By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The host Ada softball team lost 12-1 to league-leading Crestview in Northwest Conference play Monday evening.

The Lady Bulldog record dropped to 8-8 overall and 1-4 in the NWC after their fourth consecutive defeat. The first-place Knight girls improved to 15-4 overall (6-0 NWC) with the victory.

Crestview built a 6-0 lead behind three-run home runs from Kali Small and Laci McCoy in the second inning. 

The Knight girls then put the game away with six runs in the top of the seventh inning.
 
Ada scored its only run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior catcher Alexis Waugh led off with a walk and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. 

With one out, sophomore second baseman Kayla Wince beat out an infield single to third base. After an error at first base in attempting to catch the throw, the Bulldog runners advanced to second and third.

Kiersten Cortez laid down a bunt in front of home plate and Waugh was caught in a rundown between third and home. But she was able to elude a tag and after an error by the third baseman, she scampered home to cut the deficit to 6-1.

Small avoided further damage by inducing a force-out at third on a grounder to shortstop, and she doused the threat with a called strikeout.

Ada pitcher Leona Dalton shut the Knights out in five of the seven frames. But in the seventh, the visitors exploded for those six additional runs to put the game well out of reach.

Knight catcher Rylee Miller led off with a walk and scored on a grounder when the Ada throw trying for a force-out at second base skipped into the outfield. A wild pitch brought home another run, and Raegan Hammons beat out an infield single to third base. 

Dalton recorded a strikeout, but McCoy drove an RBI single into center field to make it 9-1. Olivia Heckler smoked a run-scoring single off the glove of a diving Cortez at third base. 

Bailey Gregory stroked an RBI hit to right field, and advanced to third when the ball skipped by the Ada defender. Small then capped the outburst by smacking an RBI triple to the right field fence that extended the final lead to 12-1. 

Small earned the pitching win by twirling a two-hitter over seven innings. She allowed just one earned run while striking out 11 Bulldogs and walking three.

Small hit a home run, tripled and drove in four runs to aid her own cause at the plate. McCoy also hit a home run, doubled and drove in four runs while scoring twice.

Bailey Gregory also contributed a hit, two runs and one RBI.

With two outs in the home fifth, Ada senior center fielder Tori Green beat out an infield single to first base, then stole second base. But she was stranded when Small ended the frame with a strikeout.

Senior hurler Dalton went the distance for Ada. Both Bulldog hits were of the infield variety.        

    123    456    7    F        
Cvw    060    000    6    12    
Ada    000    001    0    1    
WP-Small    LP-Dalton (8-8)    
2B-McCoy (C)
3B-Small (C)    
HR-Small (C), McCoy (C)            

Ada plays at non-league Fostoria (3-7) Tuesday, April 27. The Bulldog girls then visit talented Paulding (14-2, 4-1 NWC) for a league contest Thursday, April 29.

The Panther girls crushed Delphos Jefferson 21-0 Monday.