Evan Edwards slams the ball over the fence by more than 20’ in this incredible hit for the Panthers. More pictures at westbendnews.net
PAULDING – The Panther baseball team opened up Division III sectional tournament play on Wednesday with an 8-5 win over visiting Bluffton behind a solid pitching effort from Carson Shull.
Shull tossed a complete game for the maroon and white, striking out three while giving up 13 hits and five runs (four earned). The Panther hurler threw 82 pitches in the contest, 60 of which were strikes.
Evan Edwards had a single and a home run for Paulding, including scoring twice and driving in another run.
Blake McGarvey and Westen Phlipot each added two hits for the Panthers while both also drove in a pair of runs.
Hunter Kauser, Jaret Miller, Shull and Cade McGarvey all had one hit for Paulding.
Bluffton jumped in front in the second inning, scoring three times, before the Panthers answered with a single run in the home half of the frame.
Paulding, though, responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to post a 4-3 advantage.
After the Pirates tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the fifth, the Panthers then added four more in the home half of the fifth for an 8-4 lead.
Bluffton rounded out the scoring with a single run in the top of the seventh to set the final margin at 8-5.
