By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Host Bluffton outlasted Paulding 11-9 in an early-season Northwest Conference softball showdown of league leaders Thursday evening.
The first-place Lady Pirates improved to 9-1 overall and 3-0 in league play with the win, while the Panthers fell to 7-2 and 2-1 in the NWC after the defeat.
Bluffton hurler Libby Schaadt improved her record to 8-1 on the strength of a complete-game effort by scattering 10 hits. She struck out one Panther and walked four. Only three of the Panther runs were earned.
By Cort Reynolds
CONVOY - Visiting Bluffton knocked out 20 hits to whip perennial power Crestview 16-5 in Northwest Conference softball play Monday evening.
Bluffton improved to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in the NWC by scoring 13 runs in its final two at bats. Meanwhile, Crestview fell to 5-2 and 1-1 in the league after the defeat.
Pirate hurler Libby Schaadt improved to 6-1 with a complete-game six-hitter. She struck out 11 Lady Knights and gave up five earned runs.
Schaadt aided her own cause with a three-run home run and a single.
By Cort Reynolds
FINDLAY - The visiting Bluffton softball squad swept a high-scoring twinbill at non-league foe Liberty-Benton Saturday.
The wins upped the Lady Pirate record to 6-1.
Bluffton won the opener 8-5 behind the pitching and hitting of Libby Schaadt. In game two, the Pirates held off an eight-run rally by L-B in the bottom of the seventh to preserve a 19-18 victory.
By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Host Bluffton blanked Celina 5-0 in boys tennis action Thursday evening.
Drew Wilson won 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 at first singles to get the Pirates off to a good start.
Mack Burner rallied to win a tight three-setter at second singles by a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) count via a decisive tiebreaker.
Jordan Siefer rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles.
Grant Klinger and Eden Nygaard teamed up to win 6-2, 6-0 at first doubles. Tre Bender and Bryan Zimmerman made it a clean sweep at second doubles with a 6-2, 6-2 victory.
By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - The visiting Ada softball team lost an 11-3 decision at Bluffton in the Northwest Conference opener on a chilly Thursday evening.
The purple and gold dropped to 2-3 and 0-1 in the NWC with the defeat. Bluffton improved to 4-1 and 1-0 in league play with the victory.
The Pirates scored in all six frames they batted. They tallied two times in the first and three more in the second to take a 5-2 lead. Two runs in each of the third and fourth frames extended the margin to 9-2.
