By Cort Reynolds
COLUMBUS GROVE - Visiting Bluffton stayed alone atop the league softball standings by shutting out Columbus Grove 10-0 in a Northwest Conference mismatch Monday evening.
The Lady Pirates improved to 15-1 overall and 6-0 in the NWC with their 14th consecutive win. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs fell to 4-6 and 1-4 in the NWC with the defeat.
Pirate hurler Libby Schaadt improved her record to 13 -1 with a six-inning, complete-game shutout. She allowed just three hits, struck out 10 Bulldogs and walked four.
Bluffton scored at least one run in all six innings of the run-rule shortened game. They led 4-0 after three frames, then methodically put the game away with six combined runs over the next three innings.
Schaadt aided her own cause with three hits and two runs batted in.
Pirate Averey Rumer scored two runs and hit one single. Mara Minnig contributed two RBI and a hit. Katie Prater also collected two runs batted in as well.
CG losing hurler Cheyenne Mershman struck out eight Pirates. But she walked eight and allowed nine earned runs despite permitting only five hits.
Grove committed five errors while Bluffton played error-less defense.
123 456 7 R H E
Blf 121 312 x 10 5 0
CG 000 000 x 0 3 5
WP-Schaadt (13-1) LP-Mershman
Bluffton hosts non-league foe Cory-Rawson Tuesday and entertains NWC foe Allen East (11-2, 4-1 NWC) in a key league showdown Thursday, April 25.
