Check out the results for SOL softball teams in action Tuesday.
National Conference
PENNSBURY 12, ABINGTON 9
With pitcher Alyssa Hileman and third baseman Mia Pitt both sidelined with injuries, coach Frank McSherry did some serious juggling of his lineup with only his first baseman occupying her usual position in the infield.
While the Ghosts were on the receiving end of a good number of free passes, the Falcons played flawless defense and pounded out 12 hits.
“We needed this one,” McSherry said. “We have been playing better defensively, and this was with our infield shifted around.
“We started the second half of the season, and we had a rough first half of the season. We said to the kids, ‘Hey, it’s behind us. Go at it like it’s a new season.’ They did come out swinging the bats and we played good defense.”
The veteran coach called on a pair of freshmen pitchers to fill in for Hileman, and Rachel Kitchenman closed out the game and earned the win, allowing four hits and two runs in 4.1 innings in her first ever varsity game.
After the Ghosts took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Falcons exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the second. Highlighting the inning was Bailee Zaccaro’s two-run home run.
“She’s pounding the ball,” McSherry said.
Zaccaro was 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Syd Jakimowicz was 2-5, and Olivia Mauro was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Arden Rabiger and Kitchenman each added an RBI double.
“(Kitchenman) gets the win and she made a nice play on a line drive up the middle,” McSherry said. “And then she gets a double.”
Pennsbury (2-7, 2-6 SOL) will be on the road at Council Rock North on Thursday, and Abington (3-7, 2-5) will host Neshaminy on Thursday.
Abington 106 010 1 9-5-2
Pennsbury 070 014 x 12-12-0
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 6, HARRY S TRUMAN 1
Steph Andreoli was on top of her game. Only a walk separated the Golden Hawks’ junior hurler from a perfect game heading into the seventh inning when the Tigers collected a pair of hits, breaking up her shutout bid.
“She only walked one and struck out six – it was her best outing in almost a year,” coach Greg Heydet said.
The Golden Hawks’ coach was decidedly more enthusiastic about his team’s performance than he had been after recent outings.
“It’s the best game all year,” Heydet said. “We had all four parts of the game working – offense, defense, pitching and cheering.
“Honestly, it was a real good game, especially after Truman got 17 runs yesterday (in a win over Cheltenham).”
Melanie Wilkinson set the tone for the Hawks with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first. They tacked on two more runs in a fourth inning that included an RBI single by Emily Freed. Andreoli led off the fifth with a single, and Mikayla Becker brought her home with a triple. A sacrifice fly by Phylicia Wilkov plated Becker with the Hawks’ final run.
“We know the second time around we usually faltered,” Heydet said. “It’s a great time to step up the second time around. My hat went off to them today.”
Council Rock South (6-3, 4-2 SOL) will travel to Bensalem on Thursday, and Harry S Truman (3-9, 2-6) will host William Tennent.
Harry S Truman 000 000 1 1
Council Rock South 200 220 x 6
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 1, WILLIAM TENNENT 0
Amanda Camp’s return to the circle a week after suffering whiplash in a car accident was an unqualified success. The senior pitcher threw six shutout innings in the win, allowing five hits while striking out two and walking none.
“Amanda did a really nice job,” coach John Engelhardt said. “It was awesome for her because the girl works so hard.
“She’s a quiet leader, and for her to come out and pitch six innings against a good team has to build her confidence, and it helps us because we’ve relied on Jenna (Khantzian) for so long that it was nice to have her throw maybe 10 pitches. She’s a young girl, and we have to save her.”
With the game still locked in a scoreless tie, Nicole Rounsavill – the lone Indian to collect a pair of hits – led off the seventh with a double. With two outs after a pair of strikeouts, she moved up to third on a passed ball and went all the way home when the throw to third sailed into the outfield.
“I can’t say enough about Nicole Rounsavill,” Engelhardt said. “In the seventh inning, Nicole comes up, and you just know – she’s the type of gamer where she wants to put the team on her shoulders and said, ‘Look, I’m leading off. I’ve got to do something here.’
“She crushed the ball, and it was a ground rule double. That girl is a leader. In that situation, everyone looks to her. Her aggressive base running was the reason we won the game. That was neat because Amanda – with that heck of a performance, you want to be sure she walks off the field with a ‘W.’”
Khantzian earned the save with a scoreless seventh, fanning a pair.
“William Tennent is a pretty good team,” Engelhardt said. “The rain came and we had to sit for 30 minutes, we had an abbreviated warm-up, we came out, and our approach at the plate was poor. Give credit to their pitcher. She did a really nice job.
“We played the best defensively that we’ve played all year. Taylor Briggs, our third baseman, was phenomenal.”
The win came on the heels of a disappointing loss to Neshaminy 24 hours earlier.
