Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Wednesday. CR North/Bensalem photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos.
SOL National Conference
PENNSBURY 2, NESHAMINY 0
There was no celebrating for the Falcons after they clinched a share of the conference crown with last week’s win over Truman. It was another story on Wednesday night when – thanks to their shutout of a Redskin squad that has had a stronghold on the conference crown the last four years – the Falcons wrapped up a perfect conference season and clinched sole possession of the conference crown for the first time since 2011.
“Neshaminy has so had our number the last few years, they really have,” Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry said. “Last year they 10-runned us two times. It’s hard for me to say that, but they’re good.
“They’re always good. Chic (coach Dave Chichilitti) does a good job with them. He gets good kids, and they’re big-time hitters. Our kids – the freshmen aren’t fazed by anything.”
Wednesday’s game was played in front of a full house as the nightcap of the annual Lower Bucks Softball Night doubleheader in Bristol, and in a championship game that looked every bit the part, the Falcons made all the routine plays and pulled off a couple of not-so-routine plays. The first came with shortstop Caitlyn Martell faking a throw to first and picking the runner off second to kill a potential threat. In the fifth, the Redskins had a pair of runners on board with none out, and a double play on a bunt – with Carley Parsons picking a runner off second base after getting the out at first – ended that threat.
“We told them before the game started – ‘Listen to us. Defense wins championships. Go out there and give us enough on offense because our defense is going to win championships,’” McSherry said. “We played great defense. If we had an error or two, it just opens the gate. Both teams played just about flawless softball. It was a great game because that’s really a good team.”
Ainsley McClure notched the complete game win in the battle of freshmen pitchers, allowing five hits while striking out two.
“That was Ainsley’s finest game she has pitched,” McSherry said. “She hit every spot we asked her to, and our kids played great defense.
“We were able to scratch out a couple of runs because Kennedie Ruth is really a good pitcher, and we have to deal with her the next three years.”
McClure – in a postgame interview on WBCB 1490 AM – was quick to deflect credit for the win.
“I was kind of nervous coming out,” the Falcons’ freshman hurler said. “My pitches were moving, but it had nothing to do with me. It was all my team behind me. Those girls I trust more than anything.”
Karli Haines spotted the Falcons a 1-0 lead when she led off the third inning with a solo shot to right field. In the fourth, they added an insurance run. Casey Glynn broke a string of four consecutive strikeouts by Ruth with a bloop single, and she scored when Liz Pingor doubled to deep left.
“We were just super excited – coming on the bus, the day before at practice we all dressed up in USA stuff,” Haines said. “We were just ready.
“(Neshaminy) played great too. They’re a tough team always. Winning SOL champs is big for us. My (first three) years at Pennsbury we haven’t been anywhere close. It’s nice as a senior to have that.”
Ruth turned in a standout effort in the circle as well, allowing six hits while striking out nine.
Pennsbury (15-2, 12-0 SOL) – third in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will host Central Bucks South in a non-league game Thursday. Neshaminy (10-2) closed out its regular season with a 16-4 record. The Redskins are fifth in the power rankings.
Neshaminy 000 000 0 0-5-0
Pennsbury 001 100 x 2-6-0
WILLIAM TENNENT 10, HARRY S TRUMAN 0 (6 innings)
Rich Clark knew his roster boasted some serious talent when he took over the helm of the William Tennent program. In Wednesday’s regular season finale, the first-year coach saw that talent come together. The result was impressive.
While sophomore Mackenzie Clee tossed a four-hit gem, Tennent’s top four batters – Caitlyn Mitros, Megan Curtis, Brianna Koonce and Hannah Reimel – combined for nine hits – which included two doubles and two home runs, six RBIs and nine runs scored.
“Our top hitters know how to get on, know how to wreak some havoc,” said senior Brianna Koonce, who was 3-for-3 with an intentional walk. “We know what to do in order to score the runs, we know what to do to win games.”
“We play on the same travel team,” Mitros added of the Rock Gold squad. “We know what we can do in tough games.”
No one had a bigger day than Mitros who was a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk, two home runs, three RBIs and four runs scored out of the leadoff spot.
