The Shade Panthers will head out on the road to challenge the Windber Ramblers at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Shade is coming into the game hot, having won their last seven games.
On Tuesday, Shade beat Turkeyfoot Valley Area 9-6.
Payton Maddy made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over seven innings while giving up five earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. Maddy was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Hayden Maddy
| 05/05/26 vs Turkeyfoot Valley Area | 4 |
| 05/01/26 @ North Star | 3 |
| 04/30/26 vs Ferndale | 3 |
| 04/27/26 @ Rockwood | 3 |
| 04/20/26 @ Ferndale | 3 |
In other batting news, Hayden Maddy was incredible, going 2-for-4 with four RBI, one triple, and one run. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Patty Kovacs also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Shade kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in seven consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Windber never let their opponents score on Tuesday. They walked away with a 5-0 win over North Star.
Like Shade, Windber also got a great game from a two-way player: Rylee Baer. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 15 over seven innings pitched. Baer has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two hits in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kaylie Gaye, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run. Another player making a difference was Cameron Mash, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
Shade's record is now 9-2. As for Windber, their record now sits at 11-3.
Wednesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Shade hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .394. However, it's not like Windber struggles in that department as they've averaged .364. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Shade came up short against Windber when the teams last played back in April of 2024, falling 12-9. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
