Pennsbury, Neshaminy & North Penn were winners in Wednesday’s District One 6A second round. Pennsbury/CB South photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson.
Class 6A
#1-2 NORTH PENN 9, #1-15 UPPER DARBY 0
Mady Volpe turned in another masterpiece for the Knights, allowing just three hits in the complete game shutout. The sophomore standout struck out 14 and walked two.
“She came out and she had a little rough first inning when she wasn’t on, and I think that had a lot to do with nerves,” coach Rick Torresoni said. “She got out of a jam, and after that, it was lights out.
“She had 14 strikeouts again, and that means we had to field the ball seven times and make outs.”
The Royals loaded the bases on the first inning, thanks to a hit batter, a single and a walk. Volpe slammed the door on that threat with a strikeout.
Included in Volpe’s 14 strikeouts was the 200th of a remarkable season. The sophomore hurler accomplished that feat in just 117 innings.
“When you think about it in one year, that’s just unbelievable, especially considering the amount of innings she threw,” Torresoni said.
The Knights had just six hits, but they included a pair of huge hits. Senior Elia Namey delivered a three-run home run to highlight a four-run third inning. They added a run in the fifth when Victoria Juckniewitz, who legged out a bunt single, scored on a passed ball.
In the sixth, Jordan Pietrzykoski put an exclamation point on the win when she smashed a grand slam over the center field fence to give the Knights their final margin of victory.
Juckniewitz and Pietrzykoski led the Knights with two hits each. Amanda Greaney had a double.
“Their pitcher was good, but we got some timely hits with our two home runs,” Torresoni said. “That’s playoff softball.
“It’s a win, and as I was telling the girls, the first game you play is always tough because it’s playoff atmosphere, and you haven’t played in that situation for over a year. The kids played well. It’s pitching, defense and timely hitting and that’s what we got.”
North Penn (19-1, 11-1 SOL) will host seventh-seeded Haverford in Friday’s quarterfinal contest. The Knights defeated the Fords 4-3 in a regular season contest that capped a stretch of four games in four days.
Upper Darby 000 000 0 0-3-4
North Penn 004 014 x 9-6-2
#1-3 PENNSBURY 10, #1-14 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 2
What a difference a year makes.
Last year this time, the Titans were celebrating a second round 1-0 win over Central Bucks West, marking the beginning of an unforgettable journey to a District 1 6A title. The Titans’ run included three Kylie Kenney shutouts and three 1-0 wins.
The Falcons, meanwhile, weren’t part of the postseason conversation – or district bracket – after winning just seven games.
“It was only my sophomore year we even made playoffs, and we got out the first round,” senior Carley Parsons said.
Fast forward to this season. The Falcons own the number three seed in the district tournament, and they looked the part in Wednesday’s second round win over the Titans.
“The seniors knew coming in – we wanted to make this such a family because we know chemistry is so important to doing well,” Parsons said. “When everyone likes each other, they want to be with each other and they want to play for each other.”
The Falcons have spent the season riding that chemistry and their considerable talent to 17 wins. On Wednesday, they put a run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first when Sierra Daley led off with a triple and easily scored on a suicide squeeze bunt by Parsons.
“My travel coach loves to call them,” Parsons said. “A runner on third, I’m up – let’s do a squeeze, so I’m used to it. I’ve been doing it since freshman year, but I was surprised when he called it.”
The Falcons had a lead they would not lose.
“Sierra really got things rolling for us,” Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry said. “(Parsons’ bunt) was too far for the catcher to get it and the third baseman had to come a long way.”
If Daly got things rolling, Parsons kept them rolling, finishing the day a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, five RBIs and two runs scored.
“She had a great day,” McSherry said. “We got a bunch of hits off one of the best pitchers we’ve seen all year.
“(Kenney) really, really handled us (in a 2-1 non-league win) just a few days ago. She struck out 10 of us, and seven of them were called third strikes, so what we’re really proud of – there were zero called third strikes today, and I know we had a number of two-strike base hits. I know we had a number of two-strike fielder’s choices that scored runs.”
