By Cort Reynolds

DOLA – The visiting Ada High School baseball team lost a 6-4 seesaw battle to county rival Hardin Northern in their delayed season opener on a chilly Monday evening, March 31. 

The Polar Bears scored six runs over the first three innings, and made them stand up to secure the win.

Ada took the early lead by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning as speedsters Levi Green and Andrew Allen crossed home plate.

Northern responded with a run in the home half of the first. The Bulldogs went ahead 3-1 after tallying a run in the second. But HN answered with three runs in the bottom of the second to seize a 4-3 edge.

HN plated two more runs in the third to build a 6-3 advantage. The Bulldogs tallied a run in the sixth, yet could score no more.

Ada out-hit HN 10-4, but hurt itself on the mound. The Bulldog hurlers combined to hit seven HN batters and walk four.

“If we pitch better and continue to play solid defense - and hit like we did - we will be just fine,” said Ada head coach Toby Smith. “We cannot survive giving that many free bases.”

Ada starts out 0-1 after the loss, while HN improved to 2-0 with the win.

Xander Wilson singled and drove in two runs to pace the Polar Bear offense. Kaden Guinn, Wyatt Pore and Brady Robey each stroked a single to provide the other HN hits.

Bear Dylan Bacon earned the pitching win by hurling 4 1/3 innings while giving up two earned runs. He scattered nine hits and struck out three. Wyatt Pore got the save by hurling 2 2/3 innings of strong relief.

Pore struck out six, walked two, allowed one hit and one earned run.

Ada starting pitcher Mason Wibley knocked out two singles, a double and had one RBI. 

Senior shortstop Green collected two hits, one run and one RBI for the Bulldogs. He also stole two bases from his leadoff spot. First baseman Brody Rister added an RBI single, and sophomore catcher Allen scored twice.

Sophomore third baseman Blake Zoladz, second baseman Wes Mowery and senior center fielder Kaine Fisher each added one hit. Fisher also swiped a base.

Wibley took the loss on the mound for Ada. He pitched the first two innings and allowed four earned runs on just one hit. He walked two and hit four Bears.

HN scored two unearned runs in two innings off reliever Rister, who whiffed two. Mowery and Zoladz each hurled a shutout inning of relief to close the game. Both allowed a hit and struck out one.

Ada left nine runners on base, while HN stranded eight. Both teams committed just one error.

WP-D. Bacon (1-0) LP-Wibley (0-1)

Save-Pore (HN)

2B-Wibley (A), Green (A), Guinnik (HN)

The scheduled Bulldog opener at Lima Senior on Saturday was cancelled.

Ada plays at local former league rival Bluffton (2-0) Tuesday, April 1. The Pirates swept Pandora-Gilboa 16-6 and 24-0 this past Saturday.

The Bulldogs host Liberty-Benton in the home and inaugural BVC opener Wednesday, April 2. Ada then entertains non-league foe Cory-Rawson (0-1) Thursday, and visits arch-rival USV Saturday for a twinbill.