Cambridge Springs heads to North Allegheny for Elite Eight matchup

The Cambridge Springs softball team is one of eight left standing in the PIAA Class 1A bracket. The Blue Devils will seek to become one of the final four in today’s game against Berlin Brothersvalley at North Allegheny High School at noon.

Berlin Brothersvalley (19-3) is the District 5 champion. The Mountaineers beat District 7 runner-up Carmichaels 3-0 on Tuesday.

The Mountaineers are led by all-state first baseman Elena Ritchey. Ritchey, only a sophomore, has nine home runs, 33 hits, 38 RBIs, 28 runs and a .559 average this season.

All in all, five players bat over .400 for the Mountaineers — Elsie Barna (.500), Sam Walker (.493), Coral Prosser (.473) and Sydney Walker (.412). Sydney Walker and Barna have six and three home runs on the year, respectively. Prosser leads the team in hits (35) and Sam Walker had 33 hits.

“We know that they have three lefties and that they have a couple big hitters. Preparing for this game is Cambridge softball, all out and do the fundamentals,” Cambridge Springs head coach Angie Mumford said. “We focus on the little details. The farther you get in the playoffs the better pitching and hitters you will face. We are continuing to believe in each other and trust the process to peak at the right time.”

On the year, Berlin Brothersvalley averages more than 10 runs per game (10.2) and allows only 2.3. Ritchey had pitched 47 innings and has a 1.49 ERA. She’s struck out 62 and walked 10 with 10 earned runs. Sam Walker has a 2.80 ERA in 77 innings pitched. Walker has 26 earned runs with 89 strikeouts and 30 walks.

On the bump for Cambridge Springs is Kayla Crawford. Crawford has been on fire this postseason with three shutouts, eight hits allowed, four walks and 35 strikeouts. On the season, she has a 1.03 ERA with 189 strikeouts and 15 earned runs.

The Blue Devils are the District 10 champions and shut out West Greene 9-0 on Tuesday.

In that win, Jaydan Simmons had two home runs. Morgan Dunton, Aubrie Crawford and Jada Murawksi each added two hits in the win.

Today’s winner will play in the state semifinals on Monday against either Union Area or DuBois Central Catholic.

Cambridge Springs’ last trip to the state quarterfinals was in 2021 in an extra-innings loss to West Greene.

The program’s last appearance in the state semifinals was 2015 when the Blue Devils lost in extra innings to Deer Lakes.