North Penn, CR North, Pennsbury, Pennridge & William Tennent were winners in SOL baseball action Tuesday. NP/Souderton photos provided courtesy of Keith Clemens Photography.
SOL National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 7, NESHAMINY 5
The Indians’ bats came alive late in Tuesday’s game, and after scoring no runs in the first four innings, they scored seven in the last three.
“The key for us was the second half of the game when we were finally able to start hitting the baseball, putting the ball in play, moving the runners around, starting to create some offense on what might have been the coldest day we’ve play in a long time,” Rock North coach Matt Schram said. “Getting some runs, getting some two-out runs, which was how we did it this game – anytime you score with two outs, it takes the wind right out of the sails of the team in the field. We were just lucky to do that today.”
The Redskins struck first when Brian Nicholas hit a solo home run in the first, and it was a 2-0 game after two innings. That score stood until the fifth when Carson Shane delivered a two-out double that plated a pair and knotted the score.
Neshaminy responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to go back on top 4-2, but in the top of the sixth, Cavan Tully hit an RBI triple and raced all the way home when the throw to third went to the fence.
“He was running into third standing up, and their throw took a funny hop, bounced off the ground, hit him in the helmet and then ricocheted to the fence,” Schram said.
Neshaminy took a 5-4 lead into the top of the seventh where Shane tied the game with one swing of the bat.
“Carson Shane hit a 2-1 pitch deep into center field – he tattooed that pitch,” Schram said.
Two strikeouts later, the Indians put a runner on board after a Redskin miscue, setting the stage for CJ Donofry.
“My number nine hitter, CJ Donofry, who has never hit a home run – not even during batting practice, he put one over the left field fence to put us up 7-5,” Schram said. “It was a heavyweight fight. It was a typical SOL National heavyweight fight.”
Leading the Indians at the plate were Matt Shenot (2-for-4, 2B), Shane (2-for-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBIs), Nolan Hartwell (2-for-3, run) and Donofry (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 runs). Griffin Peterson also had a double.
For the Redskins, Matt Yauger doubled and drove in a pair of runs. Dalton Turner also had a double, and Chris Cavallaro added an RBI.
Ryan Stalker earned the win in relief for the Indians, allowing one hit and one run (unearned) in three innings while striking out one and walking four.
Council Rock North (5-2, 3-1 SOL) will host Pennsbury on Wednesday at 3:45 p.m., and Neshaminy (4-3, 2-2) will host Truman on Wednesday.
Council Rock North 000 022 3 7-10-2
Neshaminy 110 021 0 5-6-2
PENNSBURY 11, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 2
After scoring 44 runs in their first three games (all wins), the Falcons managed just 15 in their next four combined. They notched a bounce-back win on Tuesday, pounding out 13 hits and scoring double-digit runs.
“To pick up a win, especially with three league games this week, is huge,” coach Joe Pesci said. “We started out the year scoring a ton of runs and then we had a dip the past four games.
“Today we took advantage of some struggles with their pitcher in the beginning. In the first inning, we scored four runs on one hit, and we came out and put together two runs on three hits in the second inning. We started to open it up a little. We ended up with (13) hits on the day and only two strikeouts. We put the ball in play a lot, which was great because that’s what we’d been seeing in the first three games.”
On the mound, Christian Buchler was impressive in the complete game win, allowing just four hits and two runs. He struck out 10 and walked a pair. The Golden Hawks scored their only runs in the fourth when Luke Gregory delivered a two-run home run.
“It started snowing in the fourth inning and we gave up a couple of runs,” Pesci said. “We struck a kid out, we thought we had the next batter struck out and ended up walking him. We thought we had him picked off but didn’t.
“The next pitch was a home run, but then (Buchler) struck the next two kids out, so that was incredible. We talked at the beginning of the year about our pitching kind of being the question mark, and it’s really kept us in every game.
“For a kid like that to give up a two-run home run and then strike the next two kids out – he was so focused today. Ninety-three pitches is a lot, but this is the first time he could go the distance and be comfortable. He just looked good. He was cruising throughout most of the game. Ten strikeouts and only two walks – that’s huge on a day like today, especially when we have three games. It helps us save innings, so we can have everyone else ready to go the next couple of days.”
Sam Ruta led the Falcons’ with a 3-for-4 effort that included one RBI and a run scored.
“He’s been hitting two for us, and we moved him to three today,” Pesci said. “As coaches, we were texting all day. Justin Massielo hit two for us all year last year, and we flip flopped because we wanted to see if Justin would get better pitching.
“We brought Josh Tesarck up because he’s been doing well, so let’s see if we can get Massielo on for Ruta and Tesarck who are doing a really good job hitting. Our top five hitters had 10 hits, and that’s huge for us.”
Leadoff batter Gary Minnes was 2-for-5 with a run. Massielo was 1-for-3, Ruta was 3-for-4, Tesarck was 1-for-3, and Justin Fogel was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs. RJ Huth was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Jake Martell doubled and drove in a run.
“We kind of let the boys play today,” Pesci said. “We kind of gave them the belief that they could let loose a little bit. We said what made us so good the first three games was we were free swinging. We were smart, and then we got a little tight. Today we opened up a little bit. It was nice to be able to put some runs on the board and hit the ball well. We hit up and down the lineup and our pinch hitters did the job today too.”
For the Golden Hawks, Gregory was 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and a run scored.
Pennsbury (5-3, 2-2 SOL) will travel to Council Rock North on Wednesday, and Council Rock South (1-5, 0-3) will host Bensalem on Wednesday.
