By Cort Reynolds
DELPHOS - The visiting Bluffton softball team mustered a season-best offensive outburst to win its Northwest Conference opener handily 19-7 over Delphos Jefferson Thursday evening.
Bluffton improved to 1-5 overall and 1-0 in the NWC with their first win. Meanwhile, Delphos Jefferson dropped to 1-8 and 0-1 in NWC play with the lopsided loss.
The Wildcat girls led 4-0 after the first inning, but Bluffton tied it up with four runs in the top of the second frame. Kennedi Jordan (three-run homer) and Riley Busch slammed back-to-back home runs to account for the four-run rally.
The Pirates went ahead for good with a run in the third, 5-4. They extended the lead with two runs in each of the fourth and fifth frames, then tacked on three more runs in the sixth to lead by eight.
After going scoreless for four innings, DJ scored three times in the home half of the sixth to edge within 12-7.
But the Pirate girls put the game well out of reach with a seven-run output in the top of the seventh.
Lauren Swartzlander cracked a double and three singles with one RBI to help pace the Lady Pirate onslaught.
Busch legged out a triple, while Jordan drilled a double to go with her three-run blast. Sophie Bricker contributed two hits and a pair of runs batted in. Dyllan Worcester added two hits.
Rebekah Hoff collected two hits and a run batted in. Jasmine Whitlow also knocked out two hits and had an RBI. Ashley Fleece amassed two RBI on one hit.
Pirate pitcher Grace Myers earned her first win of the season.
Bluffton out-hit DJ with a season-high total of 21 hits to 10 by DJ. Six of the Pirate hits went for extra bases.
Wildcat Anna Fitch smacked four hits and drove in two runs to lead the DJ offense. Sisters Rileigh and Avery Rahrig each added two base hits.
123 456 7 R H E
Blf 041 223 7 19 21 1
DJ 400 003 0 7 10 6
WP-Myers (1-4) LP-K. Schroeder
2B-Swartzlander (B), Jordan (B), Whitlow (B)
3B-Busch (B)
HR-Jordan (B), Busch (B)
The Lady Pirates are slated to visit Liberty-Benton (3-4) in a non-league twinbill Saturday, April 10.
Bluffton then resumes NWC play Monday, April 12 by hosting local rival Ada (2-2, 0-1 NWC). The Bulldog girls lost their league lidlifter 9-8 in extra innings to Columbus Grove Thursday.
