The SOL/BAL fell to Berks/Lancaster-Lebanon 12-0 in Carpenter Cup play on Wednesday. It was the team’s second loss in the double elimination tournament.
By Mary Jane Souder
PHILADELPHIA – It’s a safe bet Neshaminy sophomore Sarah Snider-Leonhauser and North Penn junior Erin Maher didn’t exchange a whole lot of pleasantries during a high school season that included a pair of high stakes games between their two squads.
All that changed this week when the two were teammates on the SOL/BAL squad in Carpenter Cup play.
“It’s great playing with Erin,” Snider-Leonhauser said. “We played her quite a few times this season.”
“I think of Neshaminy, and I get angry,” Maher said. “But I look at Sarah, and she makes me laugh.”
It’s easy to understand Maher’s anger, considering that the Redskins defeated the Maidens 2-0 in the district semifinals and then sent North Penn home for the season with a 3-2 win in the state semifinals.
On Wednesday, that anger had turned to laughter and good-natured kidding.
“She’s nice, and it was great getting to know her,” Maher said. “It takes some of the pain away.”
According to both, it’s the friendships born on the diamond that make competing in the Carpenter
Cup such a special experience. No one knows that better than Maher, who was part of last year’s championship Carpenter Cup squad as well as this year’s team that compiled a 1-2 mark and saw its season end with a 12-0 loss to Berks/Lebanon-Lancaster on Wednesday.
“This just makes (high school) competition more fun,” Maher said. “When we play (Central Bucks) East and I see the Schoenewalds, I’m joking around with Julia (East’s catcher) at home plate, and I’m looking at Caroline.
“It was a bit of a letdown (to go home after three games), but at the same time, what I take from last year – sure, I take the trophy and winning out of it, but I also take the friends out of it. This year it’s the same thing.”
“I’m so glad that I met friends I can keep now,” Snider-Leonhauser said. “I saw a lot of familiar faces on the team and even some of the players we played against I knew. It’s great playing with everyone.”
In Wednesday’s loss, the SOL/BAL never could get its offense untracked against a duo of lefties – Daniel Boone sophomore Bekah Slattery and Pequea Valley junior Amanda Houck, who allowed just three hits between the two of them.
Slattery was a familiar face to Snider-Leonhauser, who hit an RBI double off of the southpaw in the first inning of Neshaminy’s 8-0 win over Daniel Boone in a state quarterfinal game.
“It didn’t feel that different, but it just wasn’t our day,” Snider-Leonhauser said of facing Slattery. “We’re a good team. We just didn’t come out and get the hits when we needed to, and it’s always frustrating when you can’t hit.”
Maher opened the game with a single to center and advanced to third but was stranded there. In the second inning, North Penn’s Jackie Bilotti was safe on an error, and Upper Dublin’s Rachel Hyman followed with a double to left, putting runners on second and third with one out. Slattery escaped unscathed, thanks to a bunt popout and a strikeout. In the third inning, Pennsbury junior Farryl Groder drew a one-out walk and Central Bucks West junior 
Jess D’Agostino was safe on an error, putting a pair on board, but again, the SOL/BAL came up empty.
The SOL/BAL managed just one-hit the rest of the way – a one-out single by North Penn junior Vicky Tumasz.
“When you get to a tournament like this, there’s a lot of talent,” Upper Dublin coach Heather Boyer said. “You need talent to win tournaments like this, but you also need a little luck.
“Last year we had a little luck, this year not so much.”
Berks/Lebanon-Lancaster all put but the game out of reach with a five-run third inning. All five runs were unearned, the result of a pair of costly errors. Four more runs in the fourth and three in the fifth sealed the fate of the SOL/BAL.
“In the first couple of innings, we had runners in scoring position,” Maher said. “It’s tough when your pitchers are working so hard out there, and we’re making errors and struggling offensively.
“But hey, it was a talented group of girls, and it was still a great experience.”
When it was over, Boyer acknowledged that she would like to see even more players get involved in the future.
“We’re going to talk and get the word out,” she said. “I appreciate the kids who are willing to give up the time to do (this). If they’re willing to give that extra effort and give up their time, I’m willing to give up my time and do the best we can.
“It’s fun, and if it wasn’t fun, I wouldn’t do it.”
Seeing action on the mound for the SOL/BAL were Tumasz, North Penn sophomore Jackie Bilotti, Bensalem sophomore Jackie Morell and Abington sophomore Elizabeth Lloyd. Only five of the Berks/Lancaster-Lebanon squad's 12 runs were earned.
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