Softball Game Preview: Tallmadge Blue Devils vs. Highland Hornets

The Tallmadge Blue Devils will square off against the Highland Hornets at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Tallmadge has five straight victories, Highland has four straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

On Wednesday, Tallmadge needed a bit of extra time to put away Highland. They were the clear victors by a 20-6 margin over the Hornets. The Blue Devils' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.

Larissa Taylor made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI. Those two hits gave her a new career-high.

Sophia Paonessa

Runs (Career)

04/16/25 @ Highland	3
04/14/25 vs Barberton	2
04/07/25 @ Roosevelt	1
04/04/25 vs Cuyahoga Falls	1
04/01/25 @ Revere	1

In other batting news, Tallmadge got a massive performance out of Sophia Paonessa, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, two RBI, and one double. Those three runs gave Paonessa a new career-high. Marissa Charton was another key player, going 4-for-6 with four runs.

Tallmadge kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 22 hits. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post 11 or more hits.

Tallmadge now has a winning record of 6-5. As for Highland, their loss dropped their record down to 2-8.