“She’s got a sweet swing,” Clark said.
Mitros jumpstarted the Panthers with a leadoff single in the first and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Curtis. A Koonce RBI single put the Panthers on top 1-0.
Mitros led off the third with a solo home run to deep center, and after Curtis singled and stole second, Koonce was intentionally walked, setting the stage for a two-run double from Reimel. Devon Fithian’s three-run double in the fifth put the Panthers on top 7-0.
In the seventh, Sarah Cummins led off with a single, and one out later, Mitros lofted a two-run home run to deep right. Clee helped her own cause with an RBI double to put the Panthers on top 10-0.
The Tigers threatened in the bottom of the seventh. Teyana Towner – who had two of her team’s four hits – singled to left. One out later, Vanessa Tancini was safe on an error – the Panthers lone error of the game. A single by Grace Pool loaded the bases, but Clee brought an emphatic end to that threat with back-to-back strikeouts to close out the game.
“Kenzie did so good today – the spin on her ball,” Koonce said. “She did amazing.”
“She did a fantastic job,” Clark said. “That was her best outing. She was lights out, hitting her spots. She had the hitters off balance all day long.”
In addition to Mitros and Koonce, Reimel was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run, and Cummins was 2-for-3.
“They’re putting it all together,” Clark said. “All I can say is they’re peaking at the right time.
“I’m not worried who their opponent will be. I think they can do some damage.”
A lot can change in 24 hours, but the Panthers appear to be in good stead to earn their first postseason berth in four years – they are 22nd in the latest District 1 6A power rankings.
The Panthers (11-9, 5-7 Sol) were 9-3 in their last 12 games after a 2-6 start to the season.
“We’re seniors and we’ve never been in the playoffs,” Koonce said. “It was definitely one of our big goals, but we had to make sure we took it one game at a time.
“I think that’s where we messed up in the beginning because we were so caught up in playoffs – ‘We gotta make playoffs.’ We just got ahead of ourselves. As soon as we got level headed, we played the best Tennent softball we could ever play.”
“As long as we played our best – that’s literally all we could ask for – everyone playing to their full potential,” Mitros said.
Truman (4-8 SOL) closed out its regular season with an 9-11 record.
William Tennent 103 033 10
Harry S Truman 000 000 0
BENSALEM 5, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2
The Owls solidified their position heading into the postseason while the Indians find themselves firmly on the bubble. They are 25th in the District 1 6A power rankings heading into Thursday’s regular season finale against Council Rock South. Twenty-four teams will make the field.
For the Owls, this game was a good springboard into the postseason.
“I’m so proud of our kids,” coach Dan Schram said. “We adjusted and did enough to win. We beat a very good team.
“The girls on the two teams grew up playing together, and there is an enormous amount of respect on both sides. Coach (John) Engelhardt is one of my best friends and is a great coach.”
The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the third when Rachel Lorence, who singled to lead off the inning, scored on an RBI single by Julianna Shields. The Owls erased that lead with a five-run fifth.
The bunt was an effective weapon for the Owls, who forced the Indians into some miscues. Allison Goodman singled to lead off the inning. Angelia Micalizzi’s bunt plated the tying run, but Deja Seilhamer’s two-run single was the big blow. Maddy Buechner added an RBI single to put the Owls on top 5-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, Shields tripled and scored on Abby Seiple’s single to make it a 5-2 game. The Indians would get no closer.
Goodman (2-for-3, run), Jessica Klein (2-for-4, run) and Seilhamer (2-for-3, 2 RBIs, run) led the Owls’ eight hit attack.
Shields was 3-for-4 with a triple, RBI and run scored to lead the Indians.
Dani Sharpe threw the first three innings, allowing five hits and one run. Maggie Formichelli closed it out and earned the win, allowing just two hits and one run over the final four innings.
Lauren Begg absorbed the loss for the Indians. Jenna Khantzian threw two shutout innings.
Council Rock North (8-10, 2-9) will travel to Council Rock South for its regular season finale Thursday. Bensalem (5-7 SOL) – 13th in the latest power rankings – closed out its regular season with an 11-7 record.
