By Cort Reynolds

RIDGEWAY__The visiting Ada High School softball team dominated Hardin County rival Ridgemont 11-1 in a non-conference contest on an unseasonably warm Friday, April 17.

The Bulldogs broke the game open with five runs in the third inning and put it away with four more runs in the seventh.

The Gophers tallied their lone run in the bottom of the first to tie it 1-1. Ada went ahead with a run in the second, and then seized control with the big third frame to build a 7-1 margin.

Ada improved to 12-2 overall with the road win. The Bulldogs are 3-1 in away games and are 9-1 at home.

Hardin County rival Ridgemont dropped to 4-6 after the home loss. 

“It is nice to get another win,” said Bulldog head coach Jeff Bassitt. “Aubry pitched a great game, she had 11 strikeouts.” 

Freshman Aubry Jordan struck out 11 Gophers in a seven-inning complete game effort. She allowed one run and four hits. 

Freshman Tea Griffith singled home a run in the top of the first to put Ada on top 1-0. The Gophers tied it with a run aided by an error in the home first. 

The Bulldogs regained the lead for good with a run in the top of the second when shortstop Emily Shanks singled to drive in a run. 

A five-run third was ignited by Jordan’s two-run triple. Shanks then later cleared the bases by roping a three-run double to extend the Ada lead to 7-1.

Ada out-hit the Gophers, 14-4. Ridgemont committed eight errors, while the Bulldogs made four miscues.

Aubrie Overly singled and scored the one Gopher run in the home first. Laney Elsasser and Riley Hites singled for the other green and gold hits. 

Braylyn Caldwell took the pitching loss. She gave up 14 hits although only four of the eight Ada runs were earned. She struck out three and walked two.

Shanks and Shay Smith each collected three hits. Shanks knocked in four runs with two doubles and a single, and scored once. Jordan tripled in a pair of runs and singled to aid her own pitching cause.

Maycie Dewese contributed a single. Reese Jordan hit a single and scored a run. Griffith drove in one run with a single and scored once.

Senior right fielder Alainee Buxton singled and scored two runs. Wibley tallied a run.  

Ada junior outfielder Dailah Preston singled and scored two runs. Gabby Fleming hit a single.

The Bulldogs have outscored their opposition 171-37 over 14 games, a 12.2-2.6 runs average margin per game.

The Ada girls visit defending Northwest Conference champion Lincolnview (9-3) Saturday at noon. It will be their fifth game in six days this week.

The Lancers crushed LCC 24-0 on Thursday and shut out Continental 11-0 on Friday.

WP-A. Jordan LP-Caldwell  

2B-Shanks 2 (A)   

3B-A. Jordan (A)