Council Rock South 000 200 0 2-4-3
Pennsbury 420 023 x 11-13-0
SOL Continental Conference
PENNRIDGE 3, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1
Ignoring the elements, Jim Petrik tossed a complete game win, allowing just four hits and one run. He struck out five and walked a pair.
“Jimmy Petrik pitched really well,” coach Tom Nuneviller said. “He’s a competitor. I kept asking him how he was feeling, and he wanted to keep going.
“He threw a lot of pitches, but he really wanted it. He seemed to be a little bit out of a groove the first inning or two but the third, fourth and fifth innings, he was throwing the ball harder and seemed to be a little more comfortable out there on the mound. Half the game it was snowing. It was not an easy day.”
The Rams took a 1-0 lead in the second and still were clinging to that lead heading into the sixth when the Bucks knotted the score. In the bottom of the inning, Nick Christ came through with a two-out, two-run single to right field, giving the Rams a 3-1 lead they would not lose.
“Any win in our league isn’t easy, so you have to try and get it while you can,” Nuneviller said. “We’ve battled, but we’ve been on the short end. It was good to get one today, that’s for sure.”
West’s Matt Cooper doubled for the game’s only extra base hit.
Pennridge (2-3, 1-3 SOL) will travel to William Tennent on Wednesday, and Central Bucks West (1-7, 1-4) will host Souderton on Wednesday.
Central Bucks West 000 001 0 1-4-1
Pennridge 010 002 x 3-3-3
WILLIAM TENNENT 8, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 6
Greg Delgado had a huge day at the plate for the Panthers, finishing with a triple, home run, four RBIs and two runs scored. With the Panthers clinging to a 3-2 lead, Delgado hit a three-run home run to highlight a four-run fourth.
“That was the big hit of the game for us,” Tennent coach Rick Penecale said. “It was one of those cold, windy games that makes things difficult, but we gutted it out and got the win.”
David Linsalata earned the win, allowing six hits and six runs (all unearned) in five innings. He struck out four and walked two. Joe Shannon allowed just one hit in two scoreless innings of relief. He fanned two and walked none.
“We’ve started using him in that role late in the game,” Penecale said of Shannon. “We played Harriton on Friday and had the same situation as today. We brought him in with two innings, and he did real well Friday.
“When we got in that situation today, I was excited to see how he would do and he came in and did real well. He’s filling that role for us, late inning guy that comes in and gets those last couple of outs that are tough to get.”
In the bottom of the first, the Panthers opened up a 3-0 lead, sparked by a triple from Delgado and RBI singles by Danny Goodz and – with two outs – Julian Manes.
The Panthers led 7-2 after their four-run fourth, but the Patriots got back in it with a four-run fifth.
“We had a really sloppy inning, really sloppy baseball, and we let them back in,” Penecale said. “We seem to have that one inning where we let teams back in. It’s a little disturbing.
“You have a 7-2 lead – those are games you have to finish off, and we’re letting teams back in, but for the most part, I was happy with the performance. It was a big game. We needed it to get back on track.”
In addition to Delgado, Goodz also had a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored.
For the Patriots, Sean E’Nama had a productive day, accounting for four of his team’s five RBIs. Colin Weber doubled and had an RBI. Nick Bitsko and Jack Nugent also doubled for the Patriots.
William Tennent (4-3, 2-2 SOL) will host Pennridge on Wednesday, and Central Bucks East (5-5, 1-4) will host Abington in a non-league game Wednesday.
Central Bucks East 000 240 0 6-7-3
William Tennent 300 410 x 8-8-5
NORTH PENN 13, SOUDERTON 1 (5 innings)
Kolby Barrow tossed a two-hit gem to lead the Knights to the important win in Tuesday’s abbreviated contest. The sophomore hurler allowed just one run while striking out four and walking four.
“It was a terrible day to pitch, it was tough to get a grip of the ball, we had some snow for a while, but Kolby went out there and really bared down and did well,” coach Kevin Manero said. “We needed a starting pitcher today to get outs and get us through the whole game.
“With a three-game week, we don’t want to dip into the bullpen early, so he did everything he needed to do today – tough weather, tight strike zone, outstanding performance.”
While Barrow was in command on the mound, Joe Picozzi and Zack Miles were doing their share of damage at the plate. Both collected four RBIs. Miles was 3-for-3 with a double, home run, four RBIs and three runs scored.
“We’ve been easing him in – he had a little bit of a back problem over the winter, and the cold weather is not good if you have a sore back,” Manero said. “He’s been coming along, and every time we put him out there, he’s gotten the job done. He was squaring the ball up real well today. To have him and Picozzi hit so well back-to-back obviously is a huge boost to the middle part of our order.”
The Knights scored early and often, plating four runs in the first with Atlee Hasson delivering the big blow – a two-run double. The Indians scored their only run in the bottom of the first when David Gulibon drew a bases-loaded walk.
In the bottom of the second, Miles hit a three-run home run to left center that gave the Knights a 7-1 lead. Hunter Hamlin hit a solo home run to lead off the third, and with two outs, Miles delivered an RBI double.
In the fifth, Picozzi collected his second grand slam in a one-week span, hitting the homer after the Indians intentionally walked Miles to load the bases. His four-run blast extended the Knights’ lead to 13-1
North Penn leadoff batter Tyler Siddal scored three runs. Jake Drelick was 2-for-2. Billy Collins and Ryan Bealer each added an RBI.
North Penn (7-2, 4-0 SOL) will celebrate Autism Awareness Day on Wednesday when the Knights host Central Bucks South. Souderton (5-2, 2-1) will travel to Central Bucks West on Wednesday.
North Penn 432 04 13-9-2
Souderton 100 00 1-2-4
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