Check out the recaps of Thursday’s SOL softball games, which included a wild non-league between Hatboro-Horsham and Central Bucks South that saw the two teams combine for 38 runs. Photo provided courtesy of Jesse Garber.
National Conference
NESHAMINY 4, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2
In a battle of the conference’s lone unbeaten squads, it was the Redskins opening up a 4-0 lead on their way to the important win. Alexis Watkins was the undisputed catalyst, delivering a two-run home run with two outs in the second inning to spot the Redskins a lead they would never lose.
“The home run set the tone,” Neshaminy coach Dave Chichilitti said. “We were able to keep the intensity level where we wanted it to be, and once again, we played great defense.”
Watkins also delivered a clutch defensive play in the top of the first, doubling a girl off first base after snagging a ball in right field.
“She set the tone offensively and defensively,” Chichilitti said. “She’s a three-year starter, and she was off to a slow start. I just kept confidence in her because I knew she’d come around. She’s played two really good games.”
The Redskins added two more runs in the fifth inning. Amber Brugger opened the inning with a single, and Olivia Fee drew a walk. With two outs, both scored when Rebecca Dixon delivered a clutch single.
The Indians scored a pair in a seventh inning that was highlighted by Sabrina Crane’s leadoff single.
Brugger, who led the ‘Skins with a 2-for-4 effort out of the leadoff spot, notched the win in the circle.
“When you play against a good team with a really good pitcher (Jenna Khantzian) – both teams got six hits today, and it was sort of a pitcher’s dual, but we got the big hits when we needed to, and we made the plays when we needed to,” Chichilitti said. “Amber didn’t have her ‘A’ stuff today, but her teammates bailed her out, and she was really tough when she needed to be. She walked six people – she didn’t walk six people all of last year. She didn’t have total command, but she battled.”
Neshaminy (7-2, 4-0) will be on the road at Souderton for a non-league game Friday, and Council Rock North (7-2, 5-1) will host Pennsbury on Monday.
Council Rock North 000 002 0 2-6-1
Neshaminy 020 020 x 4-6-1
PENNSBURY 5, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 1
Frank McSherry opted to make a lineup switch for Thursday’s key conference game against the Golden Hawks, switching Syd Jakimowicz from the leadoff spot to the nine hole and moving Sierra Daley from the ninth spot to leadoff.
The move paid immediate dividends as the duo combined for five hits with Daley leading the way with a 3-for-4 effort, two RBIs and one run scored. Jakimowicz was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
“Jakimowicz has been our leadoff hitter, but she was pressing a little bit,” McSherry said. “This was just taking some pressure off of her.”
The win came on the heels of a 10-0 loss to Neshaminy two days earlier.
“We said, ‘If you want to be a good team, you have to rebound. That’s behind us. You’ve got to have short memories, but what good teams do is they rebound after something like that,’” McSherry said. “(Rock South) is a good team that hits well, and they have a real good pitcher.
“Our kids came out with some fire. It was good.”
The Golden Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but that was erased when the Falcons answered with a four-run second. Mia Pitt celebrated her return to the lineup with an RBI double, and Allison Rose had a two-run single. Daley also singled home a run the inning.
Rock South had a pair of doubles – one each from Steph Andreoli and Sabrina Dobron.
Alyssa Heilman earned the win for the Falcons, fanning seven and walking none in a strong outing.
“She did a great job,” McSherry said. “She pitched today like she pitched the beginning of the year. She bounced back.”
Pennsbury (7-2, 3-1 SOL) will be on the road at Hatboro-Horsham for a non-league contest on Friday, and Council Rock South (6-2, 2-2) will be travel to Perkiomen Valley for a non-league game on Saturday..
Council Rock South 100 000 0 1
Pennsbury 040 001 x 5
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 5, PENNRIDGE 0
Angelina Sherba was on top of her game.
The Bucks’ junior hurler allowed just one hit, struck out a season-high 14 and walked only one in a dazzling individual performance. Sherba took a no-hitter into the sixth inning when the Rams collected their only hit.
“She did awesome – she was on fire tonight,” coach Geoff Thompson said. “I told her after the game, ‘I don’t know what you ate today, but I want some of it.’”
Making the win even more impressive was the fact that the Rams brought a three-game winning streak into Thursday’s contest, which included back-to-back shutouts.
“This was huge,” Thompson said. “Pennridge has been playing really well, and I was pretty worried about the game. I didn’t know what to expect honestly.
“We played Council Rock North tough but came up short in a 1-0 loss. We didn’t play particularly well against East (in a 7-2 loss), and I didn’t know what to expect this game, and the girls played great.”
The Bucks opened the four-run first with three straight singles and led 4-0 before the Rams ever came to bat.
“We had some nice hits and capitalized on a couple of their errors,” Thompson said.
Emma Dryden and Cara Hatzinger led the Bucks’ at the plate with two hits each.
