By Cort Reynolds

Playing at home, the Bluffton High School softball team crushed Spencerville 18-4 in a run-rule shortened Northwest Conference contest Thursday evening, April 27.

The Pirates scored seven runs in the second inning and plated eight more in the third frame to break the game wide open.

Spencerville scored two runs in each of the third and fourth frames, but the Pirates added three scores in the home fourth to invoke the 10-run rule after a scoreless top of the fifth.

Bluffton slugged six doubles, a triple and a home run to amass eight extra-base hits among their 16 hits in just four team times at bat.

Lauren Bassett hit for the cycle with a single, double, triple and home run. She knocked in four runs and scored twice in four at bats.

The Pirate girls improved to 8-9 overall and 3-3 in the NWC with the blowout victory.

The Bearcats fell to 3-12 overall and 1-5 in the NWC with the defeat.  

Karleigh Davis also rapped out four hits, including a double and two RBI with two runs scored.

Winning Pirate hurler Hannah Davis slugged two doubles, singled and drove in four runs. She also scored two runs.

Davis hurled five innings, allowing one earned run and five hits with four strikeouts. 

Faith Maple hit a double, single and scored a run while driving in two more teammates. Julia Mehaffie collected two hits, two RBI and a run. Olivia Hobensack amassed two hits, two runs, three RBI and a stolen base.

Olivia Matthews hit a double, singled, scored two runs and drove in a run. Leadoff hitter Ashley Fleece knocked out two hits and scored a run. 

Boop doubled twice for Spencerville.

Bluffton left six runners on base compared to four by the Bearcats.

        123 456 7    R   H       E

S’VILLE  002 20xx 4  5 1

BLUFFTON      078 3xxx 18 16 4

LOB--SPENCERVILLE 4, BLUFFTON 6. 

E--K Lee, Lauren Bassett,Ashley Fleece, Olivia Hobensack (2). 

2B--J Boop (2), Lauren Bassett, Karliegh Davis, Hannah Davis (2), Olivia Matthews,

Faith Maple. 

3B--Lauren Bassett. 

HR--Lauren Bassett.

 SPENCERVILLE      IP     H    R    ER   BB   SO   HR

K Lee                          2.67   16   13   13    1     1      1

L Rowland                 0.33   2    2      2     2     0      0

A Post                         1.0    5    3       3     0     1      0

 BLUFFTON                   

Hannah Davis           5.0    5    4      1     0    4      0

BB--Dyllan Worcester, Olivia Matthews, Faith Maple.