PHOTOS by Mark Andreasen / CLICK to enlarge

By Cort Reynolds

Ada hosts Bluffton on Tuesday, March 31

ADA__The Ada High School baseball team scored in every inning to wallop visiting county rival Hardin Northern 15-5 on a windy but warm Monday, March 30 evening in their season opener at War Memorial Park.

Ada jumped ahead with four runs in the bottom of the first before HN tallied twice in the second, and the purple and gold never trailed in posting the win.

The Bulldogs pushed across two runs in the home second to build a 6-2 advantage. The Polar Bears inched within 6-4 with two runs in the top of the third. 

Ada responded by scoring four runs in the bottom of the third to go ahead, 10-5. The hosts tallied four more in the fourth, then added a run in the fifth to invoke the 10-run rule.

The Bulldogs start off 1-0 with the five-inning, run-rule shortened victory.

HN fell to 0-2 after the defeat.

“It was great to get a win to start the season,” said Ada head coach Toby Smith. “We have lots of things to improve on if we want to keep winning going forward.”

Ada pitcher Mason Wibley started and hurled the first three innings to earn the win. He allowed three hits and one earned run while striking out three with one walk. 

Robert Shanks relieved and threw the last two frames, giving up two hits and a run. He struck out four Bears and walked two.

Shortstop Wesley Mowery drove in three runs with the aid of a double and scored two runs. He also hit two sacrifice flies and stole three bases.

Second baseman Thad Smith rapped out two hits, drove in two and scored a run. He also stole two bases. First baseman Xavier Smith walked twice, scored a pair of runs and stole three bags.

Leadoff-hitting catcher Andrew Allen singled in two runs, scored three times and drew a pair of walks. He also swiped five of the whopping 18 stolen bases the Bulldogs amassed.

Third baseman/pitcher Shanks singled, scored two runs and stole two bases. Left fielder Jacob Szippl walked twice and scored a pair of runs. Colt Archer walked, stole a base and scored one run.

WP-Wibley

2B-Mowery (A)