By Cort Reynolds
ELIDA - Host Elida defeated the Bluffton aoftball team 4-2 in a close non-league game Monday night.

The Lady Pirates fell to 0-5 with the defeat, while the Bulldog girls improved to 2-2 after the win.

Elida plated single runs in each of the first two innings. Bluffton halved the deficit with a run in the top of the fourth inning. 

The hosts responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth frame, and added one more in the fifth to go ahead 4-1.

The Pirate girls tallied a run in the top of the seventh to edge within a pair, but came up two short.

Pirates Ashley Fleece and Kennedi Jordan each singled twice. Dyllan Worcester collected two singles and one RBI. Bluffton pitcher Grace Myers added a single.

The Pirate girls out-hit Elida, 8-6. But they committed three errors while Elida made no miscues.

    123    456    7    R        H        E 
Blf     000    100    1    2    8    3    
Eli    110    110    x    4    6    0
WP-L. Ramirez    LP-Myers(0-4)
2B-E. Suever 2 (E), M. Miller (E), K. Biglow (E)     
3B-L. Moening (E)

Bluffton's Northwest Conference opener is set for Thursday, April 8 at Delphos Jefferson (0-5).

The Bluffton boys tennis match at home vs. Defiance was postponed Monday due to rain. They hosy Napoleon Tuesday, April 6.