Souderton, North Penn and Upper Merion were winners in district play on Friday. To view photos of the North Penn/Tennent and Souderton/Henderson games, please visit the photo gallery.
The possibility of an all-SOL semifinal round for the second time in as many years went out the window on Friday when both Neshaminy and Pennsbury suffered heartbreaking losses. SOL Continental rivals North Penn and Souderton advanced to the semifinals in Class AAAA while Upper Merion punched its ticket to the semifinals in Class AAA.
#9 NORTH PENN 4, #1 WILLIAM TENNENT 2 (8 innings)
The Maidens have the corner of the market on thrillers during the postseason, winning their second extra inning game in as many outings, this time sending the tournament’s top seed home for the season.
“Tennent played a great game,” coach Rick Torresani said. “Nikki (Alden) pitched a great game, and their fielding was outstanding. I don’t think they committed an error.
“I’m sick of these extra innings, but it was another great game to win in extra innings.”
The Maidens took an early 1-0 lead in the third. Alyssa Shoulberg singled to start the inning, but she was erased on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Lauren Schwartz drew a base on balls, and Jackie Bilotti continued her torrid postseason offensive production with an RBI single.
Alden got that run back with one swing of the bat in the fourth, collecting a solo home run to knot the score 1-1. The Panthers went on top 2-1 in the fifth, benefitting from a pair of Maiden errors and an RBI by Sara Keeney.
In the sixth, the Maidens capitalized on a pair of walks as well a sacrifice bunt by Becky Christoffers, a single by Bilotti and a sacrifice fly by Celeste Rosato to knot the score 2-2.
Neither team scored again until an eighth inning that saw Vicky Tumasz and Christoffers collect back-to-back singles. Both runners advanced on Meghan Curley’s sacrifice bunt, and Nicole Schussler delivered the game winner – a two-run single.
“This was huge,” Torresani said. “The three district games we have had have basically been one-run games, and today going in, I thought it was going be a 1-0 game by either team with both pitchers that were throwing.
“When they tied it up and we knew it was going into extra innings, the kids knew that coming up for them the next inning was Nikki (Alden), and they knew if we didn’t score at least one run and having to face Nikki – either we walk her because if we pitch to her she could have a home run.
“Going out, they all said to each other, ‘We have to score a run in the top of the eighth,’ and they went out and scored two runs, which meant in the bottom of the eighth I was able to pitch to Nikki, and she popped up. That was critical because I knew Nikki was coming up and (Laura) Petri was coming up, and she’s another good hitter. You can’t walk them both because then you have first and second with nobody out, and you’re giving them a run.”
Bilotti, Tumasz and Christoffers all finished the day 2-for-3 to lead the Maidens, who collected nine hits off of Alden.
“We got nine hits, but Nikki was in control most of the game,” Torresani said. “She knew what she was doing out there. That’s a very good team – very well coached.”
Bilotti earned the win on the mound, allowing six hits and one earned run with one strikeout and no walks.
The Maidens (16-5, 10-4 SOL) will face fourth-seeded Spring-Ford in a semifinal game at Hatboro-Horsham on Tuesday at 4 p.m. The Panthers – winners of a share of the SOL National crown - closed out their season with a 15-5 record (11-3 SOL).
North Penn 001 001 02-4
William Tennent 000 110 00-2
#3 SOUDERTON 9, #6 WEST CHESTER HENDERSON 7
A six-run sixth erased a late-game deficit and propelled the Indians not only into the district semifinals but also punched their ticket to the state tournament.
“It’s great,” coach Steph Rummel said. “We’re excited to finish out districts, and we’re excited to go to states and see what we can do against teams we haven’t seen yet.”
The Indians got on the scoreboard in the first when Amanda Brush hit an RBI double to left. The Warriors got that one back in the third when a run scored on a wild pitch.
It looked like the Indians could be in serious trouble when the Warriors benefitted from a two-out error to plate four unearned runs, but for a team that has spent the season staging comebacks, it was hardly cause for concern.
The Indians – who were on the receiving end of 10 free passes - got two of those runs back in the bottom of the inning, benefitting from four walks and a hit batter with Paige Shelly and Brush collecting RBIs on their bases-loaded walks.
