Central Cambria has won three straight games at home, while River Valley has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Wednesday. The Red Devils will welcome the Panthers at 5:00 p.m. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
While Central Cambria's victory against Penn Cambria wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Red Devils narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Panthers 2-1. The Red Devils haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive victory against them.
Aubrey Ruddek spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on five hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Keira Link was incredible, firing off two home runs while going 2-for-3. That's the most home runs she has posted since back in March of 2024.
Meanwhile, River Valley won against Purchase Line on Wednesday with five runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Friday. The Panthers sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-3 win over the Red Dragons.
River Valley also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Sara Bollinger gave up three earned runs on nine hits.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Maddie Twinchek, who fired off two home runs and three RBI while going 2-for-4. Those home runs were her first of the season. Lilian Buckles was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run.
River Valley lost a few balls and finished the game with three home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Central Cambria's victory bumped their record up to 8-3. As for River Valley, their win bumped their record up to 7-0.
Wednesday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Central Cambria hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .345. However, it's not like River Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .345. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
