Softball Game Preview: Paulding Panthers vs. Edon Bombers

Paulding is a perfect 4-0 against Edon since April of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Panthers will host the Bombers at 11:00 a.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Paulding has three straight victories, Edon has three straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

Paulding will bounce into Saturday's contest after beating Tinora, who they had gone 0-3 against in their three prior meetings. The Panthers were the clear victors by an 8-2 margin over the Rams on Friday. The result was nothing new for the Panthers, who have now won five matches by six runs or more so far this season.

Tia Mendez

Batters Struck Out

04/18/25 @ Tinora	9
04/17/25 vs Hicksville	13
04/14/25 @ Holgate	5
04/12/25 vs Continental	10
04/12/25 vs Elmwood	5
+ 3 more games

Tia Mendez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on five hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Paulding let Mariah Klopfenstein and Cadence Schwab run wild. Klopfenstein went 3-for-5 with one home run, four RBI, and one double, while Schwab went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. That's the most hits Schwab has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Civil Pumphrey, who went 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Paulding kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are 5-1 when they post 11 or more hits.

Edon couldn't beat Montpelier on Thursday even though they stacked seven runs on them in the fourth inning. The Bombers lost 17-7 to the Locomotives.

Edon's defeat dropped their record down to 1-8. As for Paulding, their win bumped their record up to 7-4.

Paulding took their victory against Edon when the teams last played back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 20-2 score. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Bombers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.