By Cort Reynolds

Ada already took out the Carey Blue Devils in the district semis, and now they face another Blue Devil squad in Danville at the round of 16.

Danville tied for the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference title at 13-1. They have won 11 of their last 12 games. The Blue Devils have made it to 14 straight district finals. 

Senior Devil pitcher Addyson Bocock struck out 13 over five innings in their 19-0 district semifinal blowout vs. over-matched Mt. Gilead.

Seeded first in the Central 1 bracket, the Blue Devils and Bocock then shut out an 8-12 Cardington-Lincoln squad 3-0 on May 22 to win their district crown. 

Danville has outscored its opposition 221-74 this season (8.5 runs to 2.85 per game). By comparison, Ada has outscored its opponents 321-78 (an 11.9-2.89 average margin).

“If we want to beat Danville, we have to hit,” said Bassitt. “If we hit, we have a chance.”

Powerhouse Tri-Village (21-5) faces Fayetteville-Perry (12-9) on Wednesday in Bellefontaine at 2 p.m. in the first region 23 semifinal. The T-V Patriots were 30-0 last season and won the Div. VI state crown.

The Patriots won the 2026 Western Ohio Athletic Conference with a 10-0 record. They crushed Shelby County Athletic League runner-up Houston 16-1 in their district final.

The F-P Rockets were 6-7 in the Southern Hills Athletic League, but have won nine of 11 heading to the round of 16 after a 3-7 start. The Rockets scored four late runs to knock off Tri-County North 6-2 to win their district final.

The Ada/Danville winner will play in the region 23 finals Saturday, May 30 at noon against either defending state champion Tri-Village or Fayetteville-Perry.

The Bulldogs advanced to the regional finals last year for the first time ever before losing in extra innings to Gibsonburg.