Check out the results for SOL softball teams in action Wednesday.
National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 5, PENNSBURY 2
Pennsbury handed Council Rock South a 5-1 loss on April 20. The Golden Hawks returned the favor on Wednesday, breaking a 2-2 tie with one swing of junior Mackenna Diamond’s bat in the bottom of the third inning.
Diamond’s three-run home run was the difference in the game, and it was the definition of clutch, coming with two outs on an 0-2 pitch.
Earlier in the game, in the second inning, sophomore Karley DeSpirito drove in a pair with a double, spotting the Golden Hawks a 2-0 lead.
“Two big hits,” coach Greg Heydet said. “The underage kids are hitting. They’re stepping up.”
Danielle Walters allowed just one hit and struck out 10 in the complete game win, but the freshman pitcher walked six and hit four batters. Five of those free passes came in the Falcons’ two-run second. The Falcons’ only hit of the game came in the fifth inning.
“She settled down,” Heydet said of Walters. “It was a well-played game.
“We had maybe one error, but the defense stepped it up. This was our biggest win yet. (Council Rock) North was big, but that’s behind us now. Pennsbury was big.”
Wednesday’s win was the sixth straight for the Golden Hawks.
“They’re playing good ball,” Heydet said. “Near the end of the season is when you’ve got to start playing.
“I’m proud of them. The confidence is there, and they’re playing big time.”
Council Rock South (13-5, 6-4 SOL) will be on the road at Bensalem on Friday, and Pennsbury (11-5, 7-3) will host Council Rock North on Friday.
Pennsbury 002 000 0 2
Council Rock South 023 000 0 5
NESHAMINY 3, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 1
The Redskins clinched sole possession of the conference title with an impressive road win over the Indians.
“We always have a list of things we’d like to accomplish, and this conference is full of great teams, so we’re very proud of it,” coach Dave Chichilitti said.
Amber Brugger allowed just two hits in the complete game win, none until the sixth inning.
“That’s probably what I’m most proud of,” Chichilitti said. “It was a tight strike zone, and she didn’t have her best stuff.
“She probably had six or seven walks, so we were able to play really great defense behind her and support her. The defense played tough and got out of some jams.”
The Redskins – who managed just four hits – put a run on the board in the top of the first, thanks to back-to-back-to-back singles by Rebecca Dixon, Devan Masciulli and Alexis Watkins (RBI). They added a pair of runs in the sixth without the benefit of a hit.
Neshaminy (14-2, 10-0 SOL) will host Harry S Truman on Friday, and Council Rock North (10-5, 7-4) will be on the road at Pennsbury on Friday.
Neshaminy 010 002 0 3
Council Rock North 000 000 1 1
HARRY S TRUMAN 3, ABINGTON 2
On April 19, the Tigers fell to the Ghosts 11-1 in an abbreviated five-inning contest.
“It was pretty frustrating because Abington is well coached, but it’s definitely a team that was beatable,” Truman coach Mike Klemp said. “Seeing them warming up and things like that, I thought we were pretty comparable, and when we lost by 10, it was a little demoralizing.
“Of all the games, it was our only letdown of the season. I’ve been happy with every game. We’ve really competed, but in that game, we didn’t. I talked to the girls about maybe them taking us for granted, thinking how easy it was the first time. I think the first time we played them we had seven errors.”
The Tigers played flawless defense in Wednesday’s rematch, and the result was dramatically different as well.
Klemp elected to give senior Steph Wolf an opportunity to play her natural position in the outfield and went with back-up pitcher Hailey Carter.
“She’s a sophomore who can hit her spots, and I mean she hit her spots,” Klemp said. “She allowed no extra-base hits, and we played great defense behind her.
“She pitched a gem. I’m super proud of the girls and the way they fought. We really just played good team softball.
The Tigers received a pair of clutch hits. In the top of the first, Kailea Heston delivered a two-run home run that plated Chrissie Huhn, who led off the frame with a bunt single.
“She’s been doing it all year long,” Klemp said of Heston. “She’s batting about .400.”
With two outs in the top of the fifth, Tori Baskin added a solo home run.
The Ghosts didn’t get on the scoreboard until the seventh when they plated a pair.
Chrissie Huhn, the Tigers’ dynamic leadoff batter and shortstop, went 2-for-2 with a run scored but was forced to leave the game with an injury.
Klemp called on freshman Cierra Valazquez to fill Huhn’s spot.
“She played fantastic,” the Tigers’ coach said. “She had three or four assists or putouts.
“I knew what she could do. She came up and said she was having a tough game on jayvee – her arm was sore. I just told her to relax, there’s no pressure. She was so clean. Everything was perfect.”