“It was a tough game coming off of Neshaminy with a lot of hype for us wanting to show we’ve made that next step to that next level of softball,” Engelhardt said. “The girls’ heads were down after this win.
“We’re 8-1, and I think if anyone had said, ‘You’ll be 8-1 after nine games,’ I think everyone would have signed up.”
Council Rock North (8-1, 6-1 SOL) will host Pennsbury on Thursday, and William Tennent (7-5, 5-3) will be on the road at Harry S Truman Thursday.
Council Rock North 000 000 1 1
William Tennent 000 000 0 0
NESHAMINY 6, BENSALEM 1
Sarah Dowala was on top of her game, allowing just two hits in six scoreless innings in a winning effort. The sophomore hurler fanned seven.
“She was in complete control of the game,” coach Dave Chichilliti said.
The Redskins put four runs on the board in a second inning that featured back-to-back-to-back one-out doubles by Rebecca Dixon, Alexis Watkins and Amanda Kurtz. Sophie Beretski also doubled in an inning that included five hits. The ‘Skins added single runs in the third and fourth to go on top 6-0 before the Owls got on the scoreboard with a single run in the seventh.
Contributing multi-hit performances were Olivia Zaino (2-for-4), Beretski (2-for-3, two doubles), Hunter Hart (2-for-3, two doubles), Dixon (2-for-4) and Kurtz (2-for-3).
Bensalem coach Dan Schram lauded the performance of his pitcher, Haley Sauer.
“She pitched a great game,” he said. “This young lady will be a force in Suburban One in years to come.”
Neshaminy (10-1, 8-0 SOL) will be on the road at Abington on Thursday, and Bensalem (3-9, 1-7) will host Council Rock South on Thursday.
Neshaminy 041 100 0 6-12-2
Bensalem 000 000 1 1-2-0
Continental Conference
SOUDERTON 5, HATBORO-HORSHAM 3
By Kyle Morhardt for suburbanonesports.com
The Hatboro-Horsham Hatters hosted Souderton to start the second half of the league season. Souderton had won the previous matchup between the two rivals and looked to extend its league record as well as achieve a perfect season over Hatboro-Horsham. The Hatters were first to strike, however, as Rachael Carney crossed home plate on a Brynn Griffith ground ball. Souderton tied up the game in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Savannah Bostwick that allowed Angie Carty – who had singled – to score. Dayna Shelly doubled in the inning.
Souderton went on to score enough runs to win the game in the top of the fifth as a series of hits from Angie Carty, Alex Scheeler (two-run double) and Brianna Neely (RBI) concluded with the Indians holding a 4-1 lead. The Indians tacked on a run in the seventh when Bostwick, who had singled, scored on a double off the bat of Missy Wiley.
Alex Scheeler pitched the complete seven innings, allowing six hits while managing to rack up three strikeouts.
“The way we try to play is playing better than we did the day before,” coach Steph Rummel said. “We try to work on our errors of the day before and become better as a team.
“Even though Hatboro did have some good swings on our pitches, we fielded the ball. We had two double plays. We were on our toes today, and I just felt they were really focused and ready when the ball was hit to them – they were ready to put the ball were it needed to go.”
Kaeli Simmons spent a majority of the time in the circle for the Hatters with Taylor Sciubba stepping in for two innings in the fifth. The Hatters managed to score two more runs the remainder of the game, but ended up falling to Souderton 5-3.
Souderton’s 12-hit attack was led by Angie Carty, who went 3-for-4 with two runs and two stolen bases. Shelly (2-for-3), Bostwick (2-for-4), Neely (2-for-3) and Alex Scheeler (2-for-4) also provided multi-hit efforts.
“The top of the lineup really hit well,” Rummel said. “Our one through six each had a hit or two, so they really carried our lineup.”
The Hatters were led by Rachael Carney who went 2-3 with a run and a stolen base.
Souderton (5-4, 4-4 SOL) will host Quakertown in its next league match on Thursday. Hatboro-Horsham (8-4, 4-4) will travel to CB South in its next league match.
Souderton 001 030 1 5-12-1
Hatboro-Horsham 100 001 1 3-6-2
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 7, PENNRIDGE 1
Theresa Haug and Kayla Ventura once again proved to be a formidable combination in the circle. Haug allowed just one run in three scoreless innings while Ventura did not allow a hit in four innings. The Lady Rams broke up the Patriots’ shutout bid when they scored an unearned run without a hit in the bottom of the seventh. Ventura fanned seven and walked two.
Offensively, sophomore Tara Harper had a big day, finishing 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Brady Tillotson had a productive day with two hits in three trips to the plate, including a double and home run, three RBIs and one run scored. She doubled in the second inning and homered in a four-run fifth that all but put the game out of reach. The Patriots tacked on three runs in the sixth to go on top 7-0 before the Lady Rams scored an unearned run in the seventh.
Julia Helbling’s double was the Rams only hit.
