Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Friday. Hatboro-Horsham/Upper Dublin game photo provided by Donna Longacre.
National Conference
BENSALEM 5, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0
Haley Sauer tossed a impressive one-hit shutout, silencing the Golden Hawks’ bats and giving coach Dan Schram something he’d been looking for in the circle – consistency.
Sauer’s shutout was her second in as many games, coming on the heels of a 6-0 blanking of Methacton on Wednesday. The Golden Hawks’ lone hit came in the fifth inning.
“Last week we were struggling for a pitching solution,” Schram said. “Against CR North last Thursday, I had 26 pitching changes. I just recycled (the pitchers) because we couldn’t stop the ball going right up the middle and the home run. We weren’t even making errors.
“We played Emmaus on Saturday, and we got crushed (12-1) because Emmaus is a very good team. In that game, Haley gave up a couple of runs but pitched pretty well.”
Sauer, according to Schram, was the most dominating pitcher in town when she was growing up.
“She would strike everybody out,” the Owls’ coach said. “She needed to learn that the transition needs to come to pitching into ground balls and pitching into outs and trusting your fielders.
“We had a discussion about that, and on Monday, she had a throwing session with the catchers, and one of my catchers said she looked really good. I said, ‘All right, let’s give this a try.’ She went out against Methacton and shut them down 6-0, and she shut Council Rock South down.”
Until her move to the mound, Sauer – who struck out four and walked a pair – was playing first base.
“I exercised patience with her and did not put her in a position to fail, which I’ve done before with kids,” Schram said. “But what started happening with her, I believe, she started having success playing first base and hitting. That in itself built confidence, and another huge motivator has been Dani Sharp.
“Dani has been such a sportsmanlike player, and she encouraged Haley and she made great competition.”
Sharp, who handled the Owls’ pitching duties earlier this season, continues to play a key role.
“She laid the bunt down for a suicide squeeze and it was the fifth run,” Schram said. “There is no ‘I’ in the group. Everybody is a part of the total team.
“Dani is ready to go, Dani is a great pitcher, and she’s been competing all year. I think it brought out the best. I think I have two good pitchers moving forward.”
The Owls didn’t have anyone with multiple hits but twice successfully executed suicide squeezes. The Owls scored two runs in the second and went ahead 3-0 in the third. Tori Yorgey ripped a double off the base of the fence and moved up to third on a groundout before scoring on a successfully executed squeeze bunt by freshman Haley Keenan.
Keenan, according to Schram, also delivered the defensive play of the game.
“(Makenna) Diamond hit a shot to left field that wouldn’t have cleared the fence but would have hit the fence, but our freshman left fielder, Haley Keenan, dropped back, ran a good 10-15 yards and dove face first towards the fence and made a web gem catch for out number one,” the Owls’ coach said. “It was a really, really great defensive performance. Haley Keenan has been like an MVP for us, playing great defense all year.”
Freshman center fielder Deja Seilhamer scored a pair of runs for the Owls..
“This puts us at eight wins,” Schram said. “We’re close. We won both of our games this week, so we’ll see when the rankings come out on Sunday.”
The Owls were the first team out in last week’s District One power rankings – the 21st team in what will be a 20-team field. Bensalem (8-10, 2-9 SOL) will travel to Abington on Tuesday, and Council Rock South (13-6, 6-5) will host Neshaminy on Tuesday in its regular season finale.
Council Rock South 000 000 0 0
Bensalem 021 200 x 4
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 4, PENNSBURY 3
The Indians erased an early 2-0 Pennsbury lead with a four-run outburst in the fifth. That was enough to eke out the win.
“It was a big win for us,” coach John Engelhardt said. “Our other big games, other than maybe the (CR) South game early on haven’t gone our way.
“I think part of that has to do with we might be the unluckiest team in the state right now. This was a good win.”
Taylor Amazeen got the ball rolling in the four-run fifth with a single, and that was followed by back-to-back singles by Madison Tomlinson and Jenna Khantzian (RBI). Riley Sheehy’s double plated a run, and Sabrina Crane’s single brought home another run.
“When we got down right away today, it was nice to see that we could respond and take the lead because we’ve relied on Jenna for so long to carry us,” Engelhardt said. “We had some runners on base early on – the girls didn’t put their heads down. They just kept grinding, and that’s what makes me feel really good about today.
“I feel like the team has really come together. We say the three phases of the game is what we want to win – offense, defense and then the dugout. Our presence and energy in the dugout has been really, really good, and that’s a credit to a lot of our jayvee players.