It was still a 5-3 game heading into the bottom of the sixth when the Indians bats came to life. Savannah Bostwick got things started with a bunt single, and it was safe all around when Angie Carty was safe on fielder’s choice. A walk to Sowers load the bases, and Paige Shelly delivered a two-run single. Haley Delaney singled to reload the bases, and another run came across when Dayna Shelly walked. Missy Wiley’s two run single put the Indians on top 9-5.
“Our hitting has been coming through for us throughout the year, but they really did what they had to do and came through in the sixth, and that’s all we needed,” Rummel said.
The Warriors didn’t go down quietly, scoring a pair in the seventh for the 9-7 final.
The Warriors held a 12-7 advantage in hits, an advantage that was negated by the 10 walks handed out by Lauren Butts.
Paige Shelly led the Indians with three RBIs while Amanda Brush and Wiley each had two RBIs.
The Indians (16-6, 11-3 SOL) will face top-seeded Avon Grove – a 2-1 winner over Neshaminy – in Tuesday’s district semifinal game at Plymouth Whitemarsh at 4 p.m.
West Chester Henderson 001 400 2 7
Souderton 100 206 x-9
#4 SPRING-FORD 7, #5 PENNSBURY 6 (8 innings)
There probably weren’t many people - at the start of the season - who would have picked the Falcons to win a share of the SOL National Conference crown and also advance to the district quarterfinals, but this year’s young Falcon squad didn’t want to settle for rebuilding and turned the season into their own success story.
“They came a long way this season,” coach Frank McSherry said.
It looked like the Falcons might be playing even longer when they exploded for nine hits and six runs in the first two innings, but they managed just three hits and did not score the rest of the way as Amber Sergas, who entered the game during a five-run second, silenced their bats the rest of the way.
Sergas did the same thing in the Rams’ win over Council Rock North on Wednesday when she entered the game in relief of starter Jenna Lee.
“I actually think she was faster,” senior Farryl Groder said of Sergas. “Her motion was a little goofy, but if it works for her, it works.”
Spring-Ford coach Tim Hughes admits it’s been a winning combination.
“They complement each other well,” he said of Lee and Sergas. “It’s one of those things – she’s the recipient of getting in there late in the game after we went through the lineup a few times, which gives me an opportunity to learn a little bit more about where to call pitches. It’s a two-pitcher game for us.”
The Falcons were one hit away from advancing, and it looked like they had a golden opportunity to win it when they loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh with the score deadlocked 6-6.
Dani Litwin singled to center to open the inning, and she wound up on second when the ball got by the centerfielder. Fiona Link’s bunt put Litwin on third with one out. Groder was safe when the ball was dropped at first, but the Falcons’ pinch runner remained at third. An intentional walk to Maddie McQuaid loaded the bases with one out, but a forceout at the plate put the Rams in a position where they could see their way out of the inning.
The Rams escaped unscathed when a sharp grounder up the middle by Toni Andress deflected off the glove of the pitcher to the shortstop, who flipped the ball to second for the third and final out.
“If the pitcher doesn’t tip it, it doesn’t go to the shortstop,” McSherry said. “We held them in the bottom of the seventh, and we would have won, but that’s softball.
“We didn’t get a break there, and good for them – their kid comes up and smacks a ball.”
“Smacking” the ball was Morgan Maziarz, who roped a one-out RBI double into the gap in left center to win it in the eighth. The double plated Megan Kern, who was walked for the fifth straight time to open the inning. Kern, the PAC-10 MVP, doubled three times in the Rams’ win over Council Rock North.
Early on, the Falcons plated a first inning run when Marguerite Salamone, who lined a single to left, scored on Link’s single to center. The Rams answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning, but the Falcons appeared to seize control with a five-run burst in the second.
Mia Pitt walked to open the frame, but Jenna Lee retired the next two batters she faced. A single by leadoff batter Bailee Zaccaro opened the floodgates. The Falcons collected six straight singles by Salamone, Litwin (two RBIs), Link (RBI), Groder and McQuaid (2 RBIs). That’s when the hits stopped coming, and they would not score the rest of the way.
