ada starter Alex Sweigart. The hosts held that lead until the top of the fifth, when Ada struck for all six of its runs.
Bulldog sophomore right-hander Coulson relieved Sweigart in the first inning with Ada already down two runs and none out. He worked out of the opening jam, and stymied HN with seven shutout innings. Coulson struck out 10 Polar Bears and allowed only two hits to earn the pitching victory.
Sophomore Landon Blankenship hit two singles and senior Aaron Everhart collected four total bases on a pair of hits for Ada. Everhart drove in two runs with a triple and single, while Blankenship and Jaylin Burkhart each knocked in a run during the decisive fifth inning.
Senior Colten Shaffer added a hit and scored a run. Freshman Zac Swaney smacked an RBI double and scored a run.
The Bulldog out-hit the Bears, 8-2. Junior Austin Amburgey added a hit and a walk for Ada. Dylan East collected the other Bulldog hit.
Everhart swiped three bases for Ada, while Shaffer stole a pair of bags. Swaney, Blankenship and East each added a steal.
HN starting hurler Daylin Pees struck out seven in 4 1/3 innings. Owen Wetherill pitched the final 2 2/3 innings in relief, whiffing four.
Pees gave up six hits and six earned runs, with four walks on 96 pitches. Coulson threw 98 pitches, 69 for strikes, including 20 first-pitch strikes. He walked two and also tallied a run in the fifth.
Wetherill and Pees each walked and scored in the bottom of the first with none out for Northern. Austin Russler and Bryce collected the lone Bear hits, both singles. Russler also had the only HN run batted in. Pees stole two bases for the Bears.
123 456 7 R H E
Ada 000 060 0 6 8 0
HN 200 000 0 2 2 1
WP-Coulson (1-0) LP-Pees (0-1)
2B-Swaney (A)
3B-Everhart (A)
Ada is slated to open the home part of its schedule Tuesday at 5 p.m. vs. non-league foe Arcadia.
The Ada softball game slated at HN for Monday was cancelled, and no makeup date has been set yet. The opening Bulldog baseball/softball doubleheader scheduled at Perry March 24 was also postponed by inclement weather.
