PAULDING – The Tinora Lady Rams had a shot at clinching the outright GMC championship on Wednesday with a win over the Paulding Panthers in a makeup game from an early season postponement.

It took a few innings, but the Lady Rams finally found the scoreboard with a single run in the top of the third. Senior Tanae Smith would single off Paulding started Jayln Klopfenstein to start the inning, followed by fellow senior Tegan Norden who would collect her second of four hits on the day as she would also single. Smith would be forced out at third on a Paige Gamby fielders choice on a great play by Paulding shortstop Tia Mendez.

Norden would score the first run of the game on an RBI single by senior Scylea Zolman to give Tinora a 1-0 advantage.

The Panthers would collect their first hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth of Tinora starter, Scylea Zolman. Paulding’s Maci Kauser lined a single into left field, and she would motor around to third on a Lady Rams throwing error into the infield. Cadance Schwab would hit a fielders choice to third, scoring Kauser to tie the game at 1-1 after four innings.

Tinora would grab a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth with a two out rally. After Jayln Klopfenstein retired the first two Lady Rams, Norden, and Gamby, Zolman would walk to start the uprising. Madison Spangler would hit a deep fly to right, which resulted in an error, Zolman, running on the pitch, would easily score from first to break the tie, 2-1. Freshman Zoe Billings would follow with an RBI single to center, plating Spangler for a 3-1 lead for Tinora.

The Lady Rams bats would explode in the top of the sixth as six of seven batters would reach via hits off Paulding’s Jayln Klopfenstein.

Tinora leadoff hitter Trynity Koerber’s single starting the rumblings. Koerber would score on Tegan Norden’s triple to give the Lady Rams a 4-1 lead. Norden would score on a Paige Gamby absolute tape measure homerun to center to give the Lady Rams a 6-1 lead.

Scylea Zolman would follow with a second tape measure shot, the solo homerun put the Lady Rams on top 7-1.

Paulding would score a single run in the bottom of the sixth. Maci Kauser would reach on an error, while teammate Cadance Schwab would follow with a single, putting two Panthers on with one out. Kauser would come around and score on a Tinora infield error. Lady Rams starter Scylea Zolman worked out of the jam with minimal damage as Tinora led 8-2 after six innings of play.

Zolman would retire the Panthers in the bottom of the seventh for the win, and the outright GMC championship.

Scylea Zolman would improve her record to 16-1, she would allow just three hits and didn’t allow an earned run in the Tinora win.

Congratulations to Coach Fairchild, his great staff and the Lady Rams on their GMC title!

Overall title for the Lady Rams in Softball – 1992, 2002, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2024.

Tinora improves to 19-3, 7-0 in the GMC. Tinora will play in the Sectional Finals on Friday at Tinora, 5 pm start.

Paulding falls to 12-4 and will play Defiance on Thursday before starting the tournament, Friday, at home

The Higbea Embroidery Player of the Game went to Tegan Norden, congratulations, Tegan!

Interview with Micael Hirn – Coach Fairchild:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aroundthehirn/episodes/Week-One-Hundred-Forty-Three-e2jcbde

Watch back the GMC clincher: