Wissahickon won its first game of the season, and CB West and Bensalem won thrillers. CR North, Upper Moreland, Harry S Truman and Souderton were also winners in SOL softball action Monday.
SOL American Conference.
WISSAHICKON 11, CHELTENHAM 8
Something had to give when the Trojans traveled to Cheltenham for a battle between two teams looking for their first win of the season, and when the dust had settled, it was the Trojans getting the coveted ‘W.’
“They have been squeezing that bat pretty hard the last couple of games,” coach Mike Borkowski said. “It’s good to see them get the win.
“There was a confidence thing going on, and every game we were having one bad inning. You could see their faces sag and their shoulders droop. We have a very, very young team – we’re loaded with freshmen and sophomores. Sara (Gennell) was the only senior out there today.
The Lady Panthers led 3-2 heading into the sixth inning when the Trojans erupted for four runs. Ashley Radell, Charlotte Horvat and Rebecca Selverian drew walks to load the bases for Rory Goodrich, whose bases-clearing triple gave the Trojans a lead they would not lose.
It was still a 6-4 game when Radell led off the seventh with a single, and then it was Gennell, Selverian and Josie Johnson followed with singles. With one out, Siani Paige-Miller singled, and by the time they were retired, the Trojans had upped their lead to 11-3.
The Panthers answered with five in the bottom of the inning, but the Trojans would not be denied.
Paige-Miller and Emma Clayborne – who had a double and triple – both had a pair of hits.
“We spread it out a little bit,” Borkowski said. “It’s a confidence thing. They’re not used to playing against the big girls like that all the time, and when things don’t go right – that happens. It’s just part of growing up.
“We’re taking our lumps right now. Hopefully, going around the second loop of the schedule they’ve picked up on the speed of the game, and we should be better. That’s what we’re hoping for.”
Gennell worked her way out of several jams to notch her first win of the season.
Wissahickon (1-7, 1-6 SOL) will travel to Quakertown on Tuesday, and Cheltenham (0-9, 0-7) will be on the road at Springfield Township on Thursday,
Wissahickon 001 014 5 11
Cheltenham 102 000 5 8
Non-league
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 10, PENNRIDGE 4
The Indians – on the heels of back-to-back losses last week – needed a win, and they got an important one.
“I knew this week was going to be a big one for us, and it was a convincing win,” coach John Engelhardt said. “It was a good bus ride home, and I’m hoping that will help re-energize us.”
The Indians – who scored nine of their runs with two outs – were led by the four-hit efforts of Lauren Begg and Taylor Briggs. Briggs delivered a three-run home run in a four-run fifth that saw the Indians open up a 10-1 lead. She also had a double.
Julianna Shields was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two stolen bases, and Abby Seiple was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
Begg earned the win for the Indians, allowing just one earned run while striking out seven.
“She went against a team that’s 7-2 in what looks to be the toughest conference in the Suburban One, and to come out and give us an opportunity to win a game and to not only do it on the mound but at the plate – all you can ask your pitcher to do is give you an opportunity to win, and she did that,” Engelhardt said. “I couldn’t be more proud of her.”
For the Rams, Kiley Watson was 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Morgan Henry was 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Skylar Hengeveld added a double.
Kailyn Bell absorbed the loss for the Rams.
Council Rock North (7-3, 3-2 SOL) will host Harry S Truman on Tuesday, and Pennridge (6-3, 3-2) will host Central Bucks South on Thursday.
Council Rock North 003 340 0 10
Pennridge 001 030 0 4
BENSALEM 4, BRISTOL 3
Dan Schram isn’t sure when – if ever – Bensalem defeated Bristol. The Owls’ coach does remember the losses his team has endured over the years at the hands of the perennial power.
“In the 17 years I’ve been coaching, this is the sixth time we’ve played Bristol, and this is the first time we beat them,” Schram said. “We came very close in the early 2000s.