Bensalem 000 050 0 5-8-2
Council Rock North 001 001 0 2-7-4
SOL Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 1, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0
Kylie Kenney had herself a Senior Day to remember. The Titans’ ace struck out the first nine batters she faced and 14 of the first 16. She took a no-hitter into the sixth inning when the Bucks collected a pair of hits – their only hits of the game. Kenney – in a dazzling performance – did not walk a batter in the complete game win over the Titans’ neighboring rival.
“She had a really quick pace to her tonight, which I think was really helpful,” coach Kevin Rosini said. “She just got the ball, got the sign and went. No hesitation. She got ahead of all the hitters. She was dominant.
“On Senior Night, you couldn’t ask for anything better than that. When the defense did have to make a play, they made them. She got all the strikeouts when she needed them. She just was fantastic. That’s one of the best games I have seen her pitch. She just really looked great.”
Kayla Gallagher tossed a gem of her own in a contest that was played in one hour.
“She was great tonight,” Rosini said. “She may not have had 16 strikeouts, but she had us off all night. She had one four-pitch inning, she had a six-pitch inning. She was fanstastic tonight too. We really didn’t do anything either. Both pitchers were great. Kiley was just a little bit better tonight.”
The Titans, who managed just two hits of their own, scored the game-winner in the third. Alexa Ortman – the Titans’ first base runner of the game – legged out a bunt single to lead off the inning. Rebecca Brennan drew a walk, and both runners advanced on Tara Tumasz’s sacrifice bunt. Ortman scored on Katie Hines’ groundout to short.
Ortman had both of the Titans’ hits in the game.
Central Bucks South (12-7, 9-3 SOL) – 12th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will travel to Pennsbury for a non-league game Thursday. Central Bucks West (9-10, 2-10) will close out its season at Central Bucks East on Thursday.
Central Bucks West 000 000 0 0
Central Bucks South 001 000 x 1
NORTH PENN 10, PENNRIDGE 1
The Knights put the finishing touches on a perfect conference season, notching their 12th win in as many outings with a convincing win over the Rams under the lights at Druckenmiller Park.
They set the tone for this one early. Victoria Juckniewitz doubled to lead off the top of the first, and Jordan Pietrzykoski’s two-run blast gave the Knights a lead they would not lose.
In the third, the Knights added four runs. Pietrzykoski, who singled, scored on a single by Jamie Beer. Mady Volpe gave herself some breathing room when she smashed a three-run home run over the center field fence, giving the Knights a 6-0 lead.
Madison Silber’s solo home run in the fourth put the Rams on the board, but the Knights responded with four unanswered runs to close it out. Amanda Greaney ripped a three-run homer to center in the sixth.
Pietrzykoski’s 3-for-3 effort included a double, home run, three RBIs and three runs scored led the Knights’ 13-hits attack. Juckniewitz was 2-for-5 with a double, and Greaney was 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBIs and a run scored. Beer was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run. Volpe was 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Elia Namey added a double.
Volpe was in complete command in the circle, allowing four hits and one run while striking out 13 and walking one.
North Penn (18-1, 11-1 SOL) is the second seed in the latest District 1 6A power rankings, and Pennridge (11-9, 7-5) is 20th.
North Penn 204 003 1 10-13-0
Pennridge 000 100 0 1-4-2
QUAKERTOWN 2, SOUDERTON 1
In an early season meeting between the two teams, the Indians earned a 7-6 walk-off win over the Panthers. The Panthers returned the favor on Wednesday, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn the walk-off win. Abby Schwartz’s one-out double plated the game-winner.
They are a good squad, so this win was good for us,” Quakertown coach Dave Scott said. “A few (of these close games) have gone our way lately, which shows some good growth from our players.
“We have several players who are really hitting the ball well right now. Up and down the lineup, many different players are making contributions.”
In the top of the seventh, the Indians broke a scoreless tie. Riley York drew a one-out walk, and Jen Klpfer singled. Sam Nuneviller’s RBI single gave the Indians a short-lived 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Bri Lefkoski led off the frame with a triple to right. LauraRose Morelock’s RBI single knotted the score, and one out later, Schwartz delivered the double that plated the game-winner.
“I was really happy for her – she works hard on her game,” Scott said of Schwartz. “Bri Lefkoski played a great defensive game and got us started with the triple.”
Tori Caputo earned the complete game win, allowing just four hits – two in the seventh inning. She struck out two and walked two.
“Tori Caputo pitched very well and kept their lineup off balance,” Scott said.
Abby Burns absorbed the loss.
“We had a great series with them this year,” Souderton coach Liz Parkins said.
Quakertown (7-5 SOL) – 17th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – closed out its regular season with an 11-9 record. Souderton (10-8, 5-7) – 19th in the power rankings – is 10-18 overall.
Souderton 000 000 1 1-4-0
Quakertown 000 000 2 2-9-0
SOL American Conference
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 10, UPPER MORELAND 2
The Colonials kept themselves very much alive in the hunt for a conference title while the Golden Bears fell out of the race in Wednesday’s high stakes conference game.
Of even greater importance to coach Dana Moyer, it put the Colonials back on track.
“This was a must win if we wanted to even think about playoffs because starting with the Upper Dublin game (a 4-2 loss) – I don’t know if they lost confidence in themselves, and after that, we had the Upper Moreland loss,” Moyer said. “Did we hit a wall or what happened? I think they just needed to get back to what they did the whole season before those two games, so that’s what they did. It was just a huge win, and they knew it was a must win.”
Six days earlier, the Bears defeated the Colonials 9-3.
“They were lighting us up,” Moyer said of the UM win. “I just looked at what they hit, what they couldn’t hit, switched it up.”
Lauryn Kane pitched in last week’s game. Allison Beausoleil was in the circle on Wednesday and notched the complete game win, allowing seven hits and two runs while striking out two and walking one.
“She was mixing speeds really well and mixing her pitches up and kind of kept them off-balance,” Moyer said.
While Beausoleil was doing the job in the circle, the Colonials bats came alive, collecting 12 hits.
An error set the stage for a Josee Tassoni double that plated a run in the bottom of the first. In the third, the Colonials tacked on three runs to go on top 4-0. Lauryn Kane and Gianna Fazio hit back-to-back singles, and Emma Carney’s triple to left field plated both base runners. Hannah Suh also had a base hit in the inning.
The Colonials put the game away with a five-run fifth, benefitting from a leadoff double by Carney and several costly UM miscues.
Carney led the Colonials with a 2-for-3 effort that included a double, triple, three RBIs and two runs scored.
“She was running around those bases like a banshee,” Moyer said. “And in left field – she all-around had a great game today.”
Suh was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and Kane was 2-for-3 with a run. Jennifer Byrne had a hit, two RBIs and two runs scored. Carly Rosenberger doubled, drove in a pair and scored two runs.
“They really hit the ball today,” Moyer said. “We did a lot of work the past couple of rainy days and focused on adjustments. Each one of them had different adjustments they had to make, and they did it. They looked really good today. I hope we can take it into tomorrow.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh (13-3, 11-2 SOL) – 14th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will host Hatboro-Horsham on Thursday. The two teams take identical 11-2 conference records into the game.
“Basically how we play tomorrow determines the winner of the league, and that’s huge because PW has never been in that spot ever,” Moyer said. “It’s very exciting. I hope the girls continue to stay loose and have fun.
“We talked about that – you play ball you don’t do ball. It should be something that’s fun, and they should be loose and get back to doing the stuff we did at the beginning of the year. I’m very excited and proud of the girls the way they bounced back.”
Upper Moreland (11-3 SOL) – third in the latest District 1 4A power rankings – closed out its regular season with a 13-6 record.
Upper Moreland 000 002 0 2-7-8
Plymouth Whitemarsh 103 051 x 10-12-1
UPPER DUBLIN 11, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 5
The Cardinals – who pounded out 17 hits – blew open a close game with five runs in the fifth.
