Bulldogs entertain Lincolnview (21-3) on Friday, May 16
PHOTOS from Traci McClain

By Cort Reynolds

ADA __The Ada High School softball team defeated visiting Shawnee 8-1 to secure a historic victory Tuesday evening, May 13. The Bulldog girls won their 19th game to break the program record for wins in a season which they set in 2024.

The Bulldogs improved to 19-3 overall with the victory. Shawnee fell to 13-11 after the defeat.

“It was nice to get a win over a good Shawnee team,” said Lady Bulldog head coach Jeff Bassitt. “The girls were excited about breaking the record.”
The Bulldog girls out-hit the Indians, 14-7.

Ada jumped on top in the home first and never trailed despite working out of several jams. Jenna Bassitt doubled to lead off and was bunted to third by Emily Shanks. The speedy senior came home on a wild pitch to lead 1-0.

Shawnee threatened in the top of the second on a sharp single to center field, a walk and a hit batter. But Bassitt reared back and struck out the next two batters to wriggle out of trouble unscathed.

The Bulldogs then plated four runs in the second to earn some breathing room. Aidra Preston laced a leadoff single to left field. An out later Dailah Preston bounced back to the pitcher, but both runners were safe when the throw to second was a tad late to force the lead Preston.

A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, followed by a strikeout. Bassitt hit a hard grounder that the second baseman backhanded nicely, but her throw to first was far too late to catch the speedster. 

Both Preston girls scampered home on the infield hit to make it 3-0. Shanks walked and stole a base as the runners moved up to second and third. Natilyn McClain then drilled a two-run single to center field to stretch the margin to 5-0. Tess Griffith hit a line drive to the outfield, but the Indian center fielder made a headfirst diving catch to end the inning.

Bassitt hit the leadoff batter in the third, and then Taylor Lichty smashed a double to the left-center field gap. Anna Menke’s line single to left-center plated the first and only Shawnee run. 

A foul-out to McClain was followed by an infield error. With the bases loaded, second baseman Karley Wagner charged a spinning grounder and fired a strike home to get the force-out in a close play at the plate.

Bassitt then fielded a grounder and threw to first to escape further damage.

Starting the Ada fourth, Wagner spun an infield hit off the second sacker’s glove and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Aidra Preston beat out an infield single to second and swiped a base. 

Reese Jordan looped a single just off the end of the shortstop’s glove to score Wagner with the sixth run. Dailah Preston’s bunt resulted in a force-out at third. 

After a strikeout, Bassitt rifled a single to center to extend the lead to 7-1. Shanks then swatted a line-out to center field to end the frame.

Bassitt set Shawnee down in order in the top of the fourth.

McClain’s long, high fly to right field was dropped and she motored all the way to third base leading off the Ada fourth. Griffith hit an RBI single off the shortstop’s glove to make it 8-1.

Two outs later, Jordan singled to left but was stranded after a wild pitch.

In the Indian fifth, Bassitt pitched around a one-out single. Shanks made a fine unassisted put-out on a force play to end the inning. 

Ada junior Alainee Buxton walked leading off the bottom of the fourth. Two outs later, McClain’s high pop-up fell in behind the second baseman for a single. But a pop-out ended the threat.

In the top of the sixth, Shawnee’s Addie Melson legged out an infield hit and Addie Neth singled to left, sandwiched around a called third strike.

A force-out and a walk put runners on first and second. Bassitt then quickly pounced on a grounder to her left and made a nice pick-up before flipping it to Preston at first to end the inning.

Leading off the Ada sixth, Wagner smacked a hard single through the hole into right field. Two outs later Dailah Preston beat out an infield single, but a strikeout ended the threat.

Anna Menke legged out an infield hit to shortstop starting the Shawnee seventh. But once again Bassitt pitched out of any potential trouble. She got a strikeout, induced a groundout to Wagner, and then the last hitter lined out to Shanks at shortstop to end it.

Bassitt hit a double and two singles, scored two runs and drove in three to lead the offense. She also stole a base.

McClain amassed three singles, scored a run and had two RBI. Wagner singled twice and scored a run. Aidra Preston stroked two singles, scored once and swiped a bag. Jordan drove in a run with two singles, and she scored a run. 

Senior Tess Griffith singled home one run. Dailah Preston slapped a single and scored once. Shanks walked once, stole a base and scored a run. Buxton added a base on balls. 

Ada left 10 runners on base, while Shawnee stranded 11.
Bassitt struck out five and allowed one earned run with two walks and two hit batters. 

She scattered seven hits over seven innings and 112 pitches (70 strikes) to extend her school mark for pitching wins in a season to 19.

Menke collected three singles to lead Shawnee.

Ada improved to 10-0 at home this season with the victory.

    123     456     7     R     H     E

Shaw 001 000 0 1 7 2
Ada 142 100 x 8 14 1
WP-Bassitt (19-3)    LP-Rhodes
2B-Bassitt (A), Lichty (S)