By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The visiting Allen East softball team bashed its way to an 18-0 lead and held on for a 20-9 win over local arch-rival Ada in Northwest Conference play Monday evening.
The purple and gold fell to 4-5 and 0-2 in the NWC with the defeat. AE improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in league play after the big win.
"Obviously, not a great outing," said Ada head coach Rebecca Dicke.
The Mustangs broke the game open with nine runs in the second frame.
Summer McCluskey hit a solo home run, followed moments later by another longball when Olivia Craig smashed a three-run blast over the center field fence.
AE pitcher Olivia Lawrence then hammered a two-run shot over the left field wall off Leona Dalton to make it 6-0.
AE extended the lead to 9-0 on wild pitches, steals, walks and a hit down the third base line. Shortstop Sidney Gossard ended the flurry by making a nice backhanded stab of a one-hop smash and throwing out the Mustang runner.
In the top of the third, the Mustangs plated four more runs. Craig was hit by a pitch from reliever Raina England. An out later, Lawrence's high infield pop-up fell in, followed by a throwing error.
Another misplay off a ground ball and a rundown made it 10-0. Syd Miller slashed a two-run single to center field. After a walk, Summer Sizemore hit an RBI groundout.
In the top of the fourth frame, AE pushed five more runs across the plate. Whitley singled, Craig drew a walk and an infield hit loaded the bases.
Lawrence lined an RBI single to center. After a pop-out, Miller smacked a run-scoring single to left. McCluskey's hard grounder through the shortstop's legs helped another run score.
In the home fourth, Ada finally got on the scoreboard. England led off with a solid single. Lexi Waugh then drove her home with a ringing double.
Gossard coaxed a two-out walk, and Brenna George sliced a two-run double to the gap in right-center field to make it 18-3.
Basham smoked a two-run homer to left-center in the AE fifth to make it 20-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Bulldogs tallied six runs. Alexis Ennis stroked a one-out double to right-center to start the rally. England then dropped down a fine bunt single.
A double steal brought Ennis home with the fourth Ada run. Waugh reached on an infield error as England scored. Dalton singled to right field to make it 20-6.
After a groundout, Ada was down to its last at bat. Yet George reached on a shortstop error as another run scored.
Sophomore Aubrey Madison then drove in two more runs with a double to cut it to 20-9, but she was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple to end the game.
"We were able to put up nine runs in the fourth and fifth innings by putting the ball in play," Dicke noted.
AE out-hit Ada, 17-7, and took advantage of six errors and five walks to score 20.
Ennis had a double and a run from the leadoff spot for Ada. England scored twice and had two singles. Waugh doubled in a run and scored once.
Dalton had a hit, one run and an RBI. Gossard scored twice while George scored once and drove in a pair with her double. Madison added a two-run double as well.
Syd Miller led the hard-hitting AE offense with three hits, three runs and three RBI. Lawrence scored four runs, drilled two hits and drove in three.
Basham contributed two hits, three runs and two RBI. Sizemore knocked out two hits, scored a run and drove in another run. Emma Moritz drove home three runs, scored a run and knocke dout two hits.
Craig plated three runs with her homer and scored twice. Gracie Young added a double and scored three runs.
Lawrence scattered seven hits and gave up six earned runs to earn the win. She struck out seven and walked two.
Dalton was knocked out in the second inning after giving up three homers and six earned runs. England gave up eight earned runs in 3 2/3 innings of relief.
"Dalton wasnít hitting her spots, and we had way too many errors on defense," added Dicke.
123 456 7 R H E
AE 094 520 0 20 17 2
Ada 000 003 6 9 7 6
WP-Lawrence LP-Dalton (4-4)
2B-George (A), Ennis (A), Madison (A), Waugh (A), Young (AE)
HR-Craig (AE), Lawrence (AE), Basham (AE), McCluskey (AE)
Ada (4-2 home) is slated to host Waynesfield in a non-league game Tuesday evening.
"These girls have potential, we (just) have to learn to put it all together to get Ada on the winning side of things," said DIcke.
