By Cort Reynolds

ADA – Senior catcher Natilyn McClain hammered two solo home runs, including a tie-breaking blast in the sixth, to lift the Ada softball team to a taut 3-2 win over Blanchard Valley Conference foe Arcadia Wednesday evening, April 30.

Ada improved to 16-3 overall and 7-2 in BVC play after the close pitching duel win.

Arcadia dropped to 9-8 overall and 5-4 in the BVC with the tough loss.

“We hit some balls hard, but couldn’t get anything in the gap,” said Bulldog head coach Jeff Bassitt. “Nat had a great game, and Jenna pitched well.”

The Bulldog girls out-hit the Redskins 6-2, including four extra-base hits. 

Ada ace Jenna Bassitt walked the first batter of the game and hit the second one to create an early jam. But Alanna Tucker lined into a double play when second baseman Karley Wagner gloved her shot and threw to Aidra Preston at first base to double off the straying runner.

Bassitt then ended the threat when her called third strike froze Averie Smarr.

The first two Bulldog batters went down in the home first. McClain then swatted a homer well over the left field fence to give Ada a 1-0 lead.

Bassitt pitched around a single and an error in the second by striking out the side.

In the Ada second, Wagner lined a leadoff infield single off the pitcher’s glove. Dailah Preston drilled a double to left, putting runners on second and third. 

With Alainee Buxton up to bat, Tucker uncorked a wild pitch and Wagner scampered home to make it 2-0.

Arcadia tied it with two unearned runs in the top of the third. Redskin freshman shortstop Phoebe Tesnow led off with a bunt and reached on a throwing error. Another Ada error took place when Alexis Carter’s fly ball dropped in right-center field to place two runners in scoring position.

Bassitt almost wriggled out of the jam by getting a strikeout and a pop-out to third. She then struck out the next batter but the third strike got away, allowing Tesnow to scurry home and cut the deficit to 2-1.

Addyson McCartney then hammered a hard grounder right at shortstop Emily Shanks, but it took a bad last hop and bounced right over her head for an RBI single to tie it 2-2.

Bassitt got the last out on a whiff to preserve the tie.

Shanks beat out a bunt single and stole second with one out in the Bulldog fourth. But she was stranded there.

Arcadia went down in order in the fifth, including a bunt where Jordan threw the hitter on a bang-bang play.

Ada was retired 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fifth. 

Bassitt struck out the side in the top of the sixth, including one on a change-up that had the hitter way out in front. 

McClain led off the bottom of the sixth by cranking a long home run over the fence in center field to break the tie. Tess Griffith then hit a long drive to center that was caught.

In the Redskin seventh, the first batter flew out to Griffith. Kateland Keefe was hit on the foot to reach first base, and Bassitt struck out Tesnow. Final batter Carter lifted a high pop-up on the infield which McClain fittingly caught to end the game.

Bassitt struck out 14 and allowed no earned runs on just two hits over  seven innings to win her 16th game. She walked two and hit two batters. Seventy of her 97 pitches went for strikes or were put in play. 

McClain now has slugged seven home runs this season. She scored twice and knocked in two runs. Shanks singled and stole a base. Wagner singled and scored a run. 

Jordan and Dailah Preston each smacked a double.

“We’ve got to get back to doing the small things, and just getting better,” said Bassitt.

Hard-throwing losing pitcher Tucker gave up six hits and three earned runs over six innings. She walked none and struck out five, but allowed two costly solo homers to the slugging Ada senior backstop.

Ada is scheduled to entertain winless non-league foe Perry (0-13) Saturday at 11 a.m. The Commodores lost 22-5 to Kenton Wednesday.

The Bulldogs conclude their first BVC season at last-place Pandora-Gilboa (0-13, 0-7 BVC) Monday, May 5. A win would assure Ada of no worse than third place in the 11-team league.

Ada plays at powerhouse Sycamore Mohawk (13-2) Tuesday, May 6. They then visit county rival Kenton (2-10) Thursday, May 8.

123 456 7 R H E

Arc 002 000 0 2 2 1

Ada 110 001 x 3 6 3

WP-Bassitt (16-3) LP-Tucker  

2B-Jordan (A), D. Preston (A)

HR-McClain 2 (A)