PIAA Class 5A Softball Championship

Penn-Trafford (23-3) vs Greencastle-Antrim (22-3) – Friday 4 p.m. at Beard Field, Penn State University

Pregame at 3:40 p.m. on WSN Audio - LISTEN LIVE

WSN Broadcasters: Sean Meyers and Dan Flickinger

About the Blue Devils: Greencastle-Antrim finished as the third-place team from District 3, but the Blue Devils have cruised through the state tournament. After defeating Marple Newton 9-1 in the opening round, Greencastle-Antrim posted consecutive shutouts. Last week, the Blue Devils blanked North Pocono 3-0, and followed with a 13-0 triumph in five innings against West Chester East on Monday at Hershey High School. Senior Meadow Gambacurta, a Bucknell University commit, paces the Blue Devils’ offense, hitting .486 with team-leading 44 RBIs and five homers, as well as 39 runs scored. Classmate Caroline Logsdon has produced a .453 average, pacing the squad with 41 runs and 24 stolen bases. Both players, along with sophomore pitcher Kiersten Swain, were First-Team Mid-Penn Colonial honorees. Swain has accumulated a record of 13-2 in the circle, boasting an ERA of 1.36 in 87.1 innings, issuing 20 walks while racking up 126 strikeouts. The Blue Devils have outscored their opponents by a margin of 234-56. Head coach Mark DeCarli is in his 13th season at the helm. Greencastle-Antrim’s lone state title appearance was in 2009, when the Blue Devils claimed Class AAA gold with a 1-0 victory in nine innings against Bethlehem Catholic.

About the Warriors: After a heartbreaking extra-innings loss against Shaler Area in the WPIAL Class 5A Championship, Penn-Trafford has rebounded with three wins in the state bracket. The Warriors edged Central Mountain, the team that ousted them from the PIAA postseason last year, with a 3-2 victory to commence the 2025 state tournament. PT followed with a 6-5 walk-off victory against Red Land, the District 3 Champion, in the quarterfinals. On Monday, the Warriors notched an 8-2 triumph against West Allegheny at Pleasant Valley Elementary School. On the campaign, senior Cam Ponko, an IUP pledge, has been the top catalyst, hitting .486 while racking up 37 RBIs, 35 runs, and eight homers, all team-highs. Bella Rubbe, another senior who is committed to the Crimson Hawks, boasts a .431 average with 24 RBIs, 17 runs, and three homers, while Kylie Anthony, a Westminster signee, is batting .388 with 18 runs batted in, 21 runs, and three home runs. Sophomore hurler Allyson Paulone has compiled a mark of 17-2 with one save, amassing an earned-run-average of 2.18 with 35 walks and 79 strikeouts in 141.1 innings. PT boasts a scoring margin of 222-70 on the year. Denny Little, a PT grad, is in his ninth season leading the Warriors. He guided the team to its lone state title in 2019, a 5-3 victory against Lampeter-Strasburg.