CC teammates welcome Rowyn Ruddek after her two-run home run in the first. Photo for the Mirror by Roger Kerekes

JOHNSTOWN — Central Cambria grabbed a quick 4-0 lead, only to watch it evaporate within two innings.

Westmont Hilltop tied the score with a run in the first inning, and three in the second. Back-to-back RBI doubles by Abby Rozich and Sarah Gibbons lifted the third-seeded Hilltoppers to a 6-4 victory against the Red Devils in a District 6 Class 3A softball playoff game on Monday at Westmont Hilltop High School.

Monday marked the final game for senior catcher Kathryn Scott. Scott, a four-year starter, batted .532 with six doubles and 12 runs batted in.

“We have a young team, and we have a lot of potential,” head coach Stephen Ruddek said. “Losing Scott is going to be difficult. But we have a really good young team, and I think we can rebound from this for sure.”

The Red Devils appeared to be poised to avenge a 10-9 extra-inning loss that they had suffered at Westmont Hilltop’s hands on April 27. Scott led off the game with a hit batsman. Avery Biter followed with a two-run home run off Rozich, and Central Cambria starting pitcher Rowyn Ruddek followed with a two-run homer that bounced off the top of the left-field fence and over.

Rozich promptly retired the next nine batters, and watched her teammates bail her out.

“She’s a tough kid. A great player. She was a beast today. She rebounded after that first inning, and she was hitting the ball all over the place. It was a great, great performance by her today,” Westmont Hilltop coach Dave Lynch said.

The lead did not last long. Liz Veranese forced in a run with a two-out based loaded walk in the bottom of the first inning. Sarah Gibbons drove in two with a two-out double and Bella Kist added an RBI single that tied the score at 4.

“We lost our momentum at that point,” Ruddek said.

Central Cambria threatened to retake the lead in the top of the sixth inning when Abby Claar reached base on an error. Hayden Turner singled to left, and Claar was initially ruled safe at third by umpire Landon Graham. Graham, who took over at home plate after Wes Myers had to leave the game because of illness, conferred with third-base Andy Waligora at Lynch’s request. Claar was then ruled out to end the scoring threat.

Ruddek voiced his disagreement with the call, but chose not to say anything on record.

“I asked if they could discuss that because I thought (Waligore) had a better angle on it, which he did,” Lynch said.

Back-to-back RBI doubles by Rozich and Gibbons in the home half of the sixth put the third-seeded Hilltoppers on top for good.

“They’re a great team. We’ve said that every time we’ve played them. We had too many miscues at the wrong moments,” Ruddek said.

CENTRAL CAMBRIA (4): Scott c 312, Biter 2b 411, Matlin cf 412, Sinclair ss 400, Ruddek p-ss 311, Claar 3b 301, Ferguson 1b 300, Turner rf 301, Neves dp-p 300, Sheehan lf 000. Totals — 30-4-8.

WESTMONT HILLTOP (6): Muto cf 400, Rozich p 322, Gibbons 3b 322, Kist c 202, Gilbert pr 000,  Dunbar 1b 300, Veranse rf 200, Lynch ss 300, Stephens dp 311, Sweeney lf 000, Rudolph 2b 311. Totals — 26-6-8.

SCORE BY INNINGS

Central Cambria 400 000 0 — 4 8 2

Westmont Hilltop 130 002 x — 6 8 1

E–Ruddek, Claar, Lynch. LOB–Central Cambria 6, Westmont Hilltop 7. 2B–Neves, Claar, Scott, Gibbons 2, Rozich. HR–Biter, Ruddek. CS–Ruddek. SB– Sweeney.

Central Cambria pitching

Ruddek: 5 1/3 IP 8 H 8 R 7 ER 2 BB 5 SO

Neves: 2/3 IP 0 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 0 SO

Westmont Hilltop pitching

Rozich: 7 IP 8 H 4 R 4 ER 1 BB 4 SO

HBP–Scott, Kist (by Rozich), Gilbert (by Neves). WP–Ruddek 2,

Umpires–Home, Wes Myers (left game in second inning); First, London Graham, moved to home plate in second inning; Second, Dave Moreau, moved to first in second inning; Third, Andy Waligora.

Records: Central Cambria (14-7), Westmont Hilltop (17-3).