Three SOL softball teams – Neshaminy, North Penn and Pennsbury – will be in action in Monday’s semifinal round of the PIAA Class AAAA Tournament.
By Mary Jane Souder
They remember the endings all too well, their team’s heartbreaking loss in the state title game in 2011 and last year’s disappointing setback in the state semifinals. For Pennsbury’s nine seniors – which includes seven starters, Monday’s PIAA Class AAAA semifinal game against Canon-McMillan is a golden opportunity to write a happy ending this time around.
“Last year was a little rocky for us,” senior Michelle George said of the Falcons’ season-ending 7-0 loss to Central Bucks South in a state semifinal game. “It was definitely a hard one to get over.
“We were obviously really upset because it wasn’t a close game. We didn’t play the way we could, and we didn’t hit the way we could. It was a very emotional ending last year, so we were definitely really, really pushing to get through to tomorrow’s game.”
In Monday’s semifinal, the Falcons will face a District 7 champion Canon-McMillan squad that lost its only game on April 5 when all-state pitcher Alyana Astuto was not in the lineup. The Big Macs bring a 23-1 record into Monday’s semifinal.
“As seniors, all we can think about is winning,” Jess Greenewald said. “We were close all three years.
“We fell off last year, and now it seems this is our year. This is our last shot, so we have to make it count.”
The players know they can ill afford a start like the one they had in Thursday’s 14-3 quarterfinal win over Cumberland Valley that saw the Eagles plate three unearned runs in the first inning.
“We came out a little nervous,” George said. “We’re definitely going to come out defensively strong and prepared. We’re going to come out as if we’re playing Neshaminy or Robbinsville. We’re just going to be ready to play defense, calling for the ball, talking to each other.
“Obviously, staying disciplined at the plate is something big for tomorrow because their pitcher is good. She’s probably another Lauren Quense, so we have to relax up there and wait for our pitch.”
“Defense is going to win it,” Greenewald added. “We have to get the nerves out and play with no nerves because we can’t afford to have an inning like that (first inning) again.
“If we do all the little things right and play Falcon softball, we should be happy.”
Two years ago, despite a lineup that featured seven sophomores, the Falcons advanced to the state title game where they saw a late lead slip away in a 4-3 loss to Hatboro-Horsham.
“We were young and inexperienced,” Greenewald said. “Somehow we got there, and it was heartbreaking to lose that game.
“Last year we thought it was our year, and we lost pretty bad to CB South. I think that fueled our fire for this year to want to come out and win even more.”
Also fueling their fire is the fact that the seniors’ days of playing together at Pennsbury are numbered.
“It’s something bigger than us,” George said of being part of the Pennsbury program. “It’s probably one of the best memories we will have throughout our life. We’ve been together since our sophomore year.
“We’ve been to the state championship. We went through that hard loss together. We went to the semis last year and went through that rough ending. This time we’re ready for a positive ending, to go out with a bang and to not come home empty handed like the past two years. We really want to make the most of the last two games we have together.
“We’ll still be together the rest of the summer, but it’s certainly not the same because Pennsbury softball is so, so different.”
The players share a bond that extends well beyond the softball diamond.
“We hang out together all the time, even outside of softball,” Greenewald said. “We’re literally with each other six days a week, and after practices and on Friday nights, we’ll go hang out and watch a movie or something. We’re all so close. The bond we’ve made – I can’t even describe it.
“Just thinking about how Monday could be our last time suiting up in our uniforms is kind of driving us to win because we don’t want that. We want to end the season on a really good note.”
District rematch – Neshaminy and North Penn have taken decidedly different routes to Monday’s state semifinal game.
The Redskins, after advancing to the state semifinals in 2011, were sent home for the season in the second round of the district tournament last year. They entered this season with the singular goal of advancing to the state title game.
They’ve overcome setbacks along the way, including the loss of rightfielder Molly Garrigan to a broken collarbone and, more recently, catcher Sam Offenback to illness. In Thursday’s quarterfinal win over Daniel Boone, Garrigan saw her first two innings of action in the outfield since her injury on April 20. Offenback has recently returned to the lineup as the team’s designated player.
