PHOTOS by Mark Andreasen / CLICK to enlarge

New AHS record of 23 wins; loss to Danville Blue Devils

By Cort Reynolds

BELLEFONTAINE__The Ada High School softball team saw its record-setting season come to an end with a 12-2 loss to traditional power Danville in the Div. VI Region 23 semifinal face-off on Thursday evening, May 28 at Bellefontaine’s Blue Jacket Park.

The Blue Devils jumped in front 4-0 after three innings and never trailed. Danville then broke the game open with a four-run fourth frame.

“We just ran into a really good pitcher and struggled early on,” said Ada fifth-year head coach Jeff Bassitt. “By the time we figured her out, the game was pretty much out of control. 

“We got better offensively as the game went on. The strike zone was tight, which makes it tougher on your pitchers. But we kept fighting until the end,” he noted.

Senior Blue Devil pitcher Addyson Bocock scattered eight hits and two walks to earn the win. She allowed two earned runs over seven innings, and struck out 13 in a complete-game effort.

“She is a very good senior pitcher, one of the two best pitchers we have seen all season along with Hughes of Lincolnview,” said Bassitt.

The Bulldogs were out-hit 13-8 by the Blue Devils, and Danville also drew eight costly walks. Ada committed three errors that led to one unearned run, compared to no misplays by the Devils. 

The youthful Bulldog girls ended their season 23-5 with the defeat. They had won 10 of 11 heading into regionals, and set a new program record for wins in a season. It also marked the second year in a row that Ada advanced to the regional round.

Danville improved to 22-5 after the victory. The Blue Devils advance to the Region 23 finals in Bellefontaine at noon on Saturday, May 30 vs. defending state champion Tri-Village, who boasts an identical 22-5 record. 

The Patriots beat Fayetteville-Perry in the first Region 23 semifinal Thursday afternoon, 4-2.

The Ada/Danville game was originally slated to be played Wednesday evening, but got postponed one day due to rain. 

The Bulldogs are no strangers to weather delays, having endured several stoppages and postponements this season. Three late-added games vs. state-ranked teams were cancelled in the final week of the regular campaign, and the last three post-season games were each rescheduled a combined total of five times.

HOW THE GAME UNFOLDED
Danville scored two runs on three hits in the top of the first inning to take control early. Freshman shortstop Dalayna Parker followed table-setting hits by Ruby Bartok and Morgan Hinkens with a two-out, two-run single to center field, augmented by an error on the play.

Ada avoided further damage by inducing a pop-out to second baseman Sophie Fleming.

“We kind of escaped the first inning, and did a good job to hold them to two runs,” said Bassitt.

Both teams went scoreless in the second inning. Blue Devil senior Bartok poled a line-drive homer to left field in the top of the third frame to make it 3-0.

Two outs later, sophomore Elizabeth John slugged a long solo home run to left field to build a 4-0 advantage.

The experienced Danville club took advantage of a tight strike zone and were selective on their swings, and were successful swinging at pitches in the zone.

After a single, the last out was recorded on a pop-up to pitcher Aubry Jordan.

Four more Devil scores in the top of the fourth inning blew the contest open at 8-0. Two hits, an error and four walks helped Danville post the big inning.

A leadoff walk and a single brought freshman Tea Griffith on to pitch in relief. The freshman walked the first two batters to bring in a run. 

After a pop-out to the pitcher, John lifted a single to left field that plated two runs for a 7-0 margin. Taylor Meade walked on four pitches to force in another run and increase the cushion to 8-0.

A fielder’s choice grounder to first base resulted in an out at home on a throw from Summer Wibley to catcher Shay Smith.

Ada dented the scoreboard as each team tallied a run in the fifth frame. 

Devil Kaylee Martin walked and stole second base. She then scampered home for their ninth run on an error. Griffith wriggled out of trouble with a pair of strikeouts and a pop-out to Emily Shanks.

Aubry Jordan drew a four-pitch walk with one out in the bottom of the Ada fifth. She then sped home on a double by Dailah Preston to make it 9-1.

Bulldog Alainee Buxton laid down a good sacrifice bunt to advance Preston to third. But a foul pop-out wide of third base ended the frame.