The Falcons added a pair of unearned runs in the third. With two outs, Parsons singled and stole second. She scored on an error, and a second run crossed the plate when Karli Haines singled up the middle, spotting the Falcons a 3-0 lead.
“We played them a week ago, and it’s like two totally different games,” South coach Kevin Rosini said of the Falcons’ 2-1 win six days earlier. “We gave up that first run and should have had that girl at third. We misplayed it and misplayed a couple of other things, and before you knew it, it was 3-0.”
The Titans briefly got themselves back in the game in the fourth. Katie Hines led off the inning with a single to left, and one out later, Kenney lofted a two-run home run over the left field fence to make it a 3-2 game.
“It was my first home run ever – those were my two first hits for the whole season, I’m not kidding,” said Kenney, allowing herself a smile. “
That turned out to be the Titans’ last hurrah. The Falcons got those two runs back in the bottom of the inning, benefitting from a walk, a hit batter, a bunt single by Karissa Turk and a two-run single by Parsons.
In the fifth Casey Glynn, who singled, scored on Kaylie Capriotti’s RBI single. An error to open the sixth inning was followed by a walk, setting the stage for a two-run double to left center by Parsons. Daley and Glynn also had RBIs in the inning, and the Falcons had their 10-2 final margin of victory.
“I give the girls credit,” Rosini said. “They came back, and Kylie got that home run – it’s 3-2 and I’m thinking, ‘Here it is.’ This is kind of the story of our year – up and down. When we’re on, we’re really on, and when we’re off, we’re really off. That’s kind of what happened today, and we ran out of gas at the end.”
Parsons, for one, was glad for the opportunity to play the Titans for the second time in a week.
“I was excited,” the Falcons’ right fielder said. “I knew what they were going to be like. I knew they were going to be a tough opponent that we would come out strong against because we seem to come out stronger when we know the opponent is going to be tougher.”
Freshman Ainsley McClure earned the complete game win.
While Parsons led the Falcons at the plate, the Titans were led by the two-hit efforts of Kenney, Tara Tumasz and Kate Hammond.
Central Bucks South (9-3 SOL) closed out its season with a 13-9 record.
“At one point before Easter break, we were 5-6, and we were down 4-0 to Easton in the seventh,” said Rosini. “That could have broke our season right there, but we scored five in the seventh and won that game and ended up winning seven out of nine at the end.
“We got a good seed, got a home playoff game, beat North Penn along the way – still their only loss. I think injuries bit us in the behind at the end and we just ran out of gas. I’m happy with the kids. They fought hard – 9-3 in our league and they won a playoff game. I think that’s good for us.”
Pennsbury (17-2, 12-0 SOL) will host Neshaminy in Friday’s District 1 6A quarterfinal.
End of the line – Wednesday’s loss marked the end of the four-year varsity careers of Kenney and Alexa Ortman. Kenney will continue her career at Bryant University while Ortman will play softball at La Salle. “Those two have been four-year mainstays,” Rosini said. “They’re going to be big holes to fill, and we’ve got 9-10 months to figure out how we’re going to do that.
“They’re the heart and soul (of this team). Since day one when I arrived here, they were sophomores, and they’d already had a year on varsity. They just kind of took over. They’ve led this team to heights it hasn’t seen in a long time.
“Winning that (district) championship and the season Kylie had last year. Lex was an all-state player two years ago and four-time Suburban One League all-star, a .400 hitter and got her 100th career hit. Kylie got her 400th strikeout the other day. Those two – I’m going to miss them as people too because they’re good kids, they’re good people. They’re fun to talk to and be around. Their families are great people. They’re going to be hard to replace, they really are.”
Wednesday’s loss brought to an end a special chapter for both players.
“(The best part was) playing with my best friends,” Ortman said. “Most of us have played together since we were young, since we first started travel ball, especially me and Ky – so many years together.”
“High school softball has definitely been my favorite part of the year,” Kenney said. “All of the girls are so close. I’m going to miss them so much.”
