By Cort Reynolds

ADA__It took two days, but the Ada High School softball team defeated visiting Riverdale convincingly 11-1 in the resumption of their Blanchard Valley Conference contest on a chilly Saturday, May 2.

The Bulldogs led the Falcons 5-0 in the second inning on Monday, April 27, when the game was halted by rain and thunder.

After the re-start, Ada pushed six runs across the plate in the home fourth to build a commanding 11-0 lead. The Bulldogs slugged three RBI doubles in the fourth frame to blow the game wide open. 

Sophomore shortstop Emily Shanks doubled home a run, followed by a run-scoring single from Sophie Fleming. 

Junior third baseman Reese Jordan swatted an RBI double, and freshman sister Aubry Jordan followed with a single to plate another run.

Junior outfielder Dailah Preston then unloaded a two-run double to cap the six-run inning.

The Falcons scored their lone run in the top of the fifth frame, but it was not enough to avoid the 10-run mercy rule.

Ada out-hit Riverdale 11-2, and did not commit an error in the dominating win.

Ranked 10^th in the latest Div. VI state coaches poll, Ada improved to 17-3 overall and 4-2 in the BVC with the victory. The Bulldogs are now 12-1 at home. 

Riverdale fell to 7-10 overall and 2-4 in BVC play after the road defeat.

“Tea pitched a good game,” said Bulldog head coach Jeff Bassitt. “It was nice to see nine different girls get hits.” 

Freshmen Tea Griffith and Shay Smith each pulled RBI singles down opposite foul lines in the first frame Monday to help stake Ada to an early 3-0 lead. 

Ada tallied two runs in the bottom of the second. Senior outfielder Alainee Buxton drove in a run with a ground-out, and Shanks lined an RBI sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 5-0 before play was stopped. 

After a nearly 40-minute delay, the game was suspended.

Griffith pitched all five innings to earn the win. She allowed just two hits and one run, striking out four with two walks.

Graci Kime walked and scored the only Falcon run on an RBI single off the bat of Hannah Vent. Halie Hites singled for the other Riverdale hit.

Falcon Addi Manns suffered the pitching loss. She gave up 11 hits and six earned runs with three walks and one strikeout over four innings.

Fleming led the potent Bulldog offense with three hits, two runs and one RBI. Reese Jordan, Shanks and Preston each collected two RBI. 

Griffith and Aubry Jordan amassed a hit, one run and one RBI apiece. Freshman Maycie Dewese and Buxton both singled and scored a run. Buxton drove in one run.

The Bulldogs have now outscored their opposition 230-55 over 20 games, an 11.5-2.8 runs average margin per contest.

The Ada girls host last-place Blanchard Valley Conference foe Pandora-Gilboa (0-12, 0-5 BVC) on Monday, May 4. 

The Bulldogs then entertain state power Sycamore Mohawk (13-2) on Tuesday, May 5.

WP-Griffith LP-Manns  

2B-Preston (A), Shanks (A), R. Jordan (A)