The Devils plated three more runs in the top of the seventh to stretch the lead to 11. An error and two singles, the second a grounder to right field off the bat of Martin, made it 10-1.

Bocock looped a single to center field. Another Devil run crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice grounder and an errant throw. Hinkens drove in their final run on a single to right field.

Griffith induced two ground-outs to end the threat.

Shanks singled to left field in the Bulldog half of the seventh. Aubry Jordan then lined a double to left field, but Shanks was thrown out at home trying to score.

With Jordan moving to third on the throw, Buxton drove her in with an infield single to second base to provide the last run of the season and make the final margin 12-2.

“We didn’t really start hitting until the end of the game,” said Bassitt. “Tea settled in moving forward after her first inning in relief.”

WP-Bocock LP-A. Jordan  

2B-Preston (A), A. Jordan (A)

HR-Bartok (D), John (D)

BULLDOG STATS
Eight different Ada players had one hit apiece. Junior center fielder Preston delivered a run-scoring double.

Freshman Aubry Jordan doubled, scored both Bulldog runs and drew a walk. Senior Buxton collected an RBI single and executed a sac bunt. 

Freshman Griffith and sophomore shortstop Shanks each stroked a hit.

Freshman Shay Smith singled, while Bulldog junior infielders Sophie Fleming and Reese Jordan each slapped a single.

Starting pitcher Aubry Jordan hurled the first three innings, giving up seven hits and five earned runs. She struck out three and walked three.

Griffith relieved and pitched the final four innings. She allowed six hits and six earned runs, and struck out two while issuing five walks.

It was the last Ada game for lone Bulldog senior Buxton. Thus with almost their entire team coming back and having another year of experience under their belts, Ada should be a solid threat to go to the regionals again - or further next spring.

“After losing five seniors and replacing them with five new starters, and achieving what we did last year, it was an incredible season to get back to regionals,” said Bassitt. “We had three great freshmen pitchers who kept us in every game. We only lose one senior. We should only get better.

”We had a couple goals coming into the season,” Bassitt continued. “One was to win the conference. We ended up just short on that and came in second, and had a chance to win it. And second, we wanted to make a run at state, but we fell a little short. 

“But to put up 23 wins and make it to regionals was a pretty impressive season,” he summed up.

DANVILLE STATS
Danville first sacker Bartok compiled four hits in four at bats with a home run, three runs scored and two runs batted in. She also drew one walk to go with three singles. 

Blue Devil freshman third baseman Martin singled twice, scored two runs and drove in two runs from the leadoff spot. She also walked twice and stole two of the five bases that Danville swiped. 

Freshman catcher Hinkens collected two singles and two RBI. Sophomore John homered, drove in two and scored a run. Parker singled home two runs.

Freshman left fielder Ryleigh Geog singled and scored two runs. Senior second baseman Meade singled in a run and drew a walk. 

NOTES AND TEAM STATS
Danville is now 87-19 over the last four seasons. The Devils have made 14 straight appearances in the district final or better. Danville won the 2008 state Div. IV title, and finished second in 2017 to Williamsburg.

The Bulldogs have won 79 games during the same four-year span. 

Overall, Ada outscored its opponents 323-90 (an 11.5 to 3.2 average margin) in 28 games this season.

In the first Region 23 semifinal Thursday afternoon, defending state champion Tri-Village struggled to hit yet managed to defeat Fayetteville-Perry 4-2 at Bellefontaine. 

The T-V Patriots scored two runs in the bottom of the first, then added one in the third to lead 3-0. F-P rallied within 3-2 by scoring two runs in the top of the fifth. But T-V answered with a key insurance run in the home fifth.

The Patriots (22-5) collected just four hits compared to six by the Rockets. T-V went 30-0 last season and captured the Div. VI state crown.

The Patriots enter the regional final vs. fellow traditional power Danville on a five-game win streak. T-V has outscored its opposition 339-98 this season (12.6 to 3.63).

The Bulldogs advanced to the regional finals last year for the first time ever before losing in extra innings to Gibsonburg. 

Ada lost in the regional semifinals in 2018 to Defiance Tinora after winning their first district title that spring.