By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The host Ada baseball team rallied for a late run and had the bases loaded with none out in the seventh, but ended up on the short end of a 3-2 score vs. Arcadia on a warm and wind-swept Tuesday evening in their home opener.
Ada dropped to 1-1 with the disappointing defeat, while Arcadia improved to 1-2 with the victory.
After two scoreless innings, the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third frame.
Sophomore Jacob Sutherly doubled, stole third and continued to race home when the catcher's throw sailed into left field.
Arcadia responded with three runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a lead they never relinquished.
Ada junior hurler Kaden Phipps pitched around a leadoff Redskin double in the top of the fifth. The Bulldogs threatened in the home fifth, putting runners on second and third with one out.
But Redskin senior hurler Kadin Scott reared back and got two key strikeouts to escape the jam.
In the Ada half of the sixth, Tyler Jameson drew a one-out walk yet was thrown out trying to steal second base.
In the bottom of the seventh, Ada scored once and almost pulled off their second straight last at-bat rally to win.
Roman Snyder's leadoff double was followed by an RBI triple off the bat of Devon Cole to deep center field, which cut the Arcadia lead to 3-2.
The Redskins then botched a rundown after a Bulldog bunt to put Ada runners on second and third base with no one out.
Scott then made a spectacular diving catch along the third base line on an Ada pop-up bunt for the first out, changing the momentum. The Redskin right-hander then struck out sophomore Zach Neiswander for the second out.
Scott intentionally walked Ada senior Jacob Morgan to load the bases.
Ada senior Jacob Poling came up and hit a grounder back to the mound, which Scott fielded cleanly. He then threw home for the game-ending force-out at the plate to preserve the one-run lead and win.
Phipps hurled a solid complete game, scattering seven hits. Scott aso went the distance to get the win, allowing five hits and one earned run.
123 456 7 R H E
Arc 000 300 0 3 7 0
Ada 001 000 1 2 5 1
WP-Scott (Arc) LP-Phipps (Ada)
2B-Sutherly (Ada), Snyder (Ada)
3B-Cole (Ada)
Ada entertains BVC rival Cory-Rawson (1-2) Thursday, April 1.
C-R was swept by Carey in a doubleheader Saturday, while Arcadia dropped a twinbill to New Riegel. Cory then rebounded to whip Upper Scioto Valley 15-4 Monday evening.
Ada then plays at Waynesfield (0-2) Friday, April 2.
Big 7th inning Redskin rally upends Lady Bulldogs
ADA - Visiting Arcadia exploded for seven runs in their final at bat to rally for a 10-4 softball win over Ada to spoil the Lady Bulldog home opener on a warm but very windy Tuesday evening.
Ada fell to 1-1 this season with the difficult defeat, while the Lady Redskins improved to 1-0 with the win.
Arcadia trailed 4-3 heading to the final inning. Victoria Golden roped a leadoff double down the left field line and moved to third on the throw to start the comeback.
Hunter Wilson's bunt to the pitcher turned into a hit when no one covered first base after the defense charged in for the bunt.
Isabelle Mundy lined a two-run double into the right-center field gap to put the visitors ahead 5-4. A wild pitch allowed another run to score on a Mundy headfirst slide just before the throw to Ada pitcher Leona Dalton covering home plate.
A Samantha Burnett bunt single was followed by another bunt hit by Emily Rank, and a walk to load the bases for burly freshman Jordyn Tong.
Tong then launched a high drive over the left field fence for a grand slam to extend the lead to six runs.
Deflated Ada went out quietly in order in the bottom of the seventh to end it.
"It got away from us in the seventh inning," admitted Ada head coach Rebecca Dicke. "Our defense broke down in the seventh. They put the ball in play, and we got rattled. Then their big hitter hit the grand slam."
The first inning was eventful. After a Mundy single, Lenci Rodriguez smacked a two-run home run to give Arcadia a 2-0 lead.
Ada came back to score three runs in the bottom of the first. Kiersten Cortez walked, Dalton reached on an outfield error and Alexis Waugh stroked an RBI single.
After Arcadia had to replace starting pitcher Golden when a grounder hit her ankle, Ada scored on a wild pitch to tie it 2-2. Bulldog senior shortstop Brenna George then lined a single to center field to plate Waugh with the go-ahead run.
Dalton settled down and struck out two in the Redskin second. Lexi White beat out an infield dribbler to third base in the Ada second, but was stranded.
Dalton whiffed two more Redskins in the top of the third as she retired the side in order again. After a walk in the home third, Waugh stroked a single to center field. But Dalton was out at third on a fine throw from center to stunt the rally.
Dalton put Arcadia down in order in the fourth to make it it 10 straight batters retired. Redskin reliever Tong, finding her stride, struck out the side in the Ada fourth.
Dalton struck out two more in the top of the fifth but gave up a single to end her string at 11 straight batters set down. In the home fifth, White was hit by a pitch leading off. She stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild toss.
Golden re-entered as pitcher to replace Tong. After Katie Sizemore walked, Dalton lined out hard into an inning-ending double play to keep the lead at 4-2.
Arcadia threatened in the top of the sixth. A leadoff double by Burnett was followed by a pop-fly bunt that Sizemore snagged, but the baserunner alertly tagged up and advanced to third after the corner infielders charged the bunt.
A Rodriguez line-drive single to left field plated the third Redskin run and cut the deficit to one. Tong's high pop-up then dropped between the Ada defenders in short left field to put runners on second and third with one out.
But Dalton reared back and struck out the next two hitters on six straight strikes to preserve the lead.
Freshman Daicy Robinson smacked a two-out single in the Ada half of the sixth, but she was picked off by Redskin catcher Rodriguez to end the inning.
Arcadia then exploded for seven runs in the seventh to shock Ada.
Dalton struck out a dozen Redskins in a complete-game effort. Arcadia out-hit Ada, 11-5.
"I would like to see us our reduce our strikeouts at the plate," said Dicke. "We need to put the ball in play and put the pressure on the defense like they did to us.
"We need to work on our bunt coverage and clean up our errors," she added.
Senior catcher Waugh led the Ada offense with two hits. Dalton singled, while White and George each added a hit.
123 456 7 R H E
Arc 200 001 7 10 11 2
Ada 300 010 0 4 5 3
WP-Golden (1-0) LP-Dalton (1-1)
2B-Burnett (Arc), Mundy (Arc)
HR-Rodriguez (Arc), Tong (Arc)
Ada is slated to entertain BVC rival Cory-Rawson (1-1) Thursday, April 1. C-R lost 37-17 to USV Monday.
Ada then plays at Waynesfield (1-1) Friday, April 2.
