New league, new title for Lady Highlanders
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By Calem Illig
sports@altoonamirror.com
NORTHERN CAMBRIA -- Despite playing in a new conference this season, the Cambria Heights softball team expected the same riches as last spring.
A season removed from winning the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference crown, the Lady Highlanders entered Wednesday's Heritage Conference title game against River Valley with a rare opportunity to win consecutive championships in different leagues.
Fueled by timely hits in the later innings, Cambria Heights won its second-straight conference title with a 9-3 triumph.
"It's really special to be able to say we've won two different athletic conferences," Heights senior Kennedy Rogal said. "Even though we're in a new conference this year, we wanted to do the same thing as last year."
Cambria Heights (16-1) took command of the game early, courtesy of a Panthers miscue.
A hard grounder to second base from Highlanders senior Karli Storm was bobbled by the River Valley defense, which allowed fellow senior Maddie Bender to score.
With one run on the board, Lexi Griak cracked a double out to center field to bring two more runs home, and ended the big inning with an RBI single to extend the Highlander lead to four.
"We knew coming in that we had to get our bats moving quick," said Bender, who went 3-for-3 in the victory. "We wanted to grab some momentum early."
The Panthers (15-4) retaliated with runs in the fourth and fifth.
Hannah Foust's sacrifice fly scored Isabel Pynos to put the Panthers on the board, and a double from Pynos in the fifth scored two runs to cut Heights' lead to one.
After holding the momentum for much of the game, the Lady Highlanders were suddenly reeling and desperate for a spark.
"We had one bad inning, and I think the kids got a little excited," Heights coach Drew Thomas said. "I told them that there was a lot of baseball left. We just had to stick with it."
Cambria Heights received just the spark it needed from its defense and its ace in the circle.
After allowing three runs, Jenna Serafin locked the door from there and did not allow any hits in the final two innings. She pitched the complete game effort, fanning nine.
"Coming in, we knew we had to perform our best to beat this team," Serafin said. "River Valley is a really good team, and to beat a team like that is huge for us.
Following an RBI triple from Bender in the fifth, the Lady Highlanders were able to close the game out late.
Ellie Bender safely reached home off a passed ball, and a double from Lexi Griak allowed Martina White to score.
Rogal capped off the scoring affair and tallied one final run by posting a sacrifice fly to center field.
Beth Kinney gloved the fly ball from River Valley's Brin Garnder in the top of the seventh to clinch the title for Heights.
"This is a special group of kids," Thomas said. "I couldn't be prouder of them."
Cambria Heights now turns its attention to the District 6 Class 3A playoffs.
The Lady Highlanders, who are the No. 3 seed, are scheduled to host No. 6 Forest Hills Monday.
After winning the program's first-ever district title a season ago, Heights is seeking to defend its title
"We definitely have another run at a district title," Storm said. "We're ready."
RIVER VALLEY (3): Gardner 2b 411, Pynos cf 311, T. Foust c 301, H. Foust p 300, Stutzman 3b 300, Skirball 2b 300, Dunlap lf 300, Artley rf 300, Furman 1b 210. Totals -- 27 3 3.
CAMBRIA HEIGHTS (9): White cf 411, Storm ss 320, 1b Griak 322, Rogal dh 401, Bender 3b 313, Serafin p 201, Kinney rf 300, E. Bender 2b 120, Adams lf 310. Totals -- 26 9 8
SCORE BY INNINGS
River Valley…………………………………………….. 000 120 0 -- 3-3-2
Cambria Heights……………………………………… 004 023 X -- 9-8-0
E -- H.Foust, Skirball. 2B --Griak. 3B--M. Bender. RBI--Rogal 2, Griak 2, White, Serafin, M. Bender, H. Foust.
PITCHING
River Valley: H. Foust (L)--6 IP, 8H, 8K, 5BB, 9R, 6ER. Cambria Heights: Serafin (W)-- 7 IL, 3H, 9K, 1BB, 3R, 3ER.
Records: Cambria Heights (16-1); River Valley (15-4).