SOL/BAL Carpenter Cup Run Comes to an End

The SOL/BAL won its first game in Carpenter Cup play Wednesday but lost its second.

PHILADELPHIA – As they wait in the on-deck circle in Wednesday’s Carpenter Cup game against Chester County, Bri Battavio and Maddie Bieber share the easy banter of teammates who have been together for a long time.

In fact, the SOL/BAL teammates were archrivals this past spring – Battavio recently completed her sophomore season at North Penn and Bieber did the same at Central Bucks South,

“This is a lot of fun,” Bieber said. “Now that I know my rivals – we all have jokes, and we can all laugh about it.”

That lighthearted exchange between teammates was replayed countless times over the past two days as players from 12 different high school teams – despite just three practices - created an unmistakable bond.

“I think we really got to know each other well,” said Central Bucks East junior Theresa Haug. “The first couple of practices we didn’t know each other that well, but by the third practice, we all were having fun.

“Yesterday we all got to know each other, cheered each other on, played some fun games between games and got to know each other well.”

The SOL/BAL saw its Carpenter Cup run come to an end on Wednesday after an 8-2 loss to Chester County. Earlier in the day, the SOL/BAL defeated Delaware South 7-1. The SOL/BAL was 2-2 in the 16-team double elimination tournament.

“That’s not bad in a tournament like this where you have some top-caliber talent,” said head coach Heather Boyer (Upper Dublin). 

The SOL/BAL managed just two hits in its loss to Chester County and couldn’t buy a break in a contest that saw their opponents commit six errors. A play that underscored their struggles came in the seventh inning when – after an error on a fly ball to the outfield – Chester County turned an unorthodox double play to effectively put to rest any thoughts of a comeback.

“Sometimes it happens,” said Boyer. “You can’t explain it, but sometimes you get good breaks and sometimes you don’t.

“We hit the ball hard right at people. Chester County made some great defensive plays.”

No play was more dazzling than shortstop Ana Bruni’s acrobatic leaping grab in the third base hole of a screaming line drive off the bat of Haug. It came in the top of the third inning with the score deadlocked 2-2 after Bieber opened the inning with a single down the third base line.

“The shortstop they have was phenomenal,” Boyer said of the Perkiomen Valley junior. “We had Theresa Haug doing a fake bunt for a hit, so (Bruni) is already moving one way to cover the bunt (at second) and all of a sudden has to change directions to go make that play.

“That’s like an ESPN top 10 kind of play. It was fantastic. Props to her.”

The play was a game changer. The SOL/BAL came up empty in the inning, and Chester County scored three runs in the bottom of the frame to take a lead it would not lose.

If Bruni’s play wasn’t enough, Stephanie Andreoli (Council Rock South) was robbed of a base hit when right fielder Jordyn Reith made a diving grab to close out the third inning.

“Once we saw that play we were kind of bummed,” Bieber said of Bruni’s highlight reel grab. “That could have been a big spark to the game.

“They were hitting it to places we weren’t. When we hit it hard, they were able to make plays on it.”

Earlier, the SOL/BAL took a 1-0 lead in the second without the benefit of a hit. Battavio, who was hit by a pitch to open the frame, scored when a fly ball to left off the bat of Sarah Tannenbaum (Upper Dublin) was misplayed.

The SOL/BAL added a run in the third to go on top 2-0, capitalizing on pair of errors and a bloop single by Olivia Sborlini (Upper Merion). Chester County answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning and seized control with the three-run fourth inning on its way to the win.

In an early morning contest against Delaware South, the SOL/BAL scored a pair of runs in the first inning. Bieber delivered the big blow – a two-run double with two outs to plate Katie Beer (North Penn) and Sborlini. Beer reached base on a fielder’s choice and Sborlini doubled.

Delaware South got on the scoreboard in the top of the third, plating a single run, but SOL/BAL added two runs in the third. Highlights of the inning included singles by Beer and Battavio and an RBI double by Bieber.

“Maddie Bieber – I think the ball looked like a watermelon to her,” Boyer said. “She had two very clutch RBI doubles.

“That was very important to get those clutch hits.”

The SOL/BAL tacked on three more runs in a sixth inning that featured singles by Madison Gianelle (Cheltenham) and Julia Helbling (Pennridge) as well as a double by RonnieMarie Falasco (Delco). Helbling and Bieber led the SOL/BAL’s nine-hit attack with two hits each.

Battavio earned the win in the circle, allowing three hits and one run in four innings while walking one and fanning three. Sborlini allowed two hits in two scoreless innings, striking out one and walking none, and Haug tossed a scoreless seventh, allowing two hits and fanning a pair.

The games were just part of an interesting two days at FDR Park for the 17 players who comprised the SOL/BAL roster.

“It was fun to watch them in between games,” Boyer said. “They had these quirky games they were playing, and everybody was involved.

“Nobody was sitting outside on the perimeter. Even the quieter players were involved. Obviously, you come down here, and you want to win. That’s the goal. We’re giving up days of our summer to come down here and coach, but when push comes to shove, only one team comes out a final winner, so you want to make sure the girls have a good experience while they’re here too and take away good memories.

“So next year when North Penn plays CB East or CB South plays Council Rock or however they match up – it brings a different kind of relationship to the field, and it’s fun. The kids remember that kind of stuff, and they have fun playing in that competitive rivalry.”

Haug echoed similar sentiments.

“We wanted to win, but we still have all the fun times we had together,” the CB East junior said. “We’ll still see each other during school ball and talk to each other, but it was fun getting to play together.”

Delaware South     001 000 0   1-7-2
SOL/BAL                  202 003 x   7-9-0

E-Del South 2, 2B-Wheatley, Sblorlini, Bieber 2, Falasco.

SOL/BAL           011 000 0    2-4-1
Chester Co     002 303 x     8-12-6

E-SOL/BAL 1, Chester Co 6. 2B-Julia Helbling, Sarah Schubert, Julia Knight, Madison Bowe.