By Cort Reynolds
KENTON - The visiting Ada softball team shut out Hardin County rival Kenton 4-0 in a non-league battle Wednesday evening.
The Lady Bulldogs improved to 10-5 overall with the non-league victory. Kenton dropped to 5-6 with the loss.
Freshman Leona Dalton hurled a complete-game shutout to earn her eighth win this spring. She struck out three, walked four and scattered five hits over seven innings.
Ada scored one run in the second inning and three more in the third frame to comprise all the runs in the game.
The Bulldogs out-hit Kenton, 8-5.
Sydney Newland collected two hits, scored a run and drove in one run to help lead the Bulldog offense. Maddie Gossard drove in two Bulldog runs with a key double in the third.
Kaiti Newland contributed a hit and a run. Olivia Alexander singled and scored a run as well.
Alexis Ennis and Nicki Lehsten collected the other Bulldog hits. Sidney Gossard scored a run.
Ada left six runners on base while Kenton stranded eight. The Bulldogs are now 8-4 on the road this season.
123 456 7 R H E
Ada 013 000 0 4 8 x
Ken 000 000 0 0 5 x
WP-Dalton (8-5)
2B-M. Gossard (A)
The Bulldogs (2-1 home, 3-2 NWC) are scheduled to host league co-leader Spencerville (3-0 NWC) in a crucial NWC showdown Thursday with three conference games remaining. A loss would all but eliminate Ada from league title contention.
"We will have to play perfect to win out in the league," said Erickson. "(A record of) 6-2 could still win or share the league championship. I hope we can shake off the loss (to Paulding) Thursday when Spencerville comes to town."