Gretchen Wolpert turned in a 3-for-4 effort that included a double, RBI and two runs scored. Bela Soriano was 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, two stolen bases and two runs scored. Lauren Soriano was 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Julia Wolf (2-for-4, 3 RBIs, 2 runs) and Ellie Kelcy (2-for-4, run) also turned in multi-hit performances.
For the Spartans, Gabby Gaskins was 3-for-4 with a solo home run in the sixth. Hannah Sebenick was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs.
Chloe Foster earned the win, allowing nine hits and five earned runs while striking out seven and walking one.
Upper Dublin (12-6, 8-6 SOL) will host Gwynedd Mercy in a non-league game Thursday. Springfield Township (4-10) closed out its regular season with a 4-15 record.
Upper Dublin 201 151 0 11
Springfield Township 102 011 0 5
Non-league
HARRY S TRUMAN 9, BRISTOL 3
There are bounce-back wins, and then there are the back-against-the-wall bounce-back wins like this one. The Tigers – two hours removed from a 10-0 loss to William Tennent – needed a win if they hoped to keep their postseason playoff hopes alive, and in front of a packed house at the annual Bucks County Softball Night, the Tigers took care of business, taking a 2-1 lead in the second and never looking back.
“I told them we had to let it go – it’s a new game, move on. We had to move past it and they did,” Truman coach Lisamarie Belmonte said of her team’s loss earlier in the afternoon. “We came out – we hit well, we played defense well. Hayley Carter bounced back – she pitched awesome. We put all of the little things together.
“This (game) is the highlight of the year. The girls love playing in this game.”
The Tigers and Warriors used Wednesday’s showcase game to raise funds for Grayson Davis, who is battling a rare disease called mitochondrial disease.
“That was the cause we played for tonight, so he was in the dugout with his family, and it just was awesome,” Belmonte said. “It was like a big community thing today, which was great.”
The Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Tigers answered with a two-out rally in the second. Cortney Nau and Teyana Towner collected back-to-back singles. Both runners scored on Chrissy Huhn’s single.
In the fourth inning, Carter hit a one-out single, and Nau followed with her second of three singles on the day.
“Courtney just hit singles all day long,” Belmonte said.
Courtesy runner Paige Gonzalez scored on a wild pitch, and after Towner walked, Alexia Devlin delivered a clutch two-out, two-run single that put the Tigers on top 5-1. They weren’t finished yet, adding single runs in each of the next two innings and two more in the seventh.
Nau’s 3-for-4 effort with three runs scored led the Tigers. Devlin was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, Pool was 2-for-3 and Carter was 2-for-4.
Carter, who was lifted in the third inning of the Tennent loss, rebounded with a standout effort, allowing just five hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out two and walking three.
One fact was clear – Belmonte wasn’t kidding when – moments after her team lost to Tennent – she said, “We have new uniforms to put on, so we’re a whole new team showing up tonight.”
The Tigers, wearing new uniform shirts, turned in an inspired performance.
Harry S Truman (4-8 SOL) closed out its regular season with a 9-11 record. The Tigers moved into the 24th and final spot in the District 1 6A rankings with some games still to be played. The district seeding meeting will be held Thursday night.
“I think it’s going to be tight,” Belmonte said. “We’re right at 24, and it’s just going to depend on some other games that are going to happen. We did what we could do. We left it all out on the field.”
Harry S Truman 020 311 2 9-11-3
Bristol 100 000 2 3-5-3
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 15, ABINGTON 1
In the completion of a game that was suspended because of weather, the Titans notched the convincing win.
Alexa Ortman was 4-for-5 with a double, triple, four RBIs and two runs scored. Tara Tumasz was 3-for-3 with a two-run home run in the first inning. She scored two runs and had three RBIs. Katie Hines was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, and Jamie Marks was 2-for-2 with an RBI and run scored.
Amanda Regan earned the win, allowing three hits while striking out three in three innings.
Central Bucks South 421 26 15-18-1
Abington 001 00 1-4-0
SOUDERTON 19, CHELTENHAM 0 (3 innings)
VILLA JOSEPH MARIE 11, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 1
About the Author
