The Central Cambria Red Devils will take on the Bedford Bisons at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. The last three games Central Cambria has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Central Cambria took a loss when they played away from home on Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Westmont Hilltop, sneaking past 13-11.
The team relied heavily on Sophia Blasko, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and one double. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season. Avery Biter was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three runs.
Central Cambria hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least four batters in four consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Bedford never let their opponents score on Friday. They put the hurt on North Star with a sharp 14-0 victory. The Bisons might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 11 matchups by six runs or more this season.
Emma Byers made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out six over four innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Bedford let Rebekah Costal and Leah Nee run wild. Costal went a perfect 2-for-2 with four RBI, two runs, and one stolen base, while Nee got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs, two RBI, and one double. Those four RBI gave Costal a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Bailey Mickle, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with three runs and one RBI.
Central Cambria pushed their record up to 14-4 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.5 runs on average over those games. As for Bedford, they are on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last ten contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 13-7 record this season.
Central Cambria beat Bedford 12-9 in their previous meeting back in April. Do the Red Devils have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bisons turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
