Check out the results for SOL softball teams in action Wednesday.
National Conference
ABINGTON 6, NESHAMINY 4
Nicolette Ray undoubtedly doesn’t remember the last time Abington beat Neshaminy on the softball diamond. After all, the Ghosts’ standout third baseman was only in second grade.
It’s a safe bet Ray won’t forget the game that broke the Ghosts’ eight-year losing streak to the ‘Skins dating back to 2006. The sophomore power hitter not only hit a walk-off two-run home run to win it with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, she also had a two-run home run in the first, effectively setting the tone for the big win.
“This is huge,” Abington coach Ellie White said. “Neshaminy is always a great team, so any time you can beat a team like that – it gives the kids confidence.
“They knew going into today’s game that they had to play a great game because of how good Neshaminy is. We made some baserunning mistakes, and when it was tied, they didn’t hang their heads. They just kept getting stronger, and they did a great job.”
The seventh inning began with Jamie Gosselin getting on board with a one-out slap single. The Ghosts’ leadoff batter was on third base when Ray stepped to the plate and hit 1-2 pitch over the center field fence for the game winner.
“The pitch was at her eyes and outside,” White said. “The kid thinks she can hit anything, and she was like, ‘Well, I’m ending the game.’
“She went up for it, and I’m telling you – that thing needed a pilot. It got out of there so fast. It wasn’t like it just cleared the fence – it could have cleared another fence. It got out of there in a hurry.”
After going on top 2-0 in the first, the Ghosts tacked on two more runs in the second, benefitting from a two-run double off the bat of Darby Gormley.
The Redskins evened the scored with a four-run outburst in the fifth that was highlighted by singles from Mackensie Compton, Sarah Snider-Leonhauser (RBI), Hunter Hart (2 RBIs) and Nikki Wild (RBI).
In the top of the seventh, the ‘Skins suffered a setback when – after collecting a leadoff bunt single – their base runner was called out for taking off for second after the ball was in the circle.
Snider-Leonhauser followed with a hit, and with one out, the ‘Skins had runners on first and third base. The rally ended, according to coach Dave Chichilitti, with a doubleplay on a suicide squeeze that saw the lead runner edged at the plate and the second runner thrown out at third.
“Abington made every play,” the Redskins’ coach said. “They made some great plays.
“We worked so hard to start off the season on the right foot. It stinks to give the lead we had (in the standings) away. We may have looked past this team today.”
Snider-Leonhauser, Wild, Hart and Compton led the Redskins’ 11-hit attack with two hits each.
The Ghosts, who benefited from five walks, were led by the two-hit efforts of Gosselin, Darby and Ray. Gosselin also drew a walk to reach base three times out of the leadoff spot.
Lizzie Lloyd earned the win on the mound.
“She pitched fantastic,” White said. “Any win these days with the weather we’ve had and everything else – it’s great.”
The Ghosts upped their record to 3-2 overall (1-2 SOL) while the Redskins (5-1, 2-1) suffered their first loss of the season. Neshaminy will travel to William Tennent Thursday for a battle between two of the teams atop of the National Conference standings.
Neshaminy 000 040 0-4
Abington 220 000 2-6
BENSALEM 10, UPPER MERION 0 (5 innings)
Jackie Morell allowed just two hits in four innings to earn the win on the mound. She fanned six. The Owls scored all the runs Morell would need with three runs in the first. They tacked on a single run in the second and three more in the fourth en route to their first win in the abbreviated contest.
Offensively for the Owls, Tat Keshanech and Lauren Morell had two hits each. Isabel Hansbury and Jen Campbell both homered for the Owls, who improved to 1-2 on the young season. The Vikings fell to 3-2.
Upper Merion000 00-0
Bensalem 313 21-10
Continental Conference
NORTH PENN 10, SOUDERTON 4
It had been six days since the Maidens last played a game, and they were eager to erase memories of a loss to Central Bucks South that saw them watch a late lead slip away for the second time in as many games.
The players had just one thing on their mind when they faced the Indians.
“We needed to finish our games,” junior pitcher Jackie Bilotti said. “We definitely learned that even coming out early, we still have to finish the game.”
“Just finishing games is pretty much everything,” teammate Becky Christoffers added. “We came out to practice every day and we just thought about things we did in the games – we didn’t finish both games.
“We just had to think about finishing our games. That was our key today.”