Zaccaro, Salamone, Litwin, Fink and Groder each had two hits to lead the Falcons’ 11-hit attack.
Pennsbury closed out the year with a 14-8 record (11-3 overall).
Pennsbury 150 000 00-6
Spring-Ford 300 030 01-7
#2 AVON GROVE 2, #7 NESHAMINY 1
The Redskins lost a heartbreaker as they watched a 1-0 lead disappear in the bottom of the seventh inning when the Red Devils plated a pair of runs – both on wild pitches.
The inning started innocently enough when standout pitcher Maggie Balint was hit by a pitch. Alyssa Herion followed with a double, and with the ‘Skins looking to intentionally walk the next batter, a ball sailed over the catcher, allowing the tying run to score. Herion scored the game winner in similar fashion – just beating the tag on a ball in the dirt.
Earlier, the Redskins got on the scoreboard in the fourth when – after a walk – Hunter Hart delivered an RBI double. That lead stood until the seventh.
The Redskins actually held a 6-4 advantage in hits over the Red Devils.
Balint – who surpassed the 600-strikeout milestone as a sophomore – fanned 14 and walked a pair to earn the win that vaulted Avon Grove into the semifinals and state tournament for the first time in program history.
The Redskins closed out their season with a 15-6 record (9-5 SOL).
Neshaminy 000 100 0-1
Avon Grove 000 000 2-2
Class AAA
#4 UPPER MERION 5, #5 NAZARETH ACADEMY 1
The Vikings used a five-run outburst in the third inning to erase a 1-0 deficit on their way to a win that vaulted them into Tuesday’s semifinal round.
“The kids deserve all the credit,” coach John Whitney said. “They played well today. They were into it right from the beginning. I told them, ‘You can’t get into the game later. You got to be in there.’ They had their own meeting before the game without me, and I have no problem with that.
“I told them there have been times over the years when I’ve had good teams, but I’ve been short one or two players. This year I told them – ‘I have all the players I need. You’re all travel team players. You know how to play the game. The only team that’s going to send us home is us. We have all the tools we need. Let’s just go out and have fun and play the game like you girls know how to play,’ and that’s exactly what they did.”
It is the first time in Whitney’s tenure at the helm that the team has advanced beyond the quarterfinal round.
“This means a lot,” the Vikings’ coach said. “It kind of gets the monkey off the back a little bit, probably more for me than the kids.
“I’ve had four tries at it over the years, so it feels good. The kids I have this year were in the game against Villa (Maria), and that was a well-played game. We got beat 3-2, and they played well last year. We just didn’t hit.”
Dez Kandy got things started in the third with a walk, and she scored on a double by Olivia Sborlini. That brought Abby Volpe to the plate, and she delivered an RBI single. Maddalana Ghanayem’s bunt was misplayed, allowing a run to cross the plate. Michaela Ghanayem followed with an RBI single, and then it was Allie Moffett and Gabby Sblorlini keeping the inning alive with back-to-back singles. Sborlini’s sent the fifth run across the plate. That 5-1 lead held the rest of the way.
“I think we took the wind out of their sails with the big inning, but the girls didn’t let them back up after that,” Whitney said. “They played tremendous defense. We made all the plays, and Liv pitched well. She walked the leadoff hitter in the game, and after that, she was just rock solid.”
Moffet and Volpe led the Vikings – who had nine hits - with two hits each. Tamara Jennings accounted for all of Nazareth’s offense with a solo home run in the third. She also had a double later in the game.
Olivia Sborlini earned the win in the circle, allowing six hits while walking one and striking out one.
“The kids played really good defense the whole game, and Olivia pitched a really good game,” Whitney said. “On a play early in the game, they had a runner on second with one out. A ball was hit to Gabby in right field, and she hit Michaela at second. Michaela turned around and threw a dart to the base runner going into third.
“The girls played really well. They played sound.”
The Vikings will face top-seeded Springfield (Delco) in Tuesday’s semifinal round at Harriton at 4 p.m. Springfield defeated Marple Newtown 5-4 in eight innings.
Nazareth Academy 001 000 0-1
Upper Merion 005 000 x-5
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