Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Monday. (Souderton file photo courtesy of Jesse Garber (https://jsgarber.zenfolio.com/p967070849)
SOL National Conference
PENNSBURY 5, BENSALEM 4
The Falcons – the top team in the District 1 6A power rankings – upped their record to a perfect 10-0, thanks to their hard fought win over the pesky Owls.
“I think the big thing that comes out of this is they can flat out hit, there’s no doubt about it,” Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry said. “Ainsley (McClure) had eight strikeouts today, but she gave up 10 hits. Her ball was a little flat today.
“The two games when her ball didn’t move were the two Bensalem games. She did not have her best game, and against a team like that, you leave the ball over the plate a little bit, they’re going to hit it. They had two doubles, but they also had a couple of dinkers that fell in. They hit the ball hard, and they put it in play.”
The Falcons took a 2-0 lead in the second. Karli Haines, who doubled, scored on a wild pitch. A solo home run by Kaylie Capriotti gave the Falcons their two-run edge.
“Her home run got out in a split second – she’s frighteningly strong,” McSherry said of his junior catcher. “She had a really good day, and I hope she’s breaking out of it.”
In the third, Carly Parsons got things started with a base hit, and Caitlyn Martell followed with a single. A fielder’s choice by Casey Glynn plated a run. The Owls evened the score 3-3 with a three-run fourth that included back-to-back RBI doubles by Dani Sharpe and Deja Seilhamer.
In the bottom of the inning, Capriotti led off with a base hit. The inning also included a single by Sierra Daley and a sacrifice fly by Parsons. A solo home run by Haines in the fifth put the Falcons on top 5-3. The Owls scored a run in the sixth.
“The nice thing was – every time they scored we answered back, which was real good,” McSherry said.
Capriotti’s 3-for-3 effort with a home run, RBI and two runs scored led the Falcons. Haines also was 3-for-3 with a home run. Parsons had a pair of hits.
For the Owls, Jessica Klein was 3-for-4 while Sharpe and Allison Goodman both had a pair of hits.
McClure earned the complete game win, allowing 10 hits and four runs while striking out eight.
Pennsbury (10-0, 8-0 SOL) will travel to William Tennent on Thursday, and Bensalem (9-5, 3-5) – the 10th seed in the latest power rankings – will host Council Rock South next Monday.
Bensalem 000 301 0 4-10-1
Pennsbury 021 110 x 5-10-1
SOL Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 1, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0
This was vintage Kylie Kenney.
The senior ace was in complete command, fanning 14 and allowing just two hits in the complete game shutout win over the Titans’ neighboring rival.
“She just beat a really good team,” coach Kevin Rosini said. “They had (two) hits, and she walked three.
“She was aggressive in the strike zone, she went after hitters, she mixed up her pitches well, and she was around the plate all day. When she pitches like that, she’s extremely tough to hit.”
The Titans plated their only run of the game in the fourth. Maddie Rowley drew a walk, stole second and moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt by Tara Tumasz. Katie Hines delivered a single up the middle for a run that turned out to be the game-winner.
The Bucks loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning with one out, thanks to a leadoff single by Grace Dryden, a walk and a hit batter, but Kenney – thanks to a strikeout for the inning’s second out – escaped unscathed.
The Titans loaded the bases with none out in the sixth inning. Tumasz led off the inning with a double, and Hines singled. A walk to Olivia Zoolalian loaded the bases, but that’s where the threat ended. A forceout at the plate on a grounder to third for the inning’s first out was followed by back-to-back popups to first.
“We string a few hits together, and it suddenly dies – we’ll get three outs bang, bang, bang,” Hines said. “It is definitely rough when it happens like that, but we have to stay positive.”
“That’s our struggle,” senior Alexa Ortman said. “We even struggled with that last year. Last year we won a lot of games by one. They were really close and we relied on Ky (Kenney) and our defense.”
Kayla Gallagher pitched well enough to win on most days, allowing just four hits while striking out seven.
Hines (2-for-3, RBI) was the lone player with more than one hit.
Monday’s win came on the heels of a mercy rule win over Central Bucks East – perhaps this will be the start of a string of victories.
“I always hope,” Ortman said. “We have these big blowout games once in a while, and we’ll think – this turns it around, we can beat anyone, and we come back and lose to a team we think we could beat.”
