By Cort Reynolds

VAN WERT __The visiting Ada High School softball team lost to Lincolnview 10-0 in their makeup showdown on Saturday afternoon, April 25.

Lancer sophomore ace Isla Hughes pitched a two-hit shutout over six innings to earn the victory. She struck out 12 and walked four.

Ada dropped to 15-3 overall with the defeat that snapped a four-game win streak. The Bulldogs are now 5-2 on the road. 

The streaking Lancers improved to 12-4 after the non-conference win, their seventh in the last eight games.

“Hughes is the best pitcher we have seen this year, and (threw) the fastest,” said Bulldog head coach Jeff Bassitt. “We started getting more comfortable as the game went on.

”We just couldn’t get the bats going,” he continued. “This is a team we can beat.” 

The Lancers scored twice in the bottom of the first inning on an error and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kassidy Hammons.

In the Lancer third, Hughes singled and Lainey Spear smacked a home run to left-center field to help extend their lead to 5-0.

Lincolnview plated three runs in the fifth frame to stretch the margin to 8-0. The Lancers added two scores in the home half of the sixth with one out to invoke the 10-run mercy rule.

Freshman Aubry Jordan pitched all 5.3 innings for Ada. She allowed eight hits and seven earned runs. She walked four and struck out four.

Jordan tripled to provide one of the two Bulldog hits, but was stranded. Ada freshman Shay Smith singled and drew a walk.  

Sophomore shortstop Emily Shanks and senior outfielder Alainee Buxton each coaxed a walk.

Hughes doubled, slapped a single and collected three runs batted in. Catcher Lainey Spears hit a home run and a single, scored twice and drove in two runs.

Lancer second sacker Ansley Schwab walked twice, stole two bases and scored four runs. Third baseman Hammons contributed a hit, one RBI and a run.

Ada was out-hit 9-2 by the Lancers. The high-scoring Bulldogs were shut out for only the second time this season.

The Bulldogs have now outscored their opposition 208-50 over 18 games, an 11.6-2.8 runs average margin per contest.

The Ada girls (3-2 BVC) host Blanchard Valley Conference foe Riverdale (7-8, 2-3 BVC) on Monday, April 27. The Bulldogs are 10-1 in home games.

The Bulldogs then look to avenge one of their few losses of last season when they host former Northwest Conference rival Delphos Jefferson (12-7) on Tuesday, April 28. 

DJ split a doubleheader with visiting Wayne Trace (9-8) Saturday, winning 7-4 and losing 17-1. The Wildcats return ace pitcher Claire Brinkman.

WP-Hughes LP-A. Jordan 

2B-Hughes (L)

3B-A. Jordan (A)   

HR-Spear (L)