Check out the results for SOL softball teams in action on Monday.
National Conference
PENNSBURY 6, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2
The Falcons used a five-run fourth inning to take control of a close game in a battle of squads that entered the contest with just one loss each in conference play.
“It was a really big win,” said coach Frank McSherry, whose team was coming off a disappointing loss in nine innings to Hatboro-Horsham on Friday. “We just left so many runners on base in that game, and their kids made every play.
“Our kids did a pretty good job today.”
Freshman Lily Hochhausler threw the first three innings and earned the win, allowing five hits and two runs.
“She did a pretty nice job,” McSherry said. “She pitched out of a jam the first inning. It looked like she was going to get out of a jam in the second, but their kid hit a double.”
Lauren Begg’s two run double with two outs in the second accounted for both of the Indians’ runs. Begg led the Indians with a pair of hits.
Alyssa Heilman entered the game in the third inning, and in four innings of work, she allowed just one hit and fanned seven.
“She’s not a strikeout pitcher, but she pitched really well and threw hard,” McSherry said.
Mia Pitt’s RBI single put the Falcons on the board in the top of the first, but the Indians made it a 2-1 game in the bottom of the second. That score stood until the top of the fourth when the Falcons erupted for five runs, thanks to a two-out rally.
Jen Brady extended the inning when she drew a two-out walk, and Sydney Jakimowicz followed with a rocket off the third baseman. A walk loaded the bases, setting the stage for an RBI single by Alex Rishel. Freshman Allison Rose followed with a two-run bloop double, and then it was Pitt driving in her second run of the day with a single.
Both teams managed just six hits. Jenna Khantzian fanned 12 batters in the loss.
Pennsbury (8-3, 4-1 SOL) will host Harry S Truman on Wednesday, and Council Rock North (7-3, 5-2) will host Archbishop Ryan in a non-league contest on Wednesday.
Pennsbury 100 500 0 6
Council Rock North 020 000 0 2
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 13, BENSALEM 5
Phylicia Wilkov led the Golden Hawks’ 16-hit attack with a 4-for-5 effort that included three RBIs. Devon Bradley was 3-for-3 with a double. Sabrina Dobron was 2-for-4 with a double, an Melanie Wilkinson was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs.
“Our team did good because we had to adjust to the speed of the pitches,” coach Greg Heydet said. “Bensalem is a hard-nosed team that works hard. They don’t back down.”
Freshman Kylie Woloshyn earned her first varsity win in the circle. The rookie hurler was lifted in the Owls’ three-run third, and she returned to close it out with a pair of shutout innings. Danielle Walters saw action in the middle of the game.
“We have four games this week, so everyone is going to get a shot,” Heydet said.
The Golden Hawks scored three runs in the first and four more in the second to go on top 7-0 before the Owls plated three in the third. The Hawks scored two in both the third and fourth innings and added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Council Rock South (7-3, 3-2 SOL) will be on the road at Neshaminy on Wednesday, and Bensalem (5-5, 0-5) will host Abington on Wednesday.
Bensalem 003 020 0 5
Council Rock South 342 211 x 13
NESHAMINY 18, HARRY S TRUMAN 7
The Redskins pounded out 18 hits off a trio of Tiger pitchers. They scored two runs in the first to take a lead they would not lose, opening up an 8-0 lead before the Tigers rallied with three runs in both the third and fourth innings to make it a 9-6 game. The ‘Skins scored five runs in the top of the fifth and added four more in the seventh.
Amber Brugger, who earned the win in the circle, was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, Devan Masciulli was 3-for-3 with a double, RBI and three runs scored. Adding two hits each were Olivia Fee, Natalie Rios (home run), Hunter Hart, Rebecca Dixon (double) and Liana Jones (double). Alexis Watkins also had a home run.
Rios had a team-high three RBIs.
For the Tigers, freshman Chrissie Huhn was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored out of the leadoff spot. Steph Wolf, who tripled, had a pair of RBIs. Tori Baskin and Sarah Soltis each had a double.
Neshaminy (9-2, 5-0 SOL), the conference’s lone unbeaten squad, will host Council Rock South on Wednesday, and Harry S Truman (2-8, 1-5) will be on the road at Pennsbury.
Neshaminy 224 150 4 18-18-0
Harry S Truman 003 301 0 7-7-2
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 11, NORTH PENN 0 (5 innings)
There’s a reason teams are electing to pitch around Taylor Marinelli.
The Titan senior’s 4-for-4 effort in Monday’s win over the Knights could effectively serve as Exhibit A for that argument. When the senior slugger wasn’t hitting the ball over the fence – which she did twice, Marinelli was legging out infield singles. She had two of those to go with her two round trippers, and the bottom line: Marinelli is flat out on a tear.
At the midway point of the season, the Titan senior – after Monday’s two home runs – already has seven home runs. It was her second game with two home runs.
“Taylor is – she’s awesome,” said coach Kevin Rosini. “If she’s not the best hitter in the league, I’d like to find somebody who is. She puts us on her back sometimes.