Also for the Tigers, Grace Pool was 2-for-3, and Elle Olivero had a double.
Oliva Bernstein was 2-for-3 with an RBI to lead the Ghosts.
Harry S Truman (5-12, 4-7 SOL) will travel to Neshaminy on Friday, and Abington (5-13, 2-9) will travel to Central Bucks West on Monday for a non-league game.
Harry S Truman 200 010 0 3-8-0
Abington 000 000 2 2-8-0
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 11, WILLIAM TENNENT 1 (6 innings)
Paul Knapp was waiting for his offense to erupt. It happened on Wednesday. The Patriots – who had not scored more than three runs in any of their last three wins – pounded out 14 hits in the abbreviated contest. It came a month to the day after their last double-digit run game (a 13-7 win over Pennridge).
The Patriots led 1-0 heading to the bottom of the third when they erupted for five runs.
“The first time through (the lineup) we really didn’t do anything,” Knapp said. “The second time through our top hitters finally got on.”
Alyssa Catron (3-for-4, double, three RBIs, two runs) and Steph Kuhns (3-for-4, home run, four RBIs, one run) turned in huge performances from the four and five holes in East’s lineup. Audrey Labouliere was 2-for-3 with a double and three runs scored.
“Aubrey and Alyssa have been off what they normally do, and they hit well today,” Knapp said. “We got a home run out of Steph Kuhns. She’s been getting singles, but to come through with a home run today was big.
“Madi Michvech got a nice hit.”
Michvech, who bats ninth, was 1-for-2 with a double and two RBIs. The Patriots’ seven, eight and nine hitters were a combined 3-for-8 with four RBIs and two runs scored.
“The bottom of the lineup was 1 or 2 for 20-something in the last few games,” Knapp said. “It was up and down the lineup today.”
“I was worried about Tennent, especially coming off that big win over South. I figured they’d be pumped up and ready to go, and we actually looked pretty flat during warm-ups.”
Giuliana Ruscio earned the complete game win, scattering seven hits while striking out two and walking none.
Knapp credited his defense, most notably the play of second baseman Tara Harper.
“Tara Harper picked up one deep behind second base and pitched it to first for an out,” Knapp said. “For probably any other second baseman, that would have been a single. She had a line drive scorched at her that she picked up.
“She had a really good defensive game, and that’s pretty much why we have not been pitching her. We were rotating her, but she’s probably our best defensive infielder. She makes plays on that side of the infield that most people just can’t make. As much as I’d like to rotate her in pitching, it just weakens us defensively not having her there.
“Fortunately, Giuliana has been doing really well. She’s had four games in a row where she’s really pitched tremendous games.”
For the Panthers, Brianna Koonce was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Caitlyn Mitros had a triple and Kayla Finkelstein doubled.
Central Bucks East (11-7, 8-3 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks South on Tuesday, and William Tennent ( 6-10, 4-7) will be on the road at Pennridge on Friday.
William Tennent 000 001 1-7-1
Central Bucks East 105 302 2 11-14-0
PENNRIDGE 8, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2
The Bucks went on top 2-0 in the second inning and took that two-run advantage into the sixth inning when the Rams plated three runs. They added five more in the seventh – an outburst that was highlighted by Skylar Hengeveld’s home run.
The Rams, who held an 8-6 advantage in hits, were led by the 2-for-4 effort of Kailyn Bell, who – along with Hengeveld – had three RBIs. Samantha Harty singled and drove in a run. She also scored two runs. Kylie Watson doubled and scored a pair of runs.
Meghan Bauer threw the first two innings, allowing two hits and two runs. Bell, who earned the win, threw five shutout innings to close it out, scattering four hits while striking out four and walking one.
Pennridge (8-8, 4-6 SOL) will host Dock Mennonite Academy in a non-league game on Thursday at 4 p.m., and Central Bucks West (4-11, 2-9) will host Upper Dublin in a non-league game on Thursday.
Pennridge 000 003 5 8-8-1
Central Bucks West 020 000 0 2-6-2
NORTH PENN 4, SOUDERTON 1
The Knights plated three runs in the first and that was more than enough as they went on to earn the win in the battle of neighboring rivals.
Jen Klepfer accounted for the Indians’ only run with a solo home run in the sixth. Jess Lepore was 1-for-3 with a walk, Ali Gould was 2-for-3 and Hailey Freed was 1-for-3.
Alex Scheeler absorbed the loss.
North Penn (15-3, 9-1) will travel to Central Bucks South Thursday for a key conference showdown. Souderton (2-14, 0-10) will host Central Bucks West on Friday.