“In 2002, we lost a 1-0 heartbreaker under the lights, we lost to them 5-3 in 2005 in a very good game, and in 2010, they pounded us at the William Tennent Tournament. In 2011, we brought them to Valley AA and played them under the lights and lost 10-0. They always are very good.”
On Monday, the Owls turned the tables, eking out the hard-fought win and bringing an end to Bristol’s nine-game winning streak to open the season.
“They won 20 in a row in the regular season last year and 20 in a row the year before that,” Schram said of a victory that snapped a 49-game regular season winning streak. “(Coach Mike Lalli) runs a good program, so this was a big win. Winning is winning, and they win all the time, and that makes them a very tough opponent.”
Dani Sharpe proved to be a tough opponent for the Warriors, striking out eight in the complete game win.
“Dani Sharpe threw the ball so well today,” Schram said. “She battled in the circle.
“Whatever the game situation was, she just kept coming back at the hitters, whether it meant going inside or outside. She really, really showed her competitive edge.”
The Owls served early notice that they would be heard from, using a Katie Mulvey RBI double in the second to go on top 1-0. Deja Seilhammer’s RBI single in the fourth and a Haley Sauer RBI in the fifth upped that lead to 3-0.
That held until the sixth inning when the Warriors rallied to knot the score.
“We were up 3-0, and they just had a sense of confidence,” Schram said. “You could see they were not going to go down easy.
“They have some really good hitters, their four hitter in particular, Kacie Panelli, is an amazing hitter. There’s very little you can throw to her, so that was a good test for us.”
With the score deadlocked 3-3 in the top of the seventh, Sharpe drew a one-out walk and was replaced by courtesy runner Chloe Munyon.
“From there, we got in a situation where Haley Sauer hit – I call them a slug,” Schram said. “It’s when you show the bunt and then pull back and swing. She hit a single and (Munyon) went to second base.”
Sauer was forced out at second, and with runners on the corners and two outs, the drama came to a quick end when Munyon raced home on a wild pitch with a run that turned out to be the game winner.
In the bottom of the seventh, Warrior leadoff batter Emma Boggi singled with two outs to give the Warriors life. Sharpe put an exclamation point on the win when she collected the game’s final out on a strikeout.
“You could see it in the kid’s eyes – she’s very competitive, and she battles every single pitch,” Schram said. “I put so much on whether or not the pitcher hits the spot, but with Dani, she’s so competitive every pitch. I was very proud of how she threw today and how she battled.”
Junior Allison Goodman led the Owls at the plate with a 4-for-4 effort that included a double and two runs scored.
“She has been hitting the ball really well and has been a leader on the field,” Schram said.
Katie Mulvey, the team’s only senior, was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
“Katie will do anything you ever ask her to do,” Schram said. “She’s a tremendous character kid, and she’s a good hitter too.”
For the Warriors, Cara Fabiano started and threw four innings, and Hailey Sweeney closed it out, absorbing the loss.
“They’re physically a very big team,” Schram said of the Warriors. “They have big kids, and it’s no easy task to go there and play in Bristol.
“They always have a big crowd, they’re all fired up, and their coach does a really nice job.”
Bensalem (4-6, 1-5 SOL) will host Pennsbury on Tuesday.
Bensalem 010 110 1 4
Bristol 000 003 x 3
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 4, ARCHBISHOP WOOD 2 (9 innings)
Angelina Sherba continued her early season tear, this time bringing a dramatic end to Monday’s non-league game with a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Emma Cooper opened the ninth with a single, and she moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Faith Neary, setting the stage for Sherba’s two-out blast.
“I wish they wouldn’t make the games so close, but they hung on,” West coach Geoff Thompson said. “They knew Marisa (Browne) was going to be tough to score on, but they just keep on getting that key hit.”
The Bucks – who trailed 2-1 – actually needed some seventh inning heroics to extend the game into overtime. Maddie Leathebarrow led off the inning, and with two outs, Neary delivered a clutch two-out double to plate the tying run.
