Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Payton Frank singles during Saturday’s softball game against Cambridge Springs at Werner Park.

RUSSELL — The Eisenhower softball team might have come into Saturday’s game tired from their slugfest with Youngsville the day before, but they hung right with Cambridge Springs in a game that was closer than the 9-1 score would indicate.

Both pitchers brought their “A” game to Werner Park, but it was the Blue Devils’ Kayla Crawford who won the pitching duel, striking out 16 Eisenhower batters. Crawford tossed 113 pitches of which 71 were strikes while the Knights’ Sammy Childs threw 117 pitches with 74 being strikes.

Cambridge Springs scored two runs in both the first and second innings to take a 4-0 lead, and Crawford struck out eight of the next nine Eisenhower batters.

The score remained 4-0 until the top of the sixth inning when Cambridge Springs added another run to go up 5-0.

The Knights finally got a run across home plate when after Payton Frank and Julia Gesing singled and stole bases, Frank scored on a passed ball to make the score 6-1.

The Blue Devils added three runs in the top of the seventh inning, led by Kylee Miller’s single which scored two to make it 9-1.

Eisenhower is back in action today when it welcomes Jamestown to Werner Park. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.