By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The host Ada baseball squad was shut out by Fostoria 6-0 in Div. III sectional first round play on a warm and windy Wednesday evening at the park diamond.
The 12th-seeded Ada boys finished the season 5-15 after the tournament defeat. Thirteenth seed Fostoria improved to 3-18 with the minor upset win.
Hard-throwing Redman right-hander Alex Sierra struck out 13, walked three and tossed a one-hit shutout to earn the win.
Ada sophomore Phllip Coulson hurled a complete game but got no run support. The Bulldogs were out-hit, 9-1. Coulson struck out eight, walked one and gave up five earned runs.
Fostoria jumped ahead 3-0 in the top of the first inning and never trailed. Sierra retired six of the first seven Ada hitters after issuing a first inning walk.
In the bottom of the third, Bulldog sophomore Bryce Paul walked but was picked off first base by catcher Colin Drake. Dylan East struck out and Aaron Everhart grounded out back to Sierra to end the frame.
In the Fostoria fourth, Coulson got the first two hitters out on a grounder to second baseman Landon Blankenship, and a fly ball to East in right field.
Drake stroked a double to left-center, followed by a hit batter. Both runners moved up on stolen bases to second and third. But Coulson stranded them with a timely strikeout to keep the margin at three.
In the home fourth, Colten Shaffer laid down a perfect one-out bunt single up the third base line. Austin Amburgey chopped a dribbler that the catcher Drake fielded and threw on to first for the second out.
Shaffer advanced to third on a throwing error, but Ethan Hall struck out to end the threat.
Coulson set the Redmen down in order in the fifth. He induced a fly out to left fielder Zac Swaney, got a grounder back to the mound and retired the side on a pop-out to Blankenship.
Coulson flew out to right field, and Blankenship was called out looking for the first two outs in the Ada fifth. Paul was hit by a pitch, but East was also called out on strikes to end the inning.
Fostoria then added three big insurance runs in the top of the sixth. Jesus Garcia blooped a single to center field. The pinch runner stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch.
Coulson struck out the next batter, but then an error on a routine grounder to shortstop allowed the fourth run to score.
Sierra stole his way to third, then induced a balk by breaking for home to extend the margin to 5-0. Drake singled to left and stole two bases to reach third.
Redman Roger Hall then hit a long drive over center fielder Shaffer's head for an RBI double to provide a 6-0 lead. The next hitter bounced a one-hopper to Paul at third base.
Paul threw a strike home to Amburgey, who tagged Hall out at the plate. Coulson then ended the frame by fanning Dylan Sheets looking.
In the Bulldog sixth, all three batters went down on strikes.
Coulson gave up a single to Garcia in the seventh, but whiffed two Redmen and caught a short pop-up himself to retire the side.
Amburgey led off the bottom of the seventh and got hit by a pitch. Hall struck out, but pinch runner Trent Ennis advanced to third base on two wild pitches.
Coulson got tied up inside on a 3-2 pitch and struck out. Blankenship then struck out looking on a Sierra pitch that dotted the outside corner to end the game.
Garcia had three hits to pace the Redmen. Trey Groves and Drake each collected a pair of hits and scored a run. Fostoria also stole 12 bases.
Shaffer's bunt single was the only Bulldog hit. Hall, Paul and Swaney each drew a walk.
123 456 7 R H E
Fos 300 003 0 6 9 1
Ada 000 000 0 0 1 2
WP-Sierra LP-Coulson (3-4)
2B-Drake (F), Hall (F)
Ada finished the season 4-10 on the road and 1-5 at home.
"The two seniors, Aaron Everhart and Colten Shaffer, had very productive seasons," said Ada head coach Jason Campbell. "They
were one and two in most every offensive category. They will be tough to replace in the batting order.
"Some of the guys that we will look to next season to fill that
void are Amburgey, Hall, Coulson, Blankenship, East and Swaney," he continued.
"Matt Middlebrook and Philip Coulson took control of the mound and they will use this experience to lead the pitching staff again next season," Campbell summed up.
Fostoria visits second seed Ft. Recovery in the sectional finals Friday, May 11 at 5 p.m