Kailyn Bell absorbed the loss.
Central Bucks East (9-3, 6-2 SOL) will host North Penn on Thursday, and Pennridge (4-8, 1-7) will be on the road at Central Bucks West.
Central Bucks East 000 043 0 7-9-1
Pennridge 000 000 1 1-1-2
QUAKERTOWN 7, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2
Alyssa Wilkinson earned the win in the circle and also led the Panthers at the plate where she was a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI.
The Bucks took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Panthers plated three runs in a second inning that included an RBI groundout by Meghan Klee as well as an RBI triple from Jamie Dettrey. The Panthers put the game out of reach with a four-run fifth that was highlighted by Klee’s two-run double and an RBI single by Wilkinson.
Also contributing multiple hits were Lauren Beal (2-for-3, one run), Nikki Vanelli (2-for-2, one run) and Dettrey (2-for-3, RBI). Megan Johnson and Madison Moyer each added a double.
For the Panthers, Julia Perez and Emma Dryden were both 2-for-3 with a run scored. Sam Trafford also was 2-for-3.
Wilkinson allowed nine hits and two runs while fanning four and walking two in 6.2 innings. Savannah Webb came in to collect the game’s final out.
Quakertown (10-3, 6-2 SOL) will be on the road at Souderton on Thursday, and Central Bucks West (7-5, 3-5) will host Pennridge.
Central Bucks West 200 000 0 2-9-0
Quakertown 030 040 x 7-13-0
NORTH PENN 4, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 3
The Maidens got back on the winning track on Tuesday, edging the Titans. Bri Batavio earned the win in the circle for the Maidens, who received a double from Kariam Bou.
Maddie Bieber delivered a home run for CB South. Alexis McConomy absorbed the loss.
North Penn (6-5, 5-3 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks East on Thursday, and Central Bucks South (8-5, 3-5) will host Hatboro-Horsham.
American Conference
NORRISTOWN 3, UPPER DUBLIN 2
The Eagles and Cardinals went into the sixth inning deadlocked at 1-1 when the Eagles scored two runs in the top of the sixth. The Cards got one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame, but that’s as close as they would get.
In the top of the first of a game that had a pair of weather delays, Kathleen Watson led off with a single and wound up on third, thanks to a two-base error on the play. She scored on Vanessa Limbert’s groundout. In the Eagles’ two-run sixth, Jess Ellick contributed a sacrifice fly, and Alaysia Keeley, who singled, scored a run that proved to be the game winner on an RBI single by Hannah Evanik.
For the Flying Cardinals, Sarah Tannenbaum had a big day at the plate. She was 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple. Jackie McMenamin, according to coach Heather Boyer, played a flawless game at shortstop.
Norristown (4-8, 2-6 SOL) will host Springfield on Thursday, and Upper Dublin (3-5, 2-4) will travel to Cheltenham on Thursday.
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 6, WISSAHICKON 3
Gabby Gaskin had a productive day at the plate for the Spartans, and it was her two-run double in the bottom of the second as well as an RBI groundout by Shey Lozada that erased a 3-0 deficit after the Trojans plated three in the top of the first
The Spartans won it with a three-run fourth.
Gaskin finished the day 2-for-3 with a double, four RBIs and a run scored. Jenn Hammons – who also earned the win – was a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored.
Julianne Griffin doubled and scored a run for the Trojans.
Hammons scattered seven hits and allowed three runs (all unearned) in the complete game win, fanning 10 and walking just two.
Springfield (6-3, 6-1 SOL) will be on the road at Norristown on Thursday, and Wissahickon (0-9, 0-6) will host Upper Moreland on Thursday.
Wissahickon 300 000 0 3-7-0
Springfield 300 300 x 6-7-4
UPPER MERION 16, CHELTENHAM 6 (6 innings)
The Vikings continued their torrid offensive production against conference opponents. One day after scoring 12 runs in a mercy rule win over Norristown, they took care of business against the visiting Lady Panthers in six innings.
Bridget Valeri’s single ignited a five-run first that was highlighted by Nicole Kowalski’s two-run double. The Lady Panthers scored two in the top of the second, but the Vikings answered with three in the bottom of the inning. It was an 8-3 game heading into the bottom of the third when the Vikings erupted for four more runs. Abby Volpe hit an RBI triple, and Kowalski ripped a two-run home run, putting the Vikings on top 12-3 on their way to another lopsided win.
Volpe finished the game 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored. Kowalski was 3-for-4 with a double, home run, four RBIs and two runs scored.
Olivia Sblorlini and Kowalski split time in the circle. Both allowed three runs in three innings.
Upper Merion (10-1, 8-0 SOL) will travel to Marple Newtown for a non-league contest Wednesday, and Cheltenham (4-8, 2-5) will host Upper Dublin on Thursday.
Cheltenham 021 030 6
Upper Merion 534 301 16
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