The spring weather has helped to keep the Lady Pirates bats warmed up and blasting hits, as the Pirates welcomed the Pandora-Gilboa Rockets in a backyard ballgame Wednesday.

The Pirates coming off an 11-1 win against Leipsic, were back on the attack early with a first inning double play by Katie Palte and Ashlin Gable to end the inning for the Rockets.

Brianna Laing led off the Pirates with a walk and quickly earned two stolen bases followed by a run on a missed pitch. Shannon McKamey and Ashlin Gable kept the hits coming, McKamey with a single and a stolen base and Gable batting in McKamey with a base hit.

Pandora answered with a strike out and a nice catch in left field off a blast from Adrian Rumer. Bluffton's bats did not stay quiet for long, as Mariah Welch blasted a double, Katie Palte added a two run single, and Sierra Amstutz a base hit to end the first inning with five runs.

The defenses stepped up play in the 2nd and 3rd innings. The Rockets allowed only Laing to score in the second after a fielded out at 1st hit by Molly Lengyel. Welch tagged up on third after a fly out by Kayla Longworth to score the only run for the Pirates in the third inning.

The Pirates continued stingy defense holding the Rockets scoreless through three innings. The Rockets came to life in the fourth, launching a bases loaded double to center field, scoring two runs. Pandora was able to add two more runs before the defense settled bringing the score to 7-4.

McKamey crossed the plate, on another missed pitch, for the Pirates only score in the fourth. Anna Crisp replaced Longworth at pitcher in the fifth, striking out one Rocket batter and allowing two runs to bring the Rockets within two at 8-6.

The Pirates backed up their relief pitcher by cramming in seven runs in the bottom of the fifth. After a walk by Longworth, pinch runner Alexis Luginbihl was able to advance bases and score on passed balls. Laing and McKamey started off the Pirates hits with singles. Laing scoring on a fly out to center field by Ashlin Gable and McKamey crossing the plate on a fielded out to 1st by Lengyel.

The Pirates again found themselves in an all too familiar two out situation. Adrian Rumer, Welch and Palte rallied the Pirates with base hits. Welch bringing home Rumer and Palte batting home Welch. Palte advanced and scored on missed pitches.

Longworth and Laing rounded out the inning with a single and a double, Longworth driving in the seventh run. The Pirates were again looking for a short night, needing only one run in the sixth to end the game early.

Gable quickly placed herself on base with a single, and was joined by Lengyel after a walk. Rumer added a base hit with Pandora getting the force out on Gable at third. Welch cracked a single to bring up bases loaded, and Palte was walked bringing in the final run to end the game 16-6 in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Kayla Longworth (4-3) was the winning pitcher with 4 K's and 1 walk. The Pirates tallied 9 stolen bases for the day. The Pirates are back in action hosting Ada in conference play Thursday at Harmon Field.

With the win, Bluffton improved to 5-4; P-G seeks its first win.

Bluffton Stats:

Longworth WP (4-3) 4 strike outs 1 walk
Crisp 1 stike out

Top Hitters:
Brianna Laing 3/4, 2-2B, 2 stolen bases, 3 runs, 2 RBI's
Mariah Welch 3/5, 1-1B
Katie Palte 2/4, 4 RBI's
Shannon McKamey 2/4, 3 stolen bases, 3 runs
Molly Lengyel 2 RBI's
Ashlin Gable 2 RBI's