By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The visiting Delphos Jefferson baseball team traveled to Ada and came away with a 10-0 Northwest Conference win Thursday evening.
The loss dropped the Bulldogs to 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the NWC. The Wildcats improved to 5-2 and 1-1 in the league after the win.
DJ plated two runs in the top of the first inning, and the game stayed 2-0 heading into the fourth frame.
The Wildcats then broke open a close game with three runs in the fourth and five more in the fifth to run-rule Ada.
The Bulldogs threatened to score in the home fifth and extend the contest. A walk, force-out and two stolen bases by freshman Tristin Conley advanced him to third with two outs.
But junior Curtis Geckle was narrowly thrown out at first on a hard grounder to second base to end the contest.
The Wildcats out-hit the Bulldogs 13-5 and took advantage of five Ada errors.
Senior Colten Shaffer tripled for the lone Ada extra base hit. Aaron Everhart, Conley, Austin Amburgey and Jaylin Burkhart were credited with the other Bulldog hits, all singles.
Sophomore Phillip Coulson started and went four innings on the mound for Ada. He gave up nine hits, five earned runs and three walks while striking out four. Coulson threw 71 pitches, 42 for strikes.
Right-hander Caleb Lucas pitched all five innings and tossed a five-hit shutout for DJ, with five whiffs and four walks.
Hunter Haehn doubled, singled twice and scored two runs for the Wildcats. Leadoff batter Connor Anspach doubled, singled and tallied three times. Cleanup hitter Darius Shurelds contributed two hits and a pair of RBI.
123 45 R H E
DJ 200 35 10 13 0
Ada 000 0x 0 5 5
WP-Lucas LP-Coulson (1-2)
2B-Anspach (DJ), Haehn (DJ), Lucas (DJ), Auer (DJ)
3B-Scalf (DJ), Shaffer (A)
Ada (2-2 on road) is scheduled to visit traditional arch-rival USV Friday at 5 p.m. in a non-league battle. The rivals split a twinbill last year in Ada.
