Check out the results for SOL baseball teams in action Monday. CB South/Hatboro-Horsham photos provided courtesy of Keith Clemens Photography.
SOL American Conference
WISSAHICKON 4, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 3
The Trojans found themselves staring at a 3-0 deficit after one inning but rallied for the conference win, plating a single run in the second and adding three more in the fourth off Spartan ace Nick Pave.
“After they got their three runs, we were able to get one back, and we felt good about that,” coach Andy Noga said. “We didn’t really give (Pave) a chance to settle into the game. He threw a lot of pitches.
“Going into it, we knew he had really good stuff. We just tried to put together quality at bats, and we did that.”
In the Spartans’ three-run first, Pave doubled to drive in the first run. Macleod Farley and Mitchell McCann (RBI single) also drove in runs. The Trojans got one of those back in the top of the second.
Wissahickon won it with a three-run third that included an RBI triple by Tyler Caso, an RBI double by Steve Loden and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brian Mendhart.
Freshman Grayson Lovitz got the starting nod on the mound for the Trojans, and after a rocky first inning that saw the Spartans score all three of their runs (only one earned), the rookie hurler was in command, allowing just three hits in four strong innings. He walked four batters.
“We really like Grayson a lot – he has a bright future here at Wiss, so we decided today to give him the ball,” Noga said. “I think the first inning was a little bit of first-inning nerves involved, and we booted a couple of balls behind him, which is uncharacteristic of our defense.
“His second, third and fourth innings he really settled in and pounded the strike zone and challenged their hitters, and our defense made the plays behind him.
“We turned it over to Joel Bjordammen. Whenever we give him the ball, he just throws up zeroes. Whether it’s one inning, two innings, he does his job.”
Bjordammen did not allow a hit in one scoreless inning. He fanned one. Sophomore Brian Hynes earned the save, allowing one hit while striking out one in two scoreless innings to close it out.
“Over the last few games, it seems like we found ourselves a closer, ” Noga said. “We’re a very young group. We have three seniors on our roster, so a lot of these pitchers will be around for a couple of years.”
Loden led the Trojans’ eight-hit attack with a 3-for-4 effort that included a double, RBI and run scored. Caso was 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored.
Pave absorbed the loss, allowing eight hits and four runs (three earned) while striking out seven and walking three. Farley threw two scoreless innings in relief, striking out two and walking one.
The Trojans are the fifth seed in the latest District One 5A power rankings, and the Spartans are third in the 4A power rankings. Only four teams will advance to districts in Class 4A.
Wissahickon (9-3, 7-2 SOL) will host Upper Dublin on Tuesday, and Springfield Township (4-6, 4-4) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Tuesday.
Wissahickon 010 300 0 4-8-1
Springfield Township 300 000 0 3-4-4
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 10, HATBORO-HORSHAM 9 (10 innings)
The Titans won a marathon non-league battle against the visiting Hatters, plating the winning run in the bottom of the 10th on a wild pitch.
Joey Loynd carried the big bat on a day that saw the Titans pound out 14 hits. The Titans’ slugger turned in a 4-for-6 effort that included a pair of doubles, one RBI and three runs scored. Connor McKeown was 3-for-6 with a double RBI and three runs scored. Nathan Bendzlowicz was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Jake McKeown, Jake Trachtenberg and John McSweeny each had one RBI.
For the Hatters, who scored six of their runs in the top of the first, sophomore Jake Bianchini was 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, a run scored and a walk. Sophomore Anthony Bruno was 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Junior Josh Heebner was 2-for-5 with a run scored and walk, and senior catcher Matt Johnson was 2-for-5 with a run scored.
Colin Mauz turned in four shutout innings in relief for the Titans, scattering five hits while walking one and striking out one. Gavin Anderson did not allow a hit in 1.1 scoreless innings, and Ryan Zakrzewski, who earned the win, allowed one hit in two shutout innings of relief. He fanned three.
Senior Matt Brown absorbed the loss for the Hatters.
Although Monday’s game didn’t count toward the District One 6A power rankings, the Titans and Hatters head into Tuesday’s conference game ranked 11th and 23rd respectively. Twenty teams will earn district berths.
Central Bucks South (7-5, 5-2 SOL) will host Central Bucks West, and Hatboro-Horsham (4-9, 4-5) will host Quakertown on Tuesday.
Hatboro-Horsham 600 000 300 0 9-12-4
Central Bucks South 103 014 000 1 10-14-1
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 14, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3 (5 innings)
The Golden Hawks scored five runs in the bottom of the second, and after the Patriots trimmed that lead to two with three runs of their own, the Hawks seized control, scoring nine runs over the next three innings to bring an early end to the game.
Turning in multi-hit performances for the Hawks were Luke Gregory (2-for-4, 2B, run), Evan Fisher 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, 2 runs), J Ennis (2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, 3 runs) and Matt Smith (2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBIs, run). Leadoff batter Emilio Pallante doubled and drove in a pair. Rich Dembowski was 1-for-2 with an RBI and run scored. Nick Gallo and Gianni Gilch were both 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored. Gilch doubled. Kevin Jurewicz was 1-for-1 with a double and run scored.
The Patriots managed just five hits off a pair of Golden Hawk hurlers. Sean O’Brien started and threw four innings, allowing four hits and three runs (only one earned) while striking out four and walking two. Matt O’Neill closed it out with a scoreless inning in relief.
Council Rock South (5-6, 3-4 SOL) will host Harry S Truman on Tuesday, and Central Bucks East (7-8, 3-6) will be on the road at Pennridge on Tuesday.
Central Bucks East 003 00 3-5-3
Council Rock South 052 25 14-13-2
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