Check out the results for SOL softball teams in action Friday.
SOUDERTON 4, PENNRIDGE 3 (8 innings)
Souderton was down to its final out in Friday’s conference game against Pennridge. With Jennifer Klepfer – who had walked – on board and the Indians trailing 3-1, Brianna Neely picked up her third hit of a productive day, plating Klepfer and pulling the Indians to within one. Missy Wiley’s double drove in Neely with the tying run and gave the Indians the tie and new life.
“We have been talking lately about having heart, working hard and having fire,” coach Stephanie Rummel said. “I think that really came out today.
“They never gave up. Even though we were down, they still had quality at-bats and tried their hardest. They were bunting when we needed to bunt and getting them down. They just continued to fight throughout the whole game, and they pulled it out at the end.”
The Indians needed one more inning to win it. Dayna Shelly reached first on an error to open the eighth, and the Indians had runners on second and third after Alyssa McCormick delivered a double. Shelly raced home with the game winner on Lee’s sacrifice fly to right field.
The win was the Indians first since defeating Hatboro-Horsham in their conference opener on March 31.
“We were doing well in practice, but we weren’t turning it around in games,” Alex Scheeler said. “Today we were talking a lot more, and I think we just played as a team.
“In the games that we lost, we weren’t as focused and we didn’t have as much confidence as we did in this game. Even when we were losing today, we said, ‘Don’t lose confidence, keep your heads up and fight like we know how to.’”
Earlier, the two teams exchanged runs in the first, and the Lady Rams appeared to be in a good position when – sparked by doubles from Grace McGinley and Kailyn Bell – they scored two runs to go on top 3-1. The Indians, however, refused to lose, rallying for the dramatic win.
“We’ve been talking about starting over and starting from here on out, and today was a good starting point for us,” Rummel said. “It’s a different team this year, and it’s just getting to know each other. We’ve been switching positions around, trying to see what works.
“It’s either our offense isn’t there or our defense isn’t there and the other is there. We just have to put both of them together.”
In the absence of Savannah Bostwick, Rummel moved designated player Neely to the top of the order, and she delivered, leading the Indians with a 3-for-4 effort.
“She’s definitely been hitting the ball hard – she picks good pitches, and she’s just been doing great for us,” Rummel said. “She’s very, very fast, so even if she can put it in the infield, a lot of times she can beat the throw. She’s been focusing and doing her job.”
McGinley (2-for-4, double, one run) and Skylar Hengeveld (2-for-4) led the Lady Rams’ eight-hit attack. Sam Harty tripled and scored a run.
Sheeler earned the win in the circle, allowing just one earned run while striking out four and walking none. Bell – who struck out six and walked one – absorbed the loss for the Lady Rams.
Souderton (2-3 SOL) will be on the road at North Penn on Tuesday, and Pennridge (4-4, 1-4) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Tuesday.
Pennridge 100 002 00 3
Souderton 100 000 21 4
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 13, WISSAHCKON 3 (6 innings)
The Bucks led 9-0 after two innings, benefitting from a combination of walks and several hits, and the Trojans never threatened in a contest that was halted in the sixth inning.
Emma Dryden, Angelina Sherba and Shannon Stewart led the Bucks with two hits each. The Bucks collected eight hits and benefitted from 13 free passes.
Sherba did not allow any hits in two shutout innings, fanning a pair. Stewart threw four innings, allowing six hits and three runs while walking three and striking out two.
Macey Segal’s three-run home run in the fourth accounted for the Trojans’ only runs of the contest.
Central Bucks West (6-1, 3-1 SOL) will host North Penn in an important conference game Monday, and Wissahickon (0-6, 0-4) will be on the road at Upper Dublin.
Wissahickon 000 300 3
Central Bucks West 450 301 13
ABINGTON 11, UPPER DUBLIN 3
A pair of sophomores came up big for the Ghosts on Friday. Sophomore Tori Brandenburger entered the game in relief of starter Nikki Ray and earned the win. Sophomore Alyssa Goodson – just up from the jayvee – had an impressive varsity debut, finishing the game 4-for-4 with an RBI.
Ray had a big day at the plate, turning in a 2-for-4 effort with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Brooke Clewell was 2-for-4 in a productive outing with four RBIs and two runs scored.
Sarah Tannenbaum (2-for-4) turned in Upper Dublin’s only multi-hit effort.
The Ghosts led this one wire to wire, scoring runs in each of the first four innings en route to an 8-2 lead over their visitors.
Abington (3-3, 2-2 SOL) will host Council Rock North on Tuesday, and Upper Dublin (3-2, 2-1) is off until Thursday when the Cards will travel to Springfield.
Upper Dublin 002 010 0 3
Abington 122 303 x 11
FREEDOM 1, QUAKERTOWN 0
The visiting Panthers extended an undefeated Freedom squad to the limit, but couldn’t push a run across. The Panthers managed just three hits – which included a double by Alyssa Wilkinson.
Savannah Webb absorbed the loss in the circle for the Panthers.
Quakertown (6-3, 3-2 SOL) will be on the road at Central Bucks South on Tuesday.
Quakertown 000 000 0 0-3-1
Freedom 000 001 x 1-7-0
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