By Cort Reynolds

FINDLAY__The visiting Ada High School softball team gave up four runs in the bottom of the seventh and lost a 9-6 heartbreaker to Liberty-Benton in a key Blanchard Valley Conference makeup game on Thursday, April 16.

The seesaw battle featured two grand slams and four home runs.

The Eagles jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning, but the Ada girls tallied two runs in the fourth to inch within a run.  The Bulldogs then seized a 6-3 lead with four runs in the sixth.

L-B won the game with a walk-off grand slam over the left field fence by Elise Brzezinski in the bottom of the seventh. Her circuit blast capped the comeback win.

Ada dropped to 11-2 overall and 2-2 in the BVC with the difficult road defeat. The Bulldogs are 9-1 at home.

L-B improved to 10-5 overall and 3-1 in BVC play after the big comeback win.

“It started raining in the bottom of the seventh and didn’t let up,” explained Bulldog head coach Jeff Bassitt. “Tough to play in the rain, we couldn’t grip the ball or throw a strike.” 

The Eagles took the early lead in the home first on three singles vs. Ada starting hurler Tea Griffith. Carley Schwab delivered a run-scoring double to key the rally. Griffith then settled in and held L-B scoreless over the next four innings.

The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Reese Jordan drove in a run with a sacrifice bunt. Griffith then lifted a solo homer over the left field fence to pull Ada within 3-2.

“Reese got things started with the sacrifice bunt,” said Bassitt.

Bulldog Summer Wibley drove in four runs in the fifth when she pulled a grand slam of her own over the left field wall to put Ada on top, 6-3.

Eagle Lauren Erdeljac cranked a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to inch the hosts back within 6-5.

Jordan got the last two outs in the sixth to keep Ada ahead by a run.

In the bottom of the seventh, L-B drew three walks with no one out to load the bases before the walk-off slam.

Ada was narrowly out-hit by L-B, 8-7.

Griffith surrendered seven hits and five earned runs over the first 5.3 innings before being relieved by fellow freshman Aubry Jordan. Griffith struck out four and walked one.

Griffith hit a home run and singled. Senior right fielder Alainee Buxton had two hits. Wibley drove in four runs with her home run. 

Ada junior outfielder Dailah Preston hit two singles.

Erdeljac drove in three runs with a homer and a single, and she scored twice. Schwab knocked out two hits, scored three runs and had one RBI. Kylie Modd singled and scored two runs.

Winning pitcher Megan Gerken scattered seven hits and five earned runs over seven innings. The Eagle hurler struck out six and walked one.

The Bulldogs have outscored their opposition 162-36 over 13 games, a 12.5-2.8 runs average margin per game.

The Ada girls visit Hardin County rival Ridgemont (4-5) on Friday. Then on Saturday, Ada plays a noon showdown at defending NWC champion Lincolnview (8-3). It will be their fifth game in six days this week.

The Lancers crushed LCC 24-0 on Thursday.

WP-Gerken LP-A. Jordan 

2B-Schwab (LB)  

HR-Griffith (A), Erdeljac (LB), Brzezinski (LB), Wibley (A)