05/23/24 Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Forest Hills' Xander Richardson steals senocd base by Central Cambria shortstop Grady Snyder.

By John Hartsock

jhartsock@altoonamirror.com

SIDMAN — The 2024 Central Cambria High School baseball team continues to make a big name for itself.

After the fourth-seeded Red Devils won their school’s first baseball playoff game since 2011 last week, Central Cambria did itself even better Thursday afternoon, riding a quick start in the first inning and a solid pitching effort from junior left-hander Owen Herringer to upend top-seeded Forest Hills, 7-3, in a District 6 Class 3A semifinal round game that was played on the Rangers’ home field.

Thursday’s victory earns Central Cambria (14-7) a berth in the District 6 Class 3A championship game against third-seeded Central this Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Altoona’s Vets Field. It will be Central Cambria’s first-ever appearance in a district baseball championship game.

“It feels amazing — it’s the best feeling that you could have,” said Herringer, who worked 6• innings, throwing 86 pitches, spacing 10 hits and allowing just three runs, while striking out four batters and walking only one, said of his team reaching the district championship game.

Thursday’s win also felt great for Central Cambria coach Dan Beyer — a graduate of Forest Hills, where he played on the varsity baseball team awhile back.

“To go from being under .500 for the season the last few years and having not won a playoff game since 2011 to reaching the district championship game this season for the first time in school history, and to do it here at my alma mater, on the field where I once played, is a surreal feeling,” Beyer said.

Central Cambria got a jump start in Thursday’s game by scoring three unearned runs in the first inning and tacking on another unearned run in the second inning to take an early 4-0 lead that would wind up standing.

In the first inning, Logan Black reached base on a one-out fielder’s choice, advanced to second when Joe Iacano walked, and scored on Blake Coposky’s single to center field against Forest Hills starting pitcher Chase Williamson. Brayden Blasko followed with a single to center to plate Iacano, and Jack Muldoon – who was inserted as a courtesy runner for Blasko — eventually scored the third run of the inning when Ben Howard drew a bases-loaded walk.

Central Cambria increased its lead to 4-0 in the second inning, when Snyder walked, moved to third on another throwing error, and scored on Black’s groundout.

“We couldn’t have had a worse start with the walks and the errors,” said Forest Hills coach Joe Carpenter, whose team finished a 12-6 season. “Central Cambria is a scrappy team and their pitcher (Herringer) is a nice left-handed pitcher who keeps batters off-stride and doesn’t walk many.”

Beyer said that Thursday’s strong pitching effort has been par for the course for Herringer this season.

“What you saw today, Owen has been doing game in and game out this season,” Beyer said. “We have good pitchers, and he has been our ace this entire season.”

Forest Hills pulled to within 4-3 by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning – which proved to be Herringer’s only glitch. After Nate Cornell doubled, Bryce Roberts unloaded a home run over the left field fence to make it a 4-2 game. Xander Richardson singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored the third run of the inning for Forest Hills on Gage Ruddek’s single to left field.

Central Cambria cemented the victory with three runs of its own in the top of the sixth inning. Howard led off with a double, and after Williamson was removed when he had reached the PIAA’s 100-pitch limit, Richardson was brought in to pitch.

He intentionally walked Snyder, and also walked Black to load the bases with one out. A wild pitch allowed Howard to score from third, and moved the other runners, Snyder and Black, both up a base. They both wound up scoring when Iacano smoked a double down the left-field line.

“I was just looking for the clutch drive there to help my teammates,” Iacano said. “This team is like a brotherhood that has been playing together multiple years. We wanted to have a successful season this year, and that has motivated us the entire way.”

Thursday’s win guarantees a berth in the PIAA playoffs, regardless of next Wednesday’s outcome. But Beyer and the Red Devils would love to move on to states as district champions.

“We didn’t play Central this year, but they’re always a solid team,” Beyer said. “They’re a good group of kids. It will be a fun district title game.”

CENTRAL CAMBRIA (7): Snyder ss 321, Black 2b-p 320, Iacano cf 311, Coposky 1b 301, Blaskoc 401, Muldoon cr 010, Washko lf 300, Russell dh 401, McConnell cr 000, Howard rf 211, Serenko 3b-2b 401, Kirsch 3b 000, Herringer p 000. Totals – 29-7-7.

FOREST HILLS (3): Williamson p-cf 300, Oris ss 403, Cornell 3b 411, Roberts c 311, Geisel cr 000, Richardson cf-p 312, Ruddek lf 301, Dombrosky 1b 000, Christ dh 301, Forcellini 2b 301, Custer rf 300. Totals – 29-3-10.

SCORE BY INNINGS

Central Cambria 310 003 0–7-7-0

Forest Hills 000 300 0–3-10-2

E–Williamson 2. 2B–Iacano, Howard, Cornell. HR–Roberts. RBI–Iacano 2, Black, Coposky, Blasko, Howard, Roberts 2, Ruddek. LOB–Central Cambria 8, Forest Hills 6. SB–Snyder. HBP–Roberts (by Herringer).

PITCHING

Central Cambria: Herringer (W) 6 1/3IP, 10H, 3R, 3ER, 1BB, 4 SO; Black (SV) 2/3IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0SO.

Forest Hills: Williamson (L) 5 1/3 IP, 5H, 5R, 1ER, 4BB, 2SO; Richardson 1 2/3IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 2SO.

Umpires: Francis Holtz (plate); Shawn Sinclair (first base); Alex Fedor (third base).

Time of game: 1:54.