If you’re looking for a high-powered softball game between two of the top teams in District 3, you don’t have to look much farther than your own backyard.
Greencastle-Antrim, last season’s PIAA Class 5A runner-up, will fuel up the bus on Friday for a trip to Chambersburg, a perennial contender which hasn’t missed the district tournament in more than 40 years.
The Blue Devils and Trojans are both in the midst of brilliant seasons, and both clubs check in as Top 5 teams in their respective district rankings. Something will have to give when these squads clash on Friday.
We’ve selected this battle off Franklin County softball powers as our Game of the Week.
In the weeks and months to come throughout the high school sports season, we plan on spotlighting multiple teams and sports with our Game of the Week. Any big upcoming contests we should know about? Send suggestions to Andy Sandrik via email at [email protected].
Greencastle-Antrim at Chambersburg
First pitch: Friday, 4:15 p.m., at Chambersburg
Records: Greencastle-Antrim is 11-2, while Chambersburg checks in at 12-2.
Last game: The Blue Devils topped Boiling Springs, 14-6, while the Trojans are coming off a 3-2 win over State College.
Last meeting: Greencastle needed extra innings to beat Chambersburg, 2-1, in last year’s meeting.
Meet the Blue Devils: Greencastle has been wearing a target on its back ever since it played to a runner-up finish in last season’s PIAA Class 5A Championship game, but that hasn’t slowed down coach Mark DeCarli’s girls, who have been solid in 2026 … The Blue Devils, who check in at No. 3 in the latest District 3-5A power rankings, have outscored opponents 140-53 and have lost just two games to Shippensburg (5-1) and Northern York (13-6) … Since the loss to the Polar Bears, Greencastle has rattled off six-straight victories, with the Blue Devils scoring 10-plus runs in each of their last five wins, including a 26-8 triumph over James Buchanan that reads more like a football score … Few programs in the Mid-Penn are hitting the ball like Greencastle, which features eight regulars in the batting lineup who are hitting over .350 … Leading the charge for the Blue Devils is Kylie Kerns, who ranks No. 1 on her team in batting average (.568), home runs (3), runs (23), and stolen bases (3), while also contributing seven doubles and 13 RBI … Kindal Rice (.488, 9 extra-base hits) has been dangerous with runners on base and leads her team with 23 RBI, to go along with 15 runs … Opponents can’t just pitch around Kerns and Rice, either, not with a lethal group of batters that includes Erika Hoover (.467, 10 runs, 11 RBI), Miranda Martin (.467), Lydia Pryke (.448, 5 extra-base hits), Paiton Gordon (.435, 12 runs), Brooklyn Sanchez (.372, 2 home runs, 15 runs, 17 RBI), and Kiersten Swain (.351, 11 runs) … A number of other Blue Devils could have a say in the final outcome, including Minnie Gambacurta (.286), Allison Logsdon (.242, 8 runs, 9 RBI), Danica Murphy (.235, 6 RBI), Serenity Goodman, and Alivia Updyke … Greencastle’s explosive offense is complemented by a three-headed pitching staff led by Swain, Pryke, and Katie Zawilinski … Swain has been the primary starter in the circle and leads her team in wins (5), innings (32 2/3), and strikeouts (34), while posting a 2.57 ERA … Pryke, who owns four wins and a 3.00 ERA, has struck out 32 batters over 23 1/3 innings … Zawilinski leads Greencastle with a 2.24 ERA and has struck out 18 batters over 25 innings.
Meet the Trojans: After a season that saw Chambersburg advance all the way to the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals, there was some question about whether coach Chris Skultety’s girls would be rebuilding or reloading in 2026 after the losses of three star players … All-State selections Karley Skultety and Kori Leedy have both graduated, while Bree Paetow, a James Madison softball recruit, is competing for the Trojans track squad this season … Even with those losses, Chambersburg has won 12 of 14 games this spring and is well on track to qualify for districts for the 44th year in a row … The Trojans, who are No. 4 in the latest District 3-6A power rankings, have outscored opponents 75-29 this spring and have lost just two games to Big Spring (8-2) and Central Dauphin (2-1), two teams with a combined 23-2 record … Erissa Varner, the sparkplug for Chambersburg’s offense, is batting .489 with two triples, 18 runs, and 14 stolen bases … Kylee Perry (.425, 9 runs, 11 RBI) and Marley Onomastico (.400, 9 runs, 13 RBI) are both batting over .400, mostly from competition in the rugged Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division … Addison Gsell, who leads the Trojans with 22 RBI, is batting .356 with four doubles … Chambersburg has a number of other regular contributors in its batting lineup, including Kendall Flory (.273, 7 RBI), Ashley Mitchell (.269, 9 runs), Hensley Brookens (.200, 7 runs, 7 RBI), Sanay Jones (6 extra-base hits), Josey Snavely (7 runs), and Piper Jones … It’s been a seamless transition in the pitching circle from the graduated Leedy to Issie Slimmer, who has posted eight wins and a 1.46 ERA over 67 innings, and struck out 46 batters in the process … When Slimmer’s not pitching, Jones will be. She’s fired 18 innings to the tune of two wins, 15 strikeouts, and a 1.55 ERA.
Sandrik’s pick: Chambersburg by 1.
