Black Knights outslug Stockaders

VAN BUREN 12OLD FORT 10VAN BUREN – Van Buren scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and needed every one of them to outlast Old Fort 12-10 in a softball slugfest on Saturday.Van Buren pounded out 18 hits, with Audrey Riegle (1B, 2B, HR), Claire Miller (2-1B, 2B) and Ava DeCooman (2-1B, 3B) collecting three each. Jordan Patton, Avery Beall, Andrea Groman and Haidyn Sattler all had two.Bella Abdoo had two singles, a double and a triple, Abbi Ward singled, doubled and homered, and Claire Hunker had three hits and drove in four runs for Old Fort (5-10).Van Buren improved to 6-9 overall heading into a key stretch of games. The Black Knights, the only Blanchard Valley Conference team still unbeaten (3-0) in league play, will host Arcadia (8-7, 5-1 BVC) today and Liberty-Benton (12-6, 4-1 BVC) on Wednesday.Old Fort 220 130 2—10 13 4Van Buren 110 037 x—12 18 4WP—Patton. LP—Baker. TOP HITTERS: (OF) Ward 1B, 2B, HR, 2 RBI; Hunker 3-1B, 4 RBI; Abdoo 2-1B, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI. (VB) Patton 2-1B, RBI; Miller 2-1B, 2B, 3 RBI; Riegle, 1B, 2B, HR, RBI; Beall 2-1B, RBI; DeCooman 2-1B, 3B, 2 RBI; Groman 2-1B, Sattler 2-1B, 2 RBI. BRYAN 5ELMWOOD 0BLOOMDALE – Thea Staten and the Bryan Bears were all they were projected to be on Saturday when they traveled to Bloomdale and blanked Elmwood 5-0 in a matchup of state-ranked softball teams.A senior right-hander with over 1,000 career strikeouts, Staten gave up just one hit and struck out 18 Elmwood batters.Staten also hit a home run – one of two by the Bears – as Bryan, ranked No. 2 in the state among Ohio's Division IV schools, upped its undefeated record to 13-0.The loss was only the third in 18 games for Elmwood, 15-3 and ranked No. 9 in Division V. LINCOLNVIEW 10ADA 0ADA – Lincolnview got it done at the plate and inside the pitching circle in posting a 10-0 softball win over Ada.The Lancers improved to 12-4 in the matchup of former Northwest Conference rivals. Ada slipped to 14-3.