Danville belts way past Ada; advances to Elite Eight

There’s something about seeing a Bulldog wearing purple that gets the competitive juices flowing for Danville athletes.

Thursday, it wasn’t their normal rivals in East Knox, but the Ada Bulldogs that the Danville softball team was competing against.

The different name on the jersey didn’t matter, as Danville cranked out 14 hits and beat the Bulldogs, 12-2, in the Division VI regional semifinal game Thursday at Bellefontaine. The victory puts the Blue Devils (22-5) into the regional finals against New Madison Tri-Village on Saturday at Bellefontaine at noon. The winner gets a trip to Akron’s Firestone Stadium for the state Final Four.

The bats came alive in a huge way Thursday for the Devils, as they scored in five of the seven innings. After two quick outs to start the game, the bats woke up, as Ruby Bartok and Morgan Hinkens both singled. Dalayna Parker then stroked a double, scoring two runs.

Danville added two more in the third inning on solo home runs by Bartok and Liz John, then cracked the scoreboard for four more in the fourth. Kaylee Martin singled home Ryleigh Geog, who had walked and then stole second and third. Three straight walks gave the Devils another run, then John singled in another runner. A final bases loaded walk put the Devils up 8-0.

The Blue Devis put the game on ice with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Five straight singles – by Geog, Martin, Bocock, Bartok and Hinkens – plated the three runs.

On the day, Bartok led the offense with a home run, three singles and two RBI. John added a single and two RBI to go along with her home run, while Martin and Hinkens both had two singles. Parker doubled, and Bocock, Taylor Meade and Geog had one single apiece.

Bocock continued her mastery on the mound, striking out 13 Bulldog batters. She did allow eight hits and one walk.