By Cort Reynolds
ADA - Host Ada scored 10 runs in its final two at bats to break open a tie game and defeat visiting Vanlue 16-6 in a non-conference baseball game Friday evening.
The Bulldogs improved to 4-11 overall with the victory. Ada out-hit Vanlue 12-10 and took advantage of nine walks and eight Vanlue errors to pull away late.
Sophomore Phillip Coulson hurled a complete game, scattering 10 hits and giving up no earned runs to earn his second victory.
Ada led 6-0 before Vanlue rallied to tie it with six unearned runs in the top of the fifth inning.
The Bulldogs then responded with seven clutch two-out runs in the home fifth to break it open.
Bryce Paul beat out a run-scoring infield hit to shortstop that broke the tie, 7-6. Dylan East then drew a walk. Ethan Hall grounded a single through the right side to plate another run for an 8-6 lead.
He then stole second and sped all the way around the bases to score behind East on a catcher's throwing error, extending the lead to 10-6.
Aaron Everhart reached on a shortstop error, then stole his way to third. Colten Shaffer singled him in to make it 11-6.
Austin Amburgey then lifted a fly ball over the right fielder's head for a run-scoring double. A fly into the wind and sun off the bat of Coulson eluded the right fielder again to finish the two-out rally and give Ada a 13-6 bulge.
Coulson retired the side without incident in the top of the sixth. He ended up with eight strikeouts and one walk, throwing 64 strikes in 91 pitches.
In the bottom of the sixth, Shaffer hit a two-run double to extend the lead to double digits and invoke the 10-run rule.
Everhart led the offensive outburst wth two singles, a double, two runs and a pair of stolen bases. He also walked twice to reach base safely in all five plate appearances.
Paul scored twice, had two singles and drove in two runs. East scored four times and stole a base. Zac Swaney singled, walked twice, scored three runs and drove in a apir. He also swiped two bases.
Shaffer knocked in four runs and scored a run. Hall doubled two times, plated two runs, stole two bases, walked twice and scored twice. Hall also reached base in all four of his plate appearances. Amburgey added a double, a run and an RBI.
The Bulldogs stole 10 bases and were only caught stealing once.
123 456 7 R H E
Vlue 000 060 x 6 10 8
Ada 030 373 x 16 12 3
WP-Coulson (2-3) LP-Bonham
2B-Hall 2 (A), Everhart (A), East (A), Amburgey (A), Price (V), Bonham (V)
Ada (0-6 NWC) visits second-place power Lincolnview (13-2, 4-1 NWC) Monday, April 30 in a league battle. The Bulldogs are 3-7 on the road this spring.