Central Bucks West (2-6, 1-4 SOL) will host Souderton on Monday, and Pennridge (3-5, 1-3) will be on the road at William Tennent on Monday.
Central Bucks West 410 000 0 5
Pennridge 000 000 0 0
NORTH PENN 13, SOUDERTON 1 (5 innings)
The visiting Knights seized early control of Thursday’s game against their neighboring rival, plating three runs in the second to go on top 4-0 and adding eight more in the third en route to the decisive win in the abbreviated contest.
“We’ve won our last six, and we’re hitting the ball really well,” said coach Rick Torresani, whose team has scored 75 runs and given up 31. “We’ve just been hitting the ball well. I’m really pleased.”
Jordan Pietrzykoski’s two-run double highlighted the Knights’ three-run second. In the eight-run third, Emily Groarke hit a two-run double and Elia Namey smashed a two-run home run.
The list of offensive heroes was a lengthy one for the Knights. Groarke was 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Pietrzykoski was 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Namey was 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and a run scored, and Victoria Juckniewitz was 2-for-2 with a run scored. Britney Moyer (2-for-4, one run scored) and Amanda Greaney (2-for-2, RBI, two runs) also turned in multi-hit performances.
Bri Battavio notched the win, allowing two hits and one run while striking out four and walking two.
“Yesterday when we faced CB East (a 14-3 win), they had been hitting the ball well, and Bri shut them down,” Torresani said. “The kids are hitting the ball well, they’re playing good defense, and Bri still hasn’t reached her max like she was at the end of last year, but she’s getting there. She’s developed a couple of new pitches that we’re working on.”
For the Indians, Alyssa McCormick was 1-for-3, Ali Gould was 1-for-2 with a double, and Naila Neely was 1-for-2 with a double. Neely drove in the Indians’ lone run in the fourth.
Alex Scheeler, who absorbed the loss, and Jenny Klepfer split time in the circle for the Indians.
North Penn (6-2, 4-0 SOL) will host Abington in a non-league game on Friday, and Souderton (2-5, 0-4) will host Neshaminy in a non-league contest on Friday.
North Penn 138 10 13
Souderton 000 10 1
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 9, WILLIAM TENNENT 6
The visiting Patriots trailed 5-4 heading into the fourth inning when they scored five runs to take a lead they would not lose en route to a bounce-back win after Wednesday’s 14-3 loss to North Penn.
“It was important to get back on track where we, basically, against North Penn didn’t play well in all areas,” East coach Karl Knapp said. “We had eight errors in the game, which normally we don’t do. We didn’t hit at all, and we didn’t play good defense. It just was kind of a breakdown everywhere.
“To be able to come back from that the next day and play a pretty solid game – we had a few errors, but overall, we played a solid game and got back on the track of hitting, which is real essential for us this year. We don’t have Theresa (Haug) and Kay (Ventura), so it’s not going to be two or three-run games anymore. To get back on track and hit well and play good defense was huge.”
Hailey Aspinwall set the tone at the plate, delivering a solo home run to lead off the first. It was her first of two homers on the day and part of an impressive 4-for-5 effort that included a double, two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored. Maddie Michvech also hit a solo home run for the Patriots, who hit three round trippers.
Tara Harper was 2-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored, and Steph Kuhns was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Darien Dempsey, who was 1-for-3 with a double and run scored, while Sam Beagleman was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI.
Harper also earned the win in the circle.
“Tara Harper got hit pretty good yesterday, and she came back today and pitched the whole game and really had a good outing,” Knapp said. “This was very, very important, especially in our division and how tough it is.”
For the Panthers, senior Marissa Govan was 2-for-4 with a triple and run scored out of the leadoff spot. Caitlyn Mitros was just a home run shy of the cycle, finishing the day 3-for-4 with a double, triple, two RBIs and two runs scored. Brianna Koonce was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Hannah Reimel was 2-for-4.
Central Bucks East (5-3, 4-1 SOL) will host Upper Moreland in a non-league contest Friday, and William Tennent (2-6, 1-3) will host Pennridge on Monday.
Central Bucks East 103 500 0 9
William Tennent 104 000 1 6
American Conference
QUAKERTOWN 9, UPPER MORELAND 5
The visiting Panthers scored six runs in the top of the first only to watch the Golden Bears trim that lead to one after a five-run third. That 6-5 score stood until the top of the seventh when the Panthers tacked on three more runs.
On a day that saw both teams collect 11 hits, the Panthers were led by the glittering 4-for-4 effort of leadoff batter Tara Baglivo that included a triple and two runs scored. Lauren Beal was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, two RBIs and two runs scored. Maddie Moyer was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Halle Frederick, Jocelyn Fafard, Abbey Schwartz and Nikki Vanelli each added one RBI.
For the Golden Bears, Maddie Mull (2-for-4, one run scored), Chloe Tice (2-for-4, one run scored), Carly Wasson (2-for-3) and Kate Sawick (2-for-4) turned in multi-hit efforts. Hughes hit a home run and had three RBIs while Noelle Woodman had a single and one RBI.