In their absence, other players have stepped up. Jen Walker, a natural middle infielder, has played right field. After playing third base all season, senior Julia McGovern has moved behind the plate to fill in for Offenback. Selina Alicea is playing third base, and the Redskins haven’t missed a beat.
“That’s the attitude this team has – working hard and doing whatever is best for the team,” coach Dave Chichilitti said.
The Maidens, meanwhile, entered the season with lofty expectations after capturing the District One Class AAAA title last year. They struggled to find their stride early on but earned the 13th-seed in districts, eventually finishing fourth and earning a berth in states.
Part of the Maidens’ struggles could be attributed to the fact that their softball team included four key starters – Erin Maher (center field), Vicky Tumasz (first base), Jackie Bilotti (pitcher) and Jenn Halcovage (softball) - who were part of a basketball squad that advanced to the state quarterfinals.
“Softball is a game of waves,” senior Michelle Howeger said. “You can be up high and you could be low. We’re just turning it around right now.
“We went through a little slump at the beginning of the season, but this is amazing. I want to finish my last year in a state title game.”
For the players who were part of the basketball team’s state run, this has been quite ride.
“It feels great,” Maher said. “In basketball, we kind of fell short in districts, but we were able to do this kind of run in states. We were able to make some noise.
“In this situation, hopefully, we’ll be able to make more noise. Last year in softball falling short in states definitely fuels the fire and makes us want it more. Especially for our seniors, we want to do it for them too.”
Monday’s state semifinal is a rematch of a district semifinal game that saw the Redskins defeat the Maidens 2-0.
[1-2] NESHAMINY vs. [1-4] NORTH PENN at William Tennent (Tuesday, June 11, 4 p.m.)
Neshaminy
- 22-2 overall, 14-0 SOL
- SOL National Conference champions
- Highlights of regular season included sweep of third-seeded Pennsbury
- Only regular season loss came in a non-league game against Nazareth Academy
- Loss to Central Bucks East in district title game snapped a 17-game winning streak.
- District One runner-up after falling to Central Bucks East in title game 4-2.
- Led by Division One signees Lauren Quense (Fordham), Diana LaPalombara (St. Francis) and Julia McGovern (Quinnipiac).
- Defeated North Penn 2-0 in district semifinals.
Coach Dave Chichilitti says: “This is the next step in the road. We throw out what we did the first time. Let’s make sure we forget about that game and start fresh. Just because we beat them the last time means nothing to us, and I’m sure my girls will be up a little bit extra for that game.”
The road to the semifinals: In last Thursday’s 8-0 quarterfinal win over District 3 third place team Daniel Boone, Lauren Quense threw a perfect game, fanning 15 of the 21 batters she faced. The senior standout also helped her own cause at the plate, delivering an RBI single and a solo home run. Sara Snider-Leonhauser’s RBI double in the first inning spotted the Redskins a lead they would not lose. Julia McGovern and Quense led the Redskins with two hits each. In Neshaminy’s 1-0 opening round state playoff win over District 12 champion St. Hubert’s, Quense tossed a three-hit shutout while fanning nine and walking none. She also drove in the game’s only run with a single off the center field fence that plated senior Diana LaPalombara, who had two of Neshaminy’s three hits.
North Penn
- 18-9 overall, 7-7 overall
- Fifth place team in SOL Continental Conference
- Fourth place team in District One Tournament with big wins over fourth-seeded Central Bucks South and 12th-seeded Pennridge.
- Led by Lock Haven signee Michelle Holweger
Coach Rick Torresani says: “They have been unbelievable. They went through such a tough road at the beginning of the season. They’re all so competitive, and coming right out of basketball with the injuries, they still wanted to win, and they still came out and worked hard. They just didn’t have their timing or anything down. As the season progressed, they kept trying and trying. Three quarters of the way through the season, everything started to click. We had our full team. We had some great games at the end.”
Road to semifinals: The Maidens avenged a pair of regular season losses to Central Bucks East with an 11-0 win in Thursday’s state quarterfinal contest. Sophomore pitcher Jackie Bilotti tossed a three-hit shutout while the Maidens exploded for 11 hits off a trio of East pitchers. Erin Maher (2-for-4, double, two runs scored, two RBIs), Michelle Holweger (2-for-4, two doubles, two runs scored two RBIs), Meghan Curley (2-for-3) and Melissa Fasick (1-for-3, three RBIs) led the Maidens. In Monday’s opening round 1-0 win over District 12 champion Northampton, Bilotti threw a one-hit shutout, facing just 23 batters in the complete game win. Vicky Tumasz collected North Penn’s only hit – an RBI single in the fourth inning.
