Softball Game Preview: Coldwater Cavaliers vs. Elida Bulldogs

The Coldwater Cavaliers will challenge the Elida Bulldogs at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.

Coldwater came out on top against Allen East on Friday thanks in part to the team's impressive seven-run fifth inning. The Cavaliers were the clear victors by a 12-2 margin over the Mustangs. The Cavaliers have beaten the Mustangs the last three times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Mustangs has come to flipping the script.

Meanwhile, Elida waltzed into their matchup on Friday with nine straight wins... but they left with ten. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 18-16 victory over Defiance.

Carly Chiles and Ava Jackson did most of the damage at the plate: Chiles went 3-for-5 with one home run and five RBI, while Jackson got on base in all five of her plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most hits Chiles has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Claire Dingledine, who went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBI.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Elida kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 19 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in six consecutive games.

Elida's win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-5. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.2 runs over those games. As for Coldwater, they picked up their first home win, bumping their record up to 4-8.

Coldwater beat Elida 4-0 in their previous matchup back in May of 2023. Will the Cavaliers repeat their success, or do the Bulldogs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.