“Those home runs today put any thought that they were going to be in this game out of the equation.”
Marinelli credits her teammates for playing a role in her torrid offensive production.
“I definitely feel comfortable with this team,” she said. “They have got my back. Whether it’s a home run or a ground ball to the second baseman or a popup to the second baseman, I know that they’re there to pick me up, no matter what.”
Entering Monday’s game, the two teams were tied for the top spot in the conference with identical 4-0 records. South kept its perfect conference mark intact, and although the Titans have allowed some runs in their non-league games (they defeated Hatboro-Horsham 21-17 last week), they’ve been stingy in conference play where they’ve outscored their opponents 42-1.
“I’ve said this all season long – if we play defense, we’re going to be in every game,” Rosini said. “Defense is what has cost us in the games that we’ve lost.
“If we play defense, we can hit. We’ve got a good lineup top to bottom. What we talked about going into this game was – yes, it’s a big game. North Penn’s a really good team, no question about it, but we focused on it just like we have every other game. It’s just another game on the schedule.
“Make it bigger than what it is, we’re going to psyche ourselves out, so we came in today with the mindset – it’s another game on our schedule, another game that we have to play well to win, and we did.”
The Titans were coming off a week that saw them win four games in four days –
“Getting through that, I think, proved to all of us that if we play the right way we’re going to be in every game,” Rosini said. “Today was a great example of it.”
The Titans – sparked by Alexis McConomy’s two-run double – took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. They added a single run in the third, and Marinelli’s solo blast over the left field fence led off a three-run fourth that put the Titans on top 7-0. In the fifth, Marinelli hit a line drive over the center field fence for her second round tripper. This one plated Maddi Bieber, who had walked, and put the Titans on top 9-0.
“Our one Achilles heel has been – when we score, we give something up in the next half inning,” Rosini said. “That’s been the case quite a bit this season, which has made the games a little more interesting than maybe I’d like.
“Today Kylie (Kenney) did a really good job. She’s been throwing consistently all season.”
Kenney tossed a two-hit shutout in abbreviated contest, fanning four.
She escaped a two-out North Penn threat in the fifth. The sophomore hurler retired the first two batters she faced, but the Knights – sparked by a double to right field by Bri Battavio – loaded the bases, benefitting from a walk and hit batsman. Bieber brought an end to that threat, scooping up a grounder to third and firing a strike to first for the game’s final out.
“I just knew that my defense would have my back,” said Kenney, whose curveball was her money pitch. “We’ve had some rocky defense this year, but today the whole team just came together, and we played really well.
“Our team has been together for a while. We do a lot of team bonding, so that also helps too.”
Marinelli’s 4-for-4 effort led the Titans and included two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored. Meghan Bradley was 2-for-3 with one RBI. McConomy was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, and Maddie Rowley was 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.
“When we were at tryouts, we knew we were going to click,” Marinelli said. “We did have so many returners, and with the seven seniors, it’s a great leadership group.
“Whether we’re cheering from the bench or we’re out on the field, everyone is picking each other up, everyone trusts each other on the field.”
“This is a veteran group,” Rosini added. “They work with each other, they help each other out.
“We’re playing really well right now, but we’ve got a long way to go.”
Monday’s shutout was the Titans’ second in as many games since their 21-17 come-from-behind win over Hatboro-Horsham last Thursday. Marinelli, for one, has no explanation for a contest featuring 38 runs that is sandwiched on both sides by two shutouts.
“I have no idea what happened,” the senior captain said. “I don’t know if it was the field or if it was us. From point one, that game just wasn’t good.
“We’re just going to leave that in the past.”
Central Bucks South (7-3, 5-0 SOL) will be on the road at Central Bucks East on Wednesday, and North Penn (7-3, 4-1) – which saw its seven-game winning streak snapped – is scheduled to travel to Haverford for a non-league contest.
Central Bucks South 313 22 11-12-1
North Penn 000 00 0-2-4
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 6, SOUDERTON 3
The Indians took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning when the Bucks scored four runs to take a lead they would not lose.
“I was just pleased that we finally put together a big inning,” West coach Geoff Thompson said. “Six runs is the most runs we’ve scored in a game all season.
“It’s been a struggle to score runs. The past couple of games we put some big innings up.
“Hopefully, their bats are coming around – score some runs and take some of the pressure off the pitching and the defense, and we can play a little bit more relaxed.”
An RBI single by Cara Hatzinger put the Bucks on the board in the first, and an unearned run in the second gave them a 2-0 lead. Alex Scheeler evened the score with one swing of the bat, smacking a two-run home run. An RBI single by Ali Gould put the Indians on top 3-2.
In the four-run fifth, Hatzinger had another RBI single while Ella Castronuovo delivered the big blow, a two-run double. The fourth run scored on a Souderton miscue.
Sam Trafford led the Bucks with three hits while Hatzinger added two hits and two RBIs.
