By Cort Reynolds

ADA__The Ada High School baseball team lost a tough 7-5 battle to Hardin County rival Kenton in the final inning on a chilly Thursday, May 7, at War Memorial Park.

The Bulldogs tallied two runs in the second inning and added two more in the third to grab a 4-1 lead. 

Kenton tied it with a three-run rally in the top of the fourth. Each team scored a run in the sixth, and the Wildcats plated two tie-breaking runs in the seventh to win it.

“If we want to win these close games, we have to improve in the important areas,” said Ada head coach Toby Smith. “Limit your strikeouts, make routine plays and throw strikes.”

The Wildcats scored six unearned runs with the aid of seven costly Bulldog errors. Kenton out-hit Ada 9-8 and drew three walks, while the Bulldogs coaxed six bases on balls.

Ada dropped to 7-12 overall after the gut-wrenching home loss.

County rival Kenton improved to 4-12 with the comeback win. The Wildcats played error-free defense. A pair of key bunts helped plate three of the final four Kenton runs.

Ada got on the scoreboard first in the home second inning. Xavier Smith singled down the third base line to ignite the rally. Jacob Szippl and Brody Rister each walked to load the bases.

Colt Archer drew another walk to force in a run. Andrew Allen then hit a run-scoring single to make it 2-0.

The Wildcats cut their deficit in half with a run in the top of the third. A leadoff walk and stolen base led to an RBI single by Beach that skipped past the second baseman on a hard one-hopper.

Bulldog freshman pitcher Robert Shanks worked around another single to center off the bat of Latimore by inducing two fly-outs.

In the Ada third, Xavier Smith smacked a one-out single to left field. Szippl also singled to left. Rister reached on an infield hit, and the throw to first was wild. After the Wildcat first baseman chased down the errant throw, he made a good peg home, but Smith slid in safely on a close play.

A passed ball brought Szippl home for a 4-1 lead.

In the top of the fourth frame, leadoff batter Root singled and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice. A line drive single to center field by Austin Dysert cut the Ada lead to 4-2.

Hommel’s RBI single to left field inched the Wildcats within 4-3. A stolen base and a looping single to shallow left by Conley put runners on the corners.

Kenton then tied it on Scott’s RBI squeeze bunt. Ada got out of the inning without further damage on a grounder back to the mound.

In the bottom of the fourth, Thad Smith singled to right field, followed by a single to left off the bat of Mason Wibley. After a strikeout, Wes Mowery’s bid for a hit on a liner to center field was thwarted by a nice sliding catch.

Bulldog Colt Archer made a good running grab of a foul fly ball outside the right field line. Reliever Mowery set the Wildcats down in order.

In the bottom of the fifth, Xavier Smith reached first base on a strikeout when the third strike bounced away. He was stranded after a whiff and two fly-outs.

Kenton plated a single run in the sixth to take their first lead, 5-4. Ada came back to tie it in the home sixth. 

Andrew Allen was clipped by a pitch and stole second base. Thad Smith walked. Wibley advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt. 

Shanks then lined an RBI single to right field to tie it, 5-5. But Kenton got out of the jam by inducing a pop-out to second and a strikeout as Ada left two runners in scoring position.

Kenton’s Latimore led off the seventh with a single to left field. A throwing error on Gammon’s grounder gave the Wildcats runners on the corners with nobody out.

Mowery earned a key whiff on a 3-2 called third strike. 

Kenton then scored the eventual winning runs on an unusual play. Wildcat Huff bunted a high pitch over the head of a charging Mowery. 

There was a slight collision at first base on the ensuing throw, but Huff was called safe as both runners scampered home to give Kenton a 7-5 lead. A brief discussion ensued as to whether Huff was running out of the baseline, but it was ruled that there was no interference.

A Dysert double down the left field line and an intentional walk loaded the bases. But an infield fly rule pop-up and a grounder to second got Mowery and Ada out of further trouble. 

A light rain started falling in the bottom of the seventh. Rister drew a one-out walk and Gavin Guyton pinch-ran for him. However, Dysert reared back and struck out the last two Ada hitters on 3-2 counts, both swinging, to preserve the win.

Dysert hurled the final four innings to earn the win. He allowed three hits and one earned run. He struck out seven and walked one.

Beach pitched 1.7 innings, giving up four hits and two runs with two whiffs. Hommel hurled 1.3 frames and permitted two runs on one hit and five walks.

Freshman right-hander Shanks pitched the first four innings for Ada, allowing seven hits and one earned run. He struck out three and walked one.

Mowery pitched the last three innings in relief. He gave up two hits and no earned runs. He struck out three and walked two.

Bulldog sophomore first baseman Xavier Smith singled twice and scored two runs. Allen singled home a run, stole one base and scored a run.

Shanks singled home a run and walked once. Szippl singled and scored two runs. Bulldog sophomore second baseman Thad Smith singled and drew two walks. Junior DH Rister hit an RBI single, swiped a bag and walked once.

Senior Wibley hit a single and laid down a sac bunt. Archer drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk.

Dysert paced Kenton with two hits, two runs, one RBI and two stolen bases. Hommel also compiled two hits, two runs, a pair of walks and one RBI.

Kenton left 11 runners on the basepaths, while Ada also stranded 11 in the seesaw battle.

The Bulldogs (3-5 BVC) play at league foe Arcadia (9-10, 4-5 BVC) on Friday. Ada visits struggling Temple Christian (0-8) on May 12.

WP-Dysert LP-Mowery

2B-Dysert (K)