By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Three Bluffton softball players received All-Northwest Conference honors in voting conducted by the league coaches Monday evening.

Lady Pirate junior slugger Riley Busch was named second team all-league.

Senior Kennedi Jordan and junior Sophie Bricker earned honorable mention league notice.

Lincolnview senior Destiny Coil was named NWC Player of the Year, drawing more votes than Paulding shortstop Gabbie Stallbaum and Ada pitcher Leona Dalton.

Lincolnview (8-0) won the league title with a dramatic 4-3, extra-inning victory over second-place arch-rival Crestview (7-1) in the regular season finale showdown May 10. 

Paulding took third at 6-2, followed by Allen East (5-3) and Columbus Grove (4-4).

Bluffton ended up tied for sixth with Ada and Delphos Jefferson in the nine-team NWC at 2-6. The Pirate girls ended up 9-14 overall.

Spencerville (0-8) came in last.

Two Pirates HM NWC in baseball
BLUFFTON - Two Bluffton players were voted honorable mention All-Northwest Conference in baseball voting conducted by the league coaches Monday evening.

The Pirates finished 0-8 in the NWC and 1-25 overall.

Senior left fielder Adam Friedritz and freshman center fielder Braeden Jordan were named honorable mention all-league.

Lincolnview won the NWC title with an 8-0 record, followed by Paulding (7-1). 

Columbus Grove and Allen East tied for third (5-3), followed by Delphos Jefferson (4-4), Spencerville and Crestview (3-5), Ada (1-7) and Bluffton (0-8).

Lancer Landon Price was voted Northwest Conference Player of the Year. Lincolnview's Eric Fishpaw was named NWC Coach of the Year.

Elmwood hurls perfect game vs. Bluffton in sectional
BLOOMDALE - The visiting Bluffton baseball team was shut out 8-0 by Elmwood in Div. III first round sectional action Wednesday evening.

Royal hurler Zach Endicott struck out 18 Pirates to account for all but three outs in the perfect game.

The 13th-seeded Pirates end their season 1-25 with the defeat. Elmwood, the 11th seed, advanced to the sectional second round Friday, May 21st at top seed Coldwater (20-7).

Bluffton was out-hit by Elmwood, 9-0. The hosts also drew eight walks.

The Royals scored one run in the home half of the first inning, then plated three runs in the third to build a 4-0 lead.

Elmwood pushed one runner across the plate in the fourth, then tacked on three more tallies in the bottom of the fifth frame to provide the final margin.

Pirate freshman Daniel Friedritz pitched the first four innings for Bluffton. He allowed six hits and two earned runs, striking out one with three walks.

Freshman center fielder Braeden Jordan came on in relief to hurl the final two innings. He gave up three hits and three runs with three walks.    

Elmwood stranded 11 runners on base. The Pirates committed three errors, and the hosts played error-less defense.

    123    456    7    R    H    E    
Blu    000    000    0    0    0    3                
Elm    103    130    x    8    9    0                
WP-Endicott    LP-D. Friedritz