[7-1] CANON-McMILLAN vs [1-3] PENNSBURY at Carlisle High School (Tuesday, June 11, 2 p.m.)
Pennsbury
- 21-4 overall, 12-2 SOL
- Finished second to Neshaminy in National Conference standings
- Highlight of regular season was a 5-2 win over New Jersey power Mount St. Dominic
- Third place team out of District One
- Roster includes seven seniors who have been part of the varsity lineup since they were freshmen – Christina Bascara, Taylor Boltersdorf, Val Buehler, Michelle George, Jess Greenewald, Mackenzie Obert and Suzanne Swanicke.
Coach Frank McSherry says: “They all know how important this game is. For so many of them, it’s their last shot at getting back to the state championship game. If we don’t give (Canon-McMillan) extra outs, if we play a clean game, we’ll make it a tough day for them.”
Road to semifinals: In Thursday’s state quarterfinal game, Cumberland Valley plated three unearned runs in the first inning, but the Falcons responded with 14 unanswered runs, which included a nine-run sixth inning that saw the Falcons send 13 batters to the plate. Christina Bascara’s 4-for-5 effort included an inside-the-park grand slam and five RBIs. Jess Greenewald added three hits while Michelle George, Taylor Boltersdorf and Mackenzie Obert all added a pair of hits. Val Buehler, who did not allow an earned run, gave up seven singles in a winning effort in the circle. In Monday’s 13-1 win over District 3 champion Central Dauphin in five innings, senior Suzanne Swanicke led the Falcons with three hits, including a double and triple (three RBIs). Dani Litwin, who had two hits out of the cleanup spot, delivered a three-run home run and finished with a game high five RBIs. Obert and Bascara each had a pair of hits.
Canon-McMillan
- 23-1 overall
- WPIAL AAAA champion
- Last loss was April 5 to Hempfield in a game that ace pitcher Alyana Astuto didn't see action.
- Led by senior pitcher Alayna Astuto, who boasts a 21-0 record and has fanned 104 in 105 innings. Opposing teams are hitting .157 against Astuto, an honorable mention all-state selection in 2012. Highlight of Astuto’s season was a perfect game in a 5-0 win over Hempfield in the district semifinals.
- High-powered offense is led by sophomore Abby McCartney, a first team all-state selection as a freshman after hitting .507 with 12 doubles and a .932 slugging percentage. This year she is hitting .538 with 26 RBIs and 15 extra base hit (.938 slugging percentage).
- Junior catcher Giorgiana Zeremenko, a second team all-state selection last year, has returned to the lineup after sitting out the early part of the season with a shoulder injury. She is hitting at a .440 clip. She was the Big Macs most productive hitter during their district title run, contributing seven RBIs while hitting .667.
- Freshman Linda Rush is batting .530 with 18 RBIs and junior Olivia Lorusso, an honorable mention all-state selection last year, is hitting .448 with a team-high 31 RBIs and 18 extra base hits, which included nine doubles and six home runs. Sophomores Tara Fowler (.393, 11 RBIs) and Maddie Engel (.339, 18 RBIs) also are major contributors.
- In 2012, Canon-McMillan fell to Bishop Shanahan 5-4 in the state semifinals.
Road to semifinals: In a rematch of the District 7 title game, Canon-McMillan defeated North Allegheny 5-0 in Friday’s state quarterfinal contest. Pitcher Alayna Astuto fanned six in the shutout win. Yaszmin Kotar led off the game with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly to give the Big Macs an early1-0 lead. Freshman designated player Kirsten Rush delivered a two-run home run in the second, and in the seventh, sophomore Abby McCartney added a solo home run. Giorgiana Zeremenko was 3-for-3 while Rush, Kotar and Maddie Engel were 2-for-3. In Monday’s opening round 2-1 win over Hempfield, Olivia Lorusso delivered the game’s big blow, a two-run home run.
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