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EBENSBURG -- The Central Cambria High School softball program had endured rough sledding in the first round of the District 6 playoffs over the past two years, losing opening-round games in both seasons.
On Monday afternoon, freshman Rowyn Ruddek took it upon her shoulders to make sure that the slide didn't continue.
Ruddek's two-run, two-out homer with two strikes against her in the bottom of the eighth inning gave Central Cambria a 12-11 victory over Huntingdon in a District 6 Class 3A quarterfinal game at the Central Cambria High School softball field, ending a marathon struggle in which both teams battled tooth-and-nail.
The win gives third-seeded Central Cambria a berth in Thursday's semifinal matchup on the road against second-seeded Juniata, which advanced with a 6-0 quarterfinal win over seventh-seeded Richland Monday.
In a game in which the lead changed hands several times, sixth-seeded Huntingdon pushed across a run in the top of the eighth inning to go ahead, 11-10, before Liv Janosik drew a two-out walk against Huntingdon pitcher Alivia Nicklow, who threw a complete game on the mound and drove in five runs with a pair of homers.
Ruddek stepped to the plate and squared up a pitch for the game-winning blow, clearing the fence in left-center field and scoring Janosik ahead of her for Central Cambria, which improved its season record to 15-6.
"We have been setting goals all season about where we had wanted to be,'' said Ruddek, who was the starting pitcher and later played second base for Central Cambria in the game. "We hadn't made it through the first round of the playoffs in the past two years, and our biggest goal this year was to make it through that first round.
"When I stepped up to the plate, I just wanted to put the ball in play, but after I hit it, I felt like it might go out and then I heard one of my coaches scream (in celebration) as I was rounding first base.''
Central Cambria head coach Steve Ruddek said that Rowyn, his daughter, is typically not a power hitter, but put a good swing on her game-winning hit.
"She has good speed, but she had hit just one home run this season before today, and we were looking for a gap shot hit from her there,'' Steve Ruddek said. "She just got under (the pitch) and got the right lift on that one.
"Rowyn is a freshman,'' said Steve Ruddek, whose daughter Aubrey, a junior, is also on the team and is Rowyn's older sister. "This has been the biggest hit of (Rowyn's) high school career so far. It's certainly pretty hard to beat a walk-off home run in the playoffs.''
Huntingdon built early leads of 4-0 and 5-2 behind the strength of a solo homer from Nicklow in the fourth inning and a three-run shot from freshman shortstop Julie Foster in the fifth.
Central Cambria bunched five runs on five hits in the sixth inning to take a 7-5 lead. Freshman right fielder Katie George's three-run homer to right-center, a run-scoring single by sophomore catcher Katie Scott, and an RBI double by Janosik were the run-producing hits.
Sixth-seeded Huntingdon (11-8) scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to regain the lead, 10-7. Catcher Izzy Kazmarski drew a bases-loaded walk to force in a run, and Nicklow followed with a grand slam homer to center field to complete the big inning.
Nicklow turned in a gutsy pitching performance for Huntingdon, throwing all eight innings and spacing 13 hits. But never-say-die Central Cambria mounted a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game after its first two batters were retired on fly balls.
George's infield single and a single to left field by Lakelynn Campell set the stage for junior Keira Link's three-run homer to left field, creating a 10-10 tie and forcing extra innings.
In the top of the eighth inning, Huntingdon's Isabella Reynolds drew a leadoff walk against Central Cambria reliever Aubrey Ruddek, advanced two bases on a passed ball and wild pitch, and scored on Foster's forceout as the Lady Bearcats went ahead for the final time, 11-10, but were unable to close the deal.
"This was a good battle against a good team with some very versatile pitching,'' Huntingdon coach Anna Baran said. "We showed up today and kept battling back. It just didn't go our way this time.''
Steve Ruddek offered plenty of praise for both his own team and the Huntingdon squad, and appreciated the spirit and team support that was exhibited by his reserve players Monday.
"Both teams brought tremendous energy that was palpable today, and our bench never let up with offering their support,'' Steve Ruddek said.
"I can't say enough about the Huntingdon team --every time we thought we had the upper hand, they battled back, and it was the same story line for us,'' he added. "It's a shame that either team had to lose this game. But we're excited to get through the first round, which had been a thorn in our side, and we look forward to getting our next chance on Thursday.''
HUNTINGDON (11): Foster ss 321, Kyle lf 512, Kazmarski c 200, Sheffield cr 020, Beaver cr 000, Nicklow p 522, Edwards cf 301, Williams 3b 310, Hillard dh 401, Reynolds 1b 321, Royer 2b 310, Robb rf (flex) 000. Totals - 31-11-8.
CENTRAL CAMBRIA (12): Link 2b-p-ss 532, A. Ruddek ss-p 501, Scott c 412, Blasko 3b 501, L. Janosik 1b 311, R. Ruddek p-2b 422, Matlin cf 410, George rf 422, Campbell dh 312, M. Janosik lf (flex) cr 010. Totals - 37-12-13.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Huntingdon 000 131 51-- 11-8-3
Central Cambria 000 025 32--12-13-0
2B--Link, A. Ruddek, Scott, L. Janosik. HR--A. Nicklow 2, Foster, George, Link, R. Ruddek. RBI--A. Nicklow 5, Foster 4, Hillard, Link 3, George 3, R. Ruddek 2, L. Janosik, Scott. LOB--Central Cambria 7, Huntingdon 5. HP--Foster (by R. Ruddek); Campbell (by Nicklow); Scott (by Nicklow). CS--R. Ruddek (Kazmarski to Williams).
PITCHING
Huntingdon: Nicklow (L) 7 2/3 IP, 13H, 12R, 9ER, BB 3, SO 8.
Central Cambria: R. Ruddek 4 2/3IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 1BB, 7S0; Link 1 2/3IP, 3H, 5R, 5ER, 4BB, 1SO; A. Ruddek (W) 1 2/3IP, 1H, 2R, 1ER, 3BB, 2SO.
Records: Huntingdon (11-9); Central Cambria (15-6).
Umpires: Mike McDermott (plate); Bruce LeGros (first base); Chuck Terek (third base).