Softball Recap: Cedar Cliff Comes Up Short

Cedar Cliff had lost nine straight on the road dating back to last season, but on Friday they dropped down to 2-13 to make it ten. They fell 8-5 to the Manheim Central Barons. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Colts of the 9-0 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in March of 2025.

As for Manheim Central, they have been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 8-8 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.3 runs over those games.

For Manheim Central's part, Kendal Newswanger made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching seven innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Newswanger was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.

In other batting news, Manheim Central let Makenna Hess and Mackenzie Pearson run wild. Hess went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI, while Pearson went a perfect 2-for-2 with one run, one double, and one RBI. Hannah Schwebel also deserves some recognition as she got her first hits of the season.

Cedar Cliff and Manheim Central could both be facing uphill battles in their next games considering their disadvantage in the MaxPreps Pennsylvania Rankings. The Colts will square off against State College at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday with a big rank disadvantage (389 vs. 106). Meanwhile, Manheim Central (ranked 307th) will meet Northern Lebanon (ranked 79th) at 6:15 p.m. on Monday.