Souderton 000 001 0 1-5-1
North Penn 300 100 x 4-9-0
American Conference
CHELTENHAM 11, WISSAHICKON 7
The Lady Panthers fell behind early, rallied to knot the score and took a lead they would not lose in a four-run fifth inning.
Morgan Gianelle carried a big bat for the Lady Panthers, finishing the game 4-for-4 with a triple and four RBIs. Vita Blair-Kraybill was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs and Shelly Laychock was 2-for-2 with an RBI. Erin Kuchler was 1-for-2, and her fifth inning single ignited the four-run uprising.
Coach Ron Perlstein was most pleased with his team’s defense that saw left fielder Madison Rorer contribute a pair of assists. Kuchler gunned down a pair of runners attempting to steal and also threw out a runner at third on the tail end of a double play.
“We played well defensively,” Perlstein said. “Even the last play (of the game), it was a grounder that my shortstop bobbled, but she bobbled it right to our second baseman for the force at second.
“Wissahickon played well. They had a lot of hits. They had 14 hits, but we were able to keep the girls on base a lot of times with double plays and things like that. This win felt good.”
Cheltenham (2-13, 2-10 SOL) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh on Friday, and Wissahickon (3-14, 3-9) will be on the road at Upper Moreland.
Wissahickon 041 110 0 7
Cheltenham 202 340 x 11
QUAKERTOWN 7, UPPER MORELAND 2
The Panthers – who found themselves in an uncharacteristically low-scoring game – led by just a 2-1 score heading into the fifth inning when they erupted for four runs. They exchanged runs with the pesky Golden Bears in the sixth.
Nikki Vanelli and Halle Frederick both had home runs for the Panthers. Frederick was 2-for-4 with a homer, four RBIs and a run scored. Maddie Moyer was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, one RBI and one run scored. Tara Baglivo was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and Lauren Beal was 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Brianna Leftkoski also was 2-for-3.
Brianna Hughes had a good day for the Golden Bears, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run, RBI and run scored. Chloe Tie was 2-for-4
Tori Caputo earned the complete game win for the Panthers.
Quakertown (14-3, 11-1 SOL) will travel to Springfield Township on Friday, and Upper Moreland (8-8, 7-5) will host Gwynedd Mercy in a non-league game on Thursday.
Upper Moreland 001 001 0 2-8-2
Quakertown 200 041 x 7-12-4
UPPER DUBLIN 9, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 1
The Flying Cardinals scored a single run in the first and then all but put the game out of reach with a five-run second.
Rebecca Matricardi’s lead-off walk was followed by singles from Ellie Kelcy and Allison Blum to lead the bases. Sarah Tannenbaum followed with a two-run single, and Sarah Sharp’s two-run double put the Cards on top 5-1. Erin Gallagher capped the five-run outburst with an RBI single.
Tannenbaum led the Cards with a 3-for-3 effort that included two RBIs and two runs scored. Gallagher was 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Meghan Muth was 3-for-4 with a triple and RBI, and Allison Blue was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Gabrielle Gaskin’s RBI triple plated Mary Kate Smith in the third inning to account for the Spartans’ only run.
Gallagher threw six innings to earn the win, allowing three hits an one run while fanning six and walking six. Marley Wardle closed it out with a scoreless seventh.
Upper Dublin (10-6, 8-3 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks West for a non-league game Thursday, and Springfield (1-12, 1-11) will host St. Basil Academy in a non-league game.
Springfield 001 000 0 1
Upper Dublin 150 201 x 9
HATBORO-HORSHAM 10, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 3
The Hatters exploded for seven runs in the first inning and never looked back, capitalizing on RBI singles by Kyleigh Dinnien, Bryn Griffith, Meghan Sonntag, Logan Cummings and Rachel Carney.
Carney (2-for-2, RBI, one run), Brittany Hubler (2-for-3, double, two RBIs), Griffith (2-for-4, two RBIs, one run) and Cummings (2-for-4, RBI, run) led the Hatters’ 10-hit attack.
The Colonials, who plated three runs in the sixth, collected four hits. Ragan Ebersole singled and drove in a pair of runs.
Grace Daniels earned the win, allowing four hits and three runs while striking out four and walking two in six innings. Logan Cummings did not allow a hit in a scoreless seventh.
Hatboro-Horsham (14-3, 9-2 SOL) will host Upper Dublin on Friday, and Plymouth Whitemarsh (7-7, 6-6) will host Cheltenham on Friday.
Hatboro-Horsham 701 002 0 10-10-1
Plymouth Whitemarsh 000 003 0 3-4-5
Non-league
BENSALEM 6, METHACTON 0
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