“Our (jayvee) games have been cancelled because of our numbers on jayvee, and instead of being upset and talking about school-related things, they’re engaged in the game. The varsity players will tell you it helps.”
Crane (2-for-3, RBI, run) and Taylor Briggs (2-for-3) led the Indians. Sheehy was 1-for-4 with a double, RBI and run.
Khantzian earned the win in a contest that saw the Indians hold a 9-6 advantage in hits.
“They really wanted this one,” Engelhardt said. “Taylor Amazeen, senior captain/catcher, was out yesterday with what she believes was the flu. She wasn’t feeling 100 percent, and she went out there and played an incredible game defensively as well as at the plate.
“Sabrina Crane got injured in the game sliding into second in the top of the fifth. We sort of turned the momentum to our favor, and the last out, Sabrina slid into second and she just laid there. She was saying, ‘My knee, my knee.’ When a kid says that, you think the worst, and she couldn’t move. Everyone was just staring to see what happened to Sabrina because she’s such a leader. She kept saying she was fine, but there was no way she was going back in. She slides head first and is willing to sell her body out to get to the bag.
“To see those seniors take such a leadership role and to show these younger girls what it means to be a veteran leader, I’m really happy with our momentum and the way we’ve come together as a team. I think we’re peaking at the right time. Frank McSherry is as good a coach as there is, so anytime you can beat his team, that’s a good win.”
The loss overshadowed the glittering offensive performance of Arden Rabiger, who accounted for all of the Falcons’ runs with a two-run home run in the first and a solo shot in the seventh.
Council Rock North (11-5, 8-4 SOL) will travel to neighboring Villa Joseph Marie for a non-league game on Monday, and Pennsbury (11-6, 7-4) will be on the road at Harry S Truman on Monday.
Council Rock North 000 040 0 4
Pennsbury 200 000 1 3
NESHAMINY 15, HARRY S TRUMAN 5 (5 innings)
The Redskins erupted for eight runs in the bottom of the third inning to break a scoreless tie, and they were just getting started, adding seven more over the next two innings.
Delivering big hits for the Redskins – who collected nine hits in the abbreviated contest – were Natalie Rios and Devan Masciulli. Rios hit a huge two-run home run, and Masciulli emptied the bases with a three-run double.
Masciulli led the Skins with four RBIs, and Alexis Watkins had three. Leanna Jones was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs. Hunter Hart was 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Amber Brugger was 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Victoria Smith also had an RBI.
Kailea Heston had a big day at the plate for the Tigers with a 3-for-3 effort that included a double, RBI and two runs scored. Grace Pool was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Brugger earned the win, allowing seven hits and three runs – only one earned – while striking out five and walking one.
Neshaminy (15-2, 11-0 SOL) will travel to Council Rock South on Tuesday, and Harry S Truman (4-8, 5-13) will host Pennsbury on Monday.
Harry S Truman 000 14 5-7-6
Neshaminy 008 43 15-9-2
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 4, SOUDERTON 1
The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, and that stood until the sixth when the Bucks scored three runs.
Sierra Monsiniak opened the inning with a hit, Kelly Cyliax drew a walk. Ella Castronuovo continued to carry a hot bat, delivering a two-run double. Grace Dryden had a bunt single to plate another run, and just like that, the Bucks led 3-1. They tacked on an insurance run in the seventh when Angelina Sherba hit a double that plated Cara Hatzinger, who singled.
Castronuovo was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs to lead the Bucks.
For the Indians, Hailey Freed, Ali Gould, Jess Lepore and Jen Klepfer were all 1-for-3. Alyssa McCormick was 1-for-2 with a double and a walk. Lepore, who reached base on a bunt single, scored the Indians’ only run on a wild pitch.
Sherba earned the win in the circle, allowing five hits while striking out 10 and walking one in the complete game win. Klepfer absorbed the loss, allowing four hits while striking out five and walking two.
Central Bucks West (6-11, 3-9 SOL) will host Abington in a non-league game on Monday, and Souderton (2-15, 0-11) will travel to William Tennent on Tuesday.
Central Bucks West 000 003 1 4
Souderton 001 000 0 1
PENNRIDGE 5, WILLIAM TENNENT 0
Kailyn Bell tossed a nifty two-hit shutout to earn the complete game win. She struck out one and did not walk a batter.