For the Indians, Melissa Peters was 3-for-4. Scheeler, Jen Klepfer, Naila Neely, Hailey Freed, Alyssa McCormick and Gould were all 1-for-3.
Angelina Sherba had four strikeouts in the complete game win while Sheeler absorbed the loss, fanning five and walking none.
Central Bucks West (3-6, 2-4 SOL) will be on the road at William Tennent on Friday, and Souderton (2-7, 0-5) will host William Tennent on Wednesday.
Souderton 002 100 0 3-9-4
Central Bucks West 110 040 x 6-10-0
PENNRIDGE 8, WILLIAM TENNENT 3
Meghan Bauer earned the complete game win for the visiting Rams, scattering eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
Grace McGinley had the game’s big blow – a two-run home run in the fifth. Emily Hegen was 3-for-3 with a double, and Logan Scott was 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple to finish just a home run shy of the cycle. She had one RBI and two runs score. Kylie Watson was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
For the Panthers, senior Marissa Govan was 3-for-4 at the plate, and junior Cassidy Hubmaster had a pair of RBIs.
The visiting Rams scored two in the third, and after the Panthers cut that lead in half with a run in the bottom of the inning, the Rams added two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to go on top 6-1. The Rams and Panthers both scored two runs in the seventh.
Pennridge (4-5, 2-3 SOL) will host North Penn on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., and William Tennent (2-7, 1-4) will be on the road at Souderton on Wednesday.
Pennridge 002 220 2 8
Wiliam Tennent 001 000 2 3
American Conference
UPPER MORELAND 10, WISSAHICKON 5
The Golden Bears plated a single run in the top of the second and then benefitted from a two-out throwing error in the third to score five unearned runs. A pair of runs crossed the plate on the miscue, and another runner crossed the plate on Maura Casey’s RBI double. Carli Wasson and Jenna Sadowski also contributed RBI singles in an inning that gave the Golden Bears a 6-0 lead.
They extended their lead to 9-1 before the Trojans scored three in the sixth and one more in the seventh.
For the Golden Bears, Chloe Tice doubled and scored in the fourth inning, and she had a triple in the seventh and scored. Tice finished the game 3-for-5 with two doubles, a triple and two runs scored while Casey was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles. Sadowski also was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, Maddie Mull was 2-for-4 with a double, Kim Benge was 2-for-5 with two RBIs, and Brianna Byard was 2-for-5.
Sadowski – who improved to 3-2 on the year – earned the win in the circle, allowing nine hits while striking out nine and walking none.
“She was really solid,” coach Scott Ludlow said. “She’s only walked one batter in five games. She walked one batter on Friday – it was her first walk of the season. She’s been tremendous.”
For the Trojans, Michela Coleman was 4-for-4 with two runs scored out of the leadoff spot, picking a pair of hits from both sides of the plate. Paige Miller was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Macey Segal had a two-run double in the sixth inning.
Upper Moreland (4-3, 3-1 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Tuesday, and Wissahickon (1-8, 1-5) will be on the road at Springfield Township on Wednesday.
Upper Moreland 015 111 1 10-16-0
Wissahickon 000 103 1 5-9-4
QUAKERTOWN 12, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 0
Tori Caputo tossed a two-hit shut in the abbreviated contest, striking out six and walking none.
Tara Baglivo (3-for-4, two runs), Maddie Moyer (3-for-3, double, three RBIs) and Sarah Stofik (3-for-3, two RBIs, triple two runs) led the Panthers’ hit parade. Abbey Schwartz (2-for-4, RBI, three runs) and Nikki Vanelli (2-for-4, RBI, one run) also had multiple hits. Abbey Hill had a double, three RBIs and a run scored. Halle Frederick, Ryann Kemmerling and Jocelyn Fafard each had an RBI.
The Panthers scored five runs in the first and led 10-0 after three innings on their way to the decisive win.
Quakertown (8-2, 6-0 SOL) will be on the road at Plymouth Whitemarsh on Wednesday, and Springfield (0-6, 0-5) will host Cheltenham on Wednesday.
Springfield 000 00 0-2-1
Quakertown 514 2x 12-14-0
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 4, ABINGTON 2
The Ghosts took a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning when the Patriots scored a pair of runs and then tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh to earn the non-league win.
The Patriots managed just six hits off of Abington pitcher Megan Burdziak, but they made those count, benefitting from the three-RBI performance of Sam Beagleman. Audrey Labouliere added a solo home run and a double. She also scored a run. Tara Harper singled and scored a pair of runs.
The Ghosts were led by the 2-for-3 efforts of Brooke Clewell and Sam Marashaski. Clewell had the Ghosts’ lone extra base hit – a double. She also had an RBI. Jess O’Neil also contributed an RBI.
Giuliana Ruscio earned the complete game win, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out nine and walking two.
Central Bucks East (7-3, 4-1 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Tuesday in a non-league contest, and Abington (4-6, 1-4) will be on the road at Bensalem on Wednesday.
Central Bucks East 100 020 1 4-6-2
Abington 001 100 0 2-5-0
About the Author