Sherba had a pair of hits and two RBIs, driving in the Bucks’ first run in the third with an RBI single. Sam Trafford also had two hits.
The win was the fourth in a row for the Bucks, who received a solid outing in the circle from Sherba as well. The senior hurler struck out 15 and walked only two, allowing seven hits and two runs in eight strong innings.
“Ang pitched a great game – that’s the best she’s pitched all year,” Thompson said. “She kept the ball over the plate and made them earn it.”
Kayla Gallagher earned the win, tossing a scoreless inning in relief.
“It’s nice to have two good pitchers that complement each other,” Thompson said. “We have a lefty and righty.”
Marisa Browne fanned 14 in a losing effort for the Vikings.
“She was very good,” Thompson said. “She only had one walk. She was dealing pretty good."
Central Bucks West (5-3, 2-3 SOL) will host William Tennent on Tuesday.
Archbishop Wood 000 011 000 2
Central Bucks West 001 000 102 4
SOUDERTON 9, LANSDALE CATHOLIC 5
The Indians opened up a 7-0 lead and then held off a late LC comeback to earn their sixth win of the season and bring to a halt a two-game losing streak.
“This was really important to bounce back after a tough loss on Friday and a tough loss on Wednesday,” coach Liz Parkins said of back-to-back losses to Central Bucks West and William Tennent. “We have a big week with three more games coming up, and I think this set the tone for the week.
“We gave a couple of runs up with two outs, but overall, we’re working on finishing. I know North Penn had alluded to that before, and I think that’s a theme for this year. I think a lot of teams are in the same boat.”
Bri Neely had a huge day for the Indians, finishing 3-for-4 with a triple and walk. Jen Klepfer was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks, and Alex Scheeler was 1-for-3 with a walk.
“They came out, they played as a team, they got the hits when they needed them,” Parkins said. “I think it’s a good start for the week.”
Scheeler also earned the win in the circle, allowing 10 hits while striking out three and walking one.
Souderton (6-3, 2-3 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks South on Tuesday.
Lansdale Catholic 000 203 0 5-10-4
Souderton 331 110 x 9-5-2
HARRY S TRUMAN 7, NAZARETH ACADEMY 2
The Tigers notched their third win in four days to even their record at 4-4 after a 1-4 start. They wasted little time before taking control, scoring three runs in the first and adding a run in the second to go on top 4-0. They never looked back.
Hayley Carter earned the win, allowing just two hits and one run in five innings. She struck out five and did not issue a walk. Amanda Dunstan allowed four hits and one run in two innings of relief.
The Tigers collected just six hits, but they made the most of them. Mara McKeon accounted for three of them, which included a double, RBI and two runs scored. Chrissie Huhn was 2-for-2 with a triple and three runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Vanessa Tancini had a pair of RBIs and two runs scored, and Elle Olivero was 1-for-1 with a double and two RBIs.
Harry S Truman (4-4, 3-2 SOL) will travel to Council Rock North on Tuesday.
Nazareth Academy 001 001 0 2-6-2
Harry S Truman 310 102 x 7-6-3
UPPER MORELAND 15, ACADEMY PARK 0 (4 innings)
The Golden Bears made easy business of their visitors, scoring 11 runs in the first inning on their way to the lopsided win in the abbreviated contest.
“We had a couple of two-out hits in the first,” coach Scott Ludlow said. “We actually scored seven runs with two outs.”
Upper Moreland received multi-hit efforts from four players. Jocie Baumeister was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and Brianna Hughes was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Gianna Fiorenza was 2-for-2 with a double, triple and two RBIs, collecting both of her hits in a productive first inning. Allison Ludlow was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, delivering a two-out, two-run double in the 11-run first.
Jenna Sadowski allowed just one hit while striking out four and walking none in four innings.
Upper Moreland (4-1, 3-1 SOL) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh on Tuesday.
Academy Park 000 0 0
Upper Moreland 1103 1 15
About the Author