Kiley Watson delivered the game’s blow when – with the bases loaded – she hit a bases-clearing triple in the second inning to spot the Rams a 3-0 lead. Watson had a huge day out of the leadoff spot, finishing the game 3-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs. Bell also had an RBI to help her own cause. Mary Cate Lavush was 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Pennridge (10-8, 5-6 SOL) will travel to North Penn on Tuesday, and William Tennent (6-11, 4-8) will host Souderton on Tuesday.
William Tennent 000 000 0 0-2-1
Pennridge 031 100 x 5-9-1
American Conference
HATBORO-HORSHAM 12, UPPER DUBLIN 1
It was a Senior Night to remember for the Hatters’ five seniors, who combined to go 6-for-11 with a double, two home runs, eight RBIs and five runs scored.
Alyssa Myers and Kylie Flagler both hit home runs with Myers’ three-run blast to center field putting the finishing touches on a six-run first inning after the Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the top of the frame.
Senior Brynn Griffith had an RBI double in the first inning while Maddie Yeager singled home another run. Kyleigh Dinnien’s groundout also plated a run.
In the second inning, Flagler hit a solo home run to center field to put the Hatters on top 7-1. They added three runs in the third and two more in the fourth to bring an early end to the contest.
Senior Lisa Lang was 1-for-2 with an RBI while senior Taylor Sciubba also contributed an RBI.
Mikaela Fedele earned the win, allowing four hits and one run (unearned) in four innings while striking out two and walking none. Grace Daniels fanned a pair and walked one in a scoreless fifth.
Hatboro-Horsham (15-3, 10-2 SOL) and Upper Dublin (10-8, 8-4) will meet for a rematch on Monday at UD.
Upper Dublin 100 00 1-4-3
Hatboro-Horsham 613 2x 12-11-2
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 2, CHELTENHAM 1
Runs were hard to come by for both sides on Friday, but the Colonials broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth when Ragan Ebersole collected an RBI single. Haley Fink retired the visiting Lady Panthers in the top of the seventh, and a win was in the books for the Colonials.
Fink was in command in the circle, allowing just three hits – all singles – while striking out five and walking four in the complete game win for the Colonials.
Earlier, the Colonials took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Jennifer Byrne hit an RBI single. The Lady Panthers rallied to knot the score in the top of the sixth when Erin Kuchler collected an RBI single.
Byrne led the Colonials with a 3-for-3 day at the plate that included an RBI and run scored. Allison Beausoleil’s triple was the only extra base hit of the game.
Kuchler, Vita Blair-Kraybill and Morgan Gianelle each had a hit for the Lady Panthers.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (8-7, 7-6 SOL) will travel to Quakertown on Tuesday, and Cheltenham (2-14, 2-11) will host St. Basil Academy in a non-league game on Monday.
Cheltenham 000 001 0 1-3-2
Plymouth Whitemarsh 001 001 x 2-7-2
UPPER MORELAND 8, WISSAHICKON 2
The Golden Bears trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth when their offense came to life and scored six runs.
“We tied the score on a couple of hits, and we actually had a tie score with nobody on and two outs and scored four, all with two outs,” coach Scott Ludlow said.
Kim Benge delivered the big blow of the inning with a double that brought home three runs.
“We were up one at the time, that put us up four going into the sixth,” Ludlow said of Benge’s clutch two-out hit.
Brianna Hughes’ two-run home run in the sixth gave the Bears their final margin of victory.
Leading the Golden Bears were Chloe Tice (2-for-4, double) and Noelle Woodman (2-for-4, double).
For the Trojans, Michaela Coleman was 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored.
Jenna Sadowski earned the win, allowing five hits while striking out four and walking none in five innings. Jocelyn Baumeister allowed one hit in two scoreless innings in relief.
Upper Moreland (10-8, 8-5 SOL) will host New Hope-Solebury in a non-league contest on Monday, and Wissahickon (3-15, 3-10) will host Springfield Township on Tuesday.
Wissahickon 100 010 0 2
Upper Moreland 000 062 0 8
Thursday, May 11
UPPER MORELAND 15, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 2 (5 innings)
The Golden Bears broke a 1-1 tie with a nine-run third inning, and they brought an early end to the game with five more runs in the fourth.
Brianna Hughes (2-for-4, double, three runs) and Brianna Byard (1-for-3, triple) led the Golden Bears.
Springfield Township 001 01 -2
Upper Moreland 109 5x 15
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