By Cort Reynolds

COLUMBUS GROVE__The visiting Ada High School baseball team lost 10-0 at non-league rival Columbus Grove in their annual battle of the Bulldogs on Thursday, May 14.

CG hurler Alex Meyer pitched a five-inning no-hitter to earn the win. He struck out three and walked two in the shutout win. He threw just 51 pitches, 32 of which were for strikes or were put in play, and faced 17 batters.

Meyer also doubled and scored a run.

The host Bulldogs scored the game’s first run in the second. CG plated three runs in the third inning to surge ahead, 4-0. Grove then fashioned a five-run fourth frame to build a commanding 9-0 lead.

The hosts tacked on one run in the fifth to enact the 10-run mercy rule.

CG knocked out eight hits and took advantage of four Ada errors to score four unearned runs.

Ada drew two walks, as did Grove.

Ada fell to 8-14 overall after the road defeat. Former Northwest Conference foe CG improved to 14-7 after the home victory.

“We had a setback where we didn’t make the routine plays,” said Ada head coach Toby Smith. “Hopefully, we got it out of our system and re-focus for our last two regular season games.” 

Bulldog freshman Robert Shanks started and pitched four innings, allowing seven hits and five earned runs. He walked two.

Junior Brody Rister relieved and gave up a run in the fifth on a walk and a hit.

Ada’s Thad Smith and Colt Archer each coaxed a walk. 

Grove’s Carsten Schroeder drove in four runs on two hits and scored a run. Brady Basinger stroked an RBI double, singled and scored two runs.

CG left four runners on the basepaths, while Ada stranded two.

Ada plays at local traditional arch-rival Upper Scioto Valley (7-12) on Tuesday, May 19. The Bulldogs (3-6 BVC) then host Riverdale (6-15, 2-5 BVC) in the league finale, a makeup game postponed from April 27.

WP-Meyer LP-Shanks  

2B-Basinger (CG), Meyer (CG)