“Everyone’s eyes are just on us,” Kenney said. “And we expected that after last year, so every game is the most important game.”
Central Bucks South (7-6, 5-3 SOL) – 19th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will travel to Souderton on Tuesday, and Central Bucks West (7-6, 2-6) will host Pennridge on Tuesday.
Central Bucks South 000 100 0 1-4-0
Central Bucks West 000 000 0 0-2-1
SOL American Conference
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 6, ABINGTON 5
There was no mistaking the significance of the Colonials’ come-from-behind win, but the walk-off ending was not quite as exciting as most – the tying run crossed the plate on a bases-loaded walk to Lauryn Kane (RBI), and the winning run came home when Josee Tassoni was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The win kept the Colonials atop the conference standings with a perfect record in league play.
“The girls are resilient,” coach Dana Moyer said. “I just told them – ‘Just be patient, let her throw your pitch. Don’t get overanxious and just swing at anything. Just wait and make her throw your pitch.’ They finally started listening to me.
The Ghosts served notice that this was not going to be easy when they put four runs on the board in the second. Highlights of the inning included back-to-back RBI doubles by Sophia Dupoldt and Alayna Gottemoller as well as singles by Kiersten Gant, Annie Sokolski, Jessica O’Neill and Julie Burkhardt (RBI).
“They have some kids that can hit the ball, and they just jumped out on us,” Moyer said. “We settled down. I told them – ‘There’s a lot of game left.’ We just kept plugging away and plugging away, they stayed patient.”
The Colonials got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning when Tassoni, who singled to lead off the inning, scored on a double by Emma Carney. The two teams exchanged runs in the fourth.
Trailing 5-2, the Colonials plated single runs in the fifth and sixth innings but still trailed by one heading into the seventh inning when they plated a pair. Carly Rosenberger’s leadoff single was the only hit of the frame.
“I told the girls – ‘Hey, it’s on you guys. I can give you the game plan, but you have to follow through,’” Moyer said. “I constantly tell them – it’s a game of adjustments.
“You just have to adjust to what’s going on. I told them – good teams find ways to win. However you get it done, you got it done.’ I’m proud of them for that.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh (9-1, 8-0 SOL) – 13th in the latest power rankings – will travel to Cheltenham Tuesday, and Abington (3-10, 3-7) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh in a rematch on Thursday.
Abington 040 100 0 5-9-2
Plymouth Whitemarsh 010 111 2 6-6-3
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 6, GWYNEDD MERCY 0
Camille Larson notched the complete game shutout win. The Patriots’ sophomore hurler allowed just two hits while striking out nine and walking four in a stellar outing.
The visiting Patriots put two runs on the board in the top of the first. Alyssa Catron led off the frame with a double and scored when Hailey Aspinwall followed with a double. Amelia Funston’s single plated Aspinwall, and the Patriots led 2-0. That was more than enough for Larson.
Aspinwall was 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Isabel Parker was 2-for-3.
Central Bucks East (3-11, 0-2 SOL) will host North Penn on Tuesday.
Central Bucks East 201 012 0 6-8-2
Gwynedd Mercy 000 000 0 0-2-0
SOUDERTON 4, LANSDALE CATHOLIC 1
Abby Burns retired the first 11 batters she faced in yet another stellar outing for the Indians. The freshman pitcher allowed just two hits and one run (unearned) while striking out five and walking only one.
“She had another good game,” coach Liz Parkins said. “While there were two errors, the defense made some really nice plays behind her.”
The Indians manufactured a run in the second inning. Burns led off with a single, and her courtesy runner, Sierra Ripka, stole second and advanced to third on an error. She scored on Sam Nuneviller’s groundout.
In the third inning, the Indians added a pair of runs. Jess Lepore drew a one-out walk and scored when Alina Skrazat followed with a double. Riley York’s RBI single plated a run, and the Indians led 3-0. Naila Neely’s solo home run to open the fourth put the Indians on top 4-0 before the Crusaders got on the board with an unearned run in the bottom of the inning. That would be the extent of the scoring for both teams.
Jen Klepfer (2-for-4, 2B) and Burns (2-for-3) led the Indians’ seven-hit attack.
Souderton (8-4, 4-4 SOL) will host Central Bucks South on Tuesday.
Souderton 012 100 0 4-7-2
Lansdale Catholic 000 100 0 1-2-1
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