Tori Caputo earned the complete game win in the circle, allowing 11 hits and four earned runs.
Quakertown (6-2, 5-0 SOL) will host Springfield Township on Monday, and Upper Moreland (3-2, 2-1) will be on the road at Wissahickon on Monday.
Quakertown 600 000 3 9-11-2
Upper Moreland 005 000 0 5-11-2
WISSAHICKON 6, CHELTENHAM 5
The Trojans earned their first win of the season on Thursday.
Junior pitcher Sara Genell earned the complete game win, scattering seven hits.
Offensively, Siani Paige-Miller led the Trojans with three hits, including two doubles. She scored two runs. Freshman first baseman Ashley Radell contributed an RBI single and scored a run. Senior Zoe Trumbore delivered a two-run single that plated Emily Welsh and Jaclyn McClaughlin.
The Panthers loaded the bases in the seventh, setting up a dramatic finish that saw catcher Michela Coleman turn an unassisted double play.
Wissahickon (1-6, 1-4 SOL) will host Lansdale Catholic in a non-league contest Friday, and Cheltenham (0-5) will host Harry S Truman in a non-league game.
UPPER DUBLIN 14, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 0
The Flying Cardinals exploded for seven runs in the first inning, and the Spartans never threatened.
Sarah Tannenbaum had a huge day for the Cardinals, finishing 4-for-6 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored. Jackie McMenamin was 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Taylor Avery was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored, and Korynn Bischoff was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Ellie Kelcy was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Brianna Parker was 1-for-2 with a triple and two runs scored on a day that saw the Flying Cardinals collect 21 hits.
Upper Dublin played error-free softball behind winning pitcher Erin Gallagher, who earned the win. The junior hurler allowed just three hits while striking out four and walking none in four scoreless innings. Marley Wardle closed it out with three scoreless frames, allowing one hit while striking out one and walking none.
Upper Dublin (5-4, 4-1 SOL) will host St. Basil Academy on Friday in a non-league contest, and Springfield (0-5, 0-4) will be on the road at Quakertown on Monday.
Upper Dublin 701 001 5 14
Springfield 000 000 0 0
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 21, HATBORO-HORSHAM 17
Add Thursday’s contest between the former Continental Conference archrivals to the list of bizarre games this season. The two teams have had their share of classic battles, but this two-and-a-half hour marathon didn’t fall into that category as it featured 38 runs, 37 hits and 14 errors.
One of the bright spots for coach Kevin Rosini – whose team trailed 17-14 heading into the seventh inning - was his players’ response after falling behind late.
“We were down three runs in the seventh, and they fought back and put up seven,” said Rosini, whose team took a 12-5 lead into the bottom of the fifth. “We gave up the eight-bagger to make it 13-12, we took the lead again 14-13, lost it again, 17-14, and put up seven runs in the seventh inning.
“The thing I said to them after the game – that’s all on them. They fought, they did it. They showed heart. They’re high school kids – they could have tanked it. You’re down, things aren’t going your way, you could have just thrown the bag on it, but they found a way to come back to win. That’s all on them.”
Leading the hit parade for the Titans were Alexa Ortman (4-for-5, double, three RBIs, four runs scored), Meghan Bradley (4-for-6, double, three RBIs) and Katie Hines (4-for-6, double, triple, two RBIs, three runs scored). Alexis McConomy was 3-for-6 with a run scored. Also coming up big were Taylor Marinelli (2-for-3, two home runs, four RBIs, four runs scored), Maddi Bieber (2-for-6, double, three RBIs, two runs scored) and Maddie McShane (2-for-3, two runs scored).
Marinelli hit a solo home run in the Titans’ two-run first and added a three-run homer in the second.
“Taylor Marinelli – after she hit the two home runs, they wanted no parts of her,” Rosini said. “They walked her three times in a row.
“If she’s not the best hitter in the league, find me somebody who’s better.”
The win was the third in three days for the Titans.
“Neither team played well in the field,” Rosini said. “It was crazy, but you know what – good teams win those crazy games, and these kids have found their stride. They won a game, and for all intents and purposes, the way both teams played defensively – it was a tossup. For these kids to show the heart and the fight, especially down three runs in the seventh inning – I give all the credit to our kids. They did it all. They’re the ones who wanted it.”
For the Hatters, Logan Cummings led the way with a 3-for-5 effort that included two runs scored. Rachel Carney (2-for-5, two RBIs, two runs scored), Britt Hubler (2-for-5) and Maddie Yeager (2-for-5, double, RBi run scored) also collected multiple hits.
Central Bucks South (5-3, 4-0 SOL) will travel to Gwynedd Mercy for a non-league contest on Friday, and Hatboro-Horsham (5-2, 3-1) will host Pennsbury in a non-league game.
Central Bucks South 250 412 7 21-22-8
Hatboro-Horsham 500 084 0 17-15-7
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