Softball Game Preview: Howland Tigers vs. Boardman Spartans

The Howland Tigers will head out on the road to square off against the Boardman Spartans at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. The last four games Howland has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.

Howland fought the good fight in their extra-innings matchup against Champion on Thursday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They might be feeling deja-vu: they lost 6-5 to the Golden Flashes, which was the same score (and result) they got the week prior.

Madison Schmitz was cooking despite her team's loss, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, three stolen bases, and three runs.

Meanwhile, Boardman had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13.7 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Saturday. They had just enough and edged out the Warriors 7-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Spartans have posted since April 16th.

Addie Kowacich made a big impact no matter where she played. She pitched 6.1 innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off ten hits. What's more, she posted five strikeouts, the most she's had since back in April. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Addie Rudge, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and three runs.

Boardman's record is now 14-7. As for Howland, their loss dropped their record down to 13-6.

Howland came up short against Boardman in their previous matchup back in May of 2025, falling 5-0. Can the Tigers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.