PHOTOS by Mark Andreasen / CLICK to enlarge

By Cort Reynolds

ADA__The Ada High School softball team overcame four home runs to defeat visiting county rival Hardin Northern 10-6 in a battle of undefeated teams on a warm but windy evening Monday, March 30.

The Bulldog girls jumped ahead 4-0 after two innings. HN crept back within 6-4, but Ada put together a crucial four-run sixth frame to put the game out of reach.

Polar Bear sophomore catcher Baylie Bacon slugged three home runs and drove in four runs in an impressive losing effort.

Unbeaten Ada improved to 4-0 with the victory. HN fell to 3-1 after the defeat.

“It was nice to get another win,” said fifth-year Bulldog head coach Jeff Bassitt. “Hardin Northern is a pretty decent team. Aubry pitched well, other than the home runs.“

Ada led 4-0 early. Sophie Fleming tripled in the first inning and scored on a double by third sacker Reese Jordan. Two more runs scored on a fielder’s choice grounder and single by Dailah Preston.

Ada ended the top of the third when an Addy Bacon liner up the middle deflected off pitcher Aubry Jordan’s glove to second base for a 1-4-3 out. 

Bacon golfed a shot over the fence in left-center field, leading off the top of the fourth to get Northern on the scoreboard. Lyla Holtzberger followed by hitting a double to center field.

Milee Seabrook singled to right field, but Jordan earned a big strikeout. Vivian Overs laid down a good RBI sacrifice bunt to score Holtzberger and cut the lead to 4-2.

After Karli Fath walked, hurler Jordan retired the side on a key called third strike to strand two runners and preserve the two-run lead.

Lone Bulldog senior Alainee Buxton led off the home fourth by doubling to right field. Two strikeouts later, Fleming lifted a high fly that dropped between the right and center fielders for an RBI double and a 5-2 lead.

Two walks loaded the bases, but Bear relief hurler Morgan Stewart reared back to fire an inning-ending strikeout and strand three runners. 

In the top of the fifth, Baylie Bacon launched a two-out solo homer over the right-center field fencing to cut the lead to 5-3.

Ada freshman Shay Smith sliced a double inside the left field line for a leadoff double in the home fifth. Two outs later, she scampered home on a wild pitch to restore the lead to three runs at 6-3.

Shortstop Emily Shanks then ripped a one-hop double off the center fielder’s leg, but was left on second.

In the top of the sixth, Seabrook led off by smoking a solo shot over the center field wall to cut the lead to 6-4. Jordan settled down to retire two of the next three batters on strikes, and snagged a line drive back to the circle for the other out.

Reese Jordan singled leading off the home sixth and stole second to spark the clinching outburst. Tea Griffith lifted a long fly to right field that was caught in front of the fence. Summer Wibley was hit by a pitch, and Smith battled to draw a 3-2 walk after fouling off several pitches.

Aubry Jordan then ripped a liner just past the third baseman’s mitt down the left field line to score all three runners and provide a 9-4 cushion.

Buxton punched a sacrifice fly to center that drove home Jordan with the 10^th run. Freshman Maycie Dewese lofted a long fly to the center field fence that she legged into a triple. But a called third strike left her on third.

The insurance runs proved key when Northern’s Kaitlyn Whitaker reached on a one-out error in the seventh. After a strikeout, Bacon came up and launched a two-strike liner over the center field wall to cut the Ada lead to 10-6.

But right fielder Buxton came in and made a nice running catch of a Holtzberger line drive to end the game.

Freshman hurler Aubry Jordan struck out 11 and scattered six hits over seven innings to earn her second win. She also laced a three-run triple and singled to aid her own cause.

“Aubry finished it off well,” said Bassitt.

Ada junior second baseman Sophie Fleming hit a double and a triple. Reese Jordan doubled, scored two runs, stole a base and had one RBI.

Preston singled in a run and scored once. Buxton doubled, drove in a run and scored once. Shanks lined a double and Gabby Fleming added one RBI.

The Bulldog girls host local former league rival Bluffton (1-0) on Tuesday, March 31. The Pirates walloped Pandora-Gilboa 18-4 in their opener Monday.

Ada plays at tough league rival Liberty-Benton (2-3) Tuesday, March 31 in the Blanchard Valley Conference lidlifter. Eight of the first nine Bulldog contests are at home. 

The dominant Bulldogs have tallied 56 runs in their four victories, while allowing just 14. 

WP-A. Jordan (2-0) LP-Holtzberger

2B-R. Jordan (A), S. Fleming (A), Smith (A), Shanks (A), Buxton (A)

3B-S. Fleming (A), A. Jordan (A)

HR-B. Bacon 3 (HN), Seabrook (HN)