The Maidens exploded for seven runs in the third inning and scored three more in the sixth, ensuring there would be no late-game heroics by the Indians.
Jovanna Alfonsi got the ball rolling in the pivotal third, opening the inning with a double. By the time the inning was over, the Maidens had seven hits and seven runs. Meghan Curley also doubled in the frame.
“Coming out hitting helps us in the field,” Christoffers said. “It helps us relax. When we’re out there relaxed, it’s easier.”
The Indians got on the scoreboard in the fifth, thanks to back-to-back doubles by Missy Wiley and Katie Kehler, but the Maidens answered with three runs in the sixth. Bilotti delivered a two-run home run and Christoffers followed with a solo shot to put the Maidens on top 10-1.
“Today we came out hitting,” Torresani said. “We had a great third inning.
“Jivonna, our catcher, started that third inning off with a double. We had a lot of hard-hit outs. Their third baseman played a beautiful game. We’ve been hitting the ball and scoring some runs. We’ve just had a letdown.”
A two-run blast to center field in the bottom of the sixth by Amanda Brush made it a 10-3 game, and the Indians tacked on another run in the seventh when Wiley, who had doubled, scored on Morgan Yoder’s groundout.
“They have really good hitters,” Bilotti said. “We knew coming out that Haley Delany could hit and the Shellys (Paige and Dayna) could hit.
“Pretty much our game plan was to keep them from hitting. We were going to make the other girls beat us.”
The win was the first of the season for the Maidens after dropping back-to-back games to Downingtown West (19-14) and CB South (5-3).
“It’s been real tough,” Torresani said. “We played 14 innings and played 12 great innings and two bad seventh innings.
“When you’re winning 11-3 (against Downingtown) and 3-0 (against South), you shouldn’t lose, and we have. That was affecting the kids. Having so much time off, they weren’t able to get back on the field and forget about the last one.
“It was nice to get the win. These kids have been reading a lot of stuff. We go from number one in the Inquirer to nonexistent.”
The Maidens, ranked number one in the Inquirer’s preseason rankings, evened their league record at 1-1 (1-2 overall). The Indians are 2-1 in league play (4-2 overall).
North Penn 007 003 0-10
Souderton 000 012 1-4
HATBORO-HORSHAM 3, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 2
Daria Edward hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie, and the Hatters survived a seventh inning threat by the Titans to earn the hard-fought win.
Lexi Campbell, who had a one-hitter through five innings, notched the win on the mound.
“Both pitchers pitched great,” Hatboro coach Joe DiFilippo said. “(South pitcher) Hailey Warner pitched well. She moved the ball very nicely.”
The Titans threw a scare into the Hatters with a pair of runs in the seventh.
“It was 3-1, and they had a runner on first,” DiFilippo said. “Their girl hit a double to make it 3-2, and my shortstop – instead of throwing home – threw the girl out at second. She made the turn at second because she thought we were going home, and my shortstop threw her out. That’s how the game ended.”
The Hatters upped their league mark to 3-1 (4-1 overall) while the Titans are 1-1 in the league (1-2 overall).
Central Bucks South 000 000 2-2
Hatboro-Horsham 000 030 x-3
SOUDERTON 15, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0 (4 innings) (Tuesday, April 8)
Angie Carty brought an early end to Tuesday’s game against the Bucks when she delivered a grand slam in the fourth inning that put the mercy rule into effect. Carty’s was the third of three home runs on the day. Dayna Shelly and Haley Delany also hit round trippers – Shelly hit a solo shot in a two-run second, and Delany had a two-run home run in the Indians’ seven-run third.
All told, the Indians pounded out 11 hits. Carty, Shelly, Delany and Paige Shelly led the way with two hits each. Carty had a team-high five RBIs while Delany and the Shellys each had two.
Katie Kehler earned the win on the mound, allowing just one hit while fanning four and walking none.
Central Bucks West 000 00-0
Souderton 127- 14-15
QUAKERTOWN 11, WISSAHICKON 1 (4 innings) (Monday, April 7)
The Panthers collected just five hits, but they used a seven-run first inning and then added three runs in the second to seize early control of the game. Maddie Shourds led the Panthers with two hits and three RBIs.
Donna Intintolo had one of the Trojans’ two hits and had the team’s only RBI.
Megan Johnson and Allie MacIntyre split time on the mound in the win for the Panthers, combining for five strikeouts.
Quakertown 731 0-11
Wissahickon 000 1-1
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