Central Bucks South 000 200 0 2-9-2
Pennsbury 102 214 x 10-9-0
#1-6 NESHAMINY 10, #1-11 COATESVILLE 2
Phoebe Clemens led off the top of the first with a solo home run, spotting the visiting Red Raiders a 1-0 lead. The Redskins were unfazed, answering with a run in the second and erupting for five runs in the third to take complete control of Wednesday’s second round game.
“We had runners in the bottom of the first inning, so we were feeling good,” coach Dave Chichiletti said. “In the second inning, we were able to tie it up.
“It wasn’t an easy draw. Coatesville is a very good team, but we had a good game plan, and we were able to stick to it. It was great to get past that first hurdle. We’ll celebrate tonight, make a new plan tomorrow and hopefully execute it on Friday.”
Sophomore Mia Barone – inserted into the designated player spot – singled to open the second, stole third base, and scored two outs later when Asia Barnard singled.
“In her first start of the season, what a great run to score the tying run in the first playoff game to take off a lot of pressure,” Chichiletti said of Barone. “She had a good scrimmage the other day, so we gave her a chance.”
In the five-run third, Liana Jones led off with a double, Barone contributed an RBI single, Kennedie Ruth had a two-run single, Emily Siwek doubled home a run, and Barnard had an RBI single. The Redskins led 6-1, and they were on their way to the no-doubt-about-it win.
Natalie Florschutz – fresh off a 15-strikeout effort in the Red Raiders’ win over William Tennent – struck out just two, and the Redskins roughed her up with 15 hits.
“It was more about wanting to hit your pitch than hitting her pitch,” Chichiletti said.
Barnard was 3-for-4 with three RBIs out of the leadoff spot. Liana Jones was 3-for-3 while Rachel Kohler and Barone were both 2-for-3. Kiley Gurysh was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI.
Ruth earned the complete game win, allowing just four hits – only two after the first inning.
“Kennedie does what she does best,” Chichiletti said. “She gives up the home run, and she looks over and smiles at me. You’re still a little nervous, but after we got that first run, I knew everything would be okay.
“She settled in, and she just did another fantastic job. She only had four strikeouts. We made some really good defensive plays. Gianna Pickens is in right field now. She stole one over the fence, and she made a head first diving catch – two ridiculous plays.
“It was a total team effort. Pitching, 15 hits, and we had to make 17 outs. A few of them were not easy.”
Neshaminy (17-4, 10-2 SOL) will travel to Pennsbury for Friday’s quarterfinal contest.
Coatesville 100 100 0 2
Neshaminy 015 121 x 10
#1-4 DOWNINGTOWN WEST 1, #1-20 SOUDERTON 0
The Indians had heard all about the Whippets’ dazzling .360 team batting average and their 85 extra base hits, and freshman pitcher Abby Burns clearly was unfazed, allowing just five hits and one run (unearned) in a standout effort.
“Abby and (catcher) Alina Skrzat kept mixing it up and kept them off balance,” coach Liz Parkins said. “They worked really well together all year, and this was one of their best outings.
“We played amazing defense again behind Abby with the exception of one error, and it just stinks – that’s the one that came back to bite us.”
The Indians, however, never could find their offense against Natalie Beebe, managing just two hits. Beebe struck out 11 and did not walk a batter.
“She had good movement, and we could not lay off her rise,” Parkins said. “We’ve faced a little bit better pitching, but I think they were really anxious to hit today and didn’t have the patience.
“We had, in my opinion, too many looking strikeouts – five of them were looking. It’s challenging to win a game when you strike out that many times and only have two hits.”
The Whippets scored the game’s only run in the fifth, benefitting from the Indians’ lone error and a RBI double by leadoff batter Cait Coker, who entered the game with a .655 batting average.
Riley York and Julia Kistler accounted for Souderton’s two hits.
Parkins will lose four seniors to graduation – catcher Alina Skrzat, third baseman Jen Klepfer, first baseman Megan Hamilton and centerfielder Julia Kistler.
“Throughout the whole season, I’ve said time and time again – they never quit, they always found ways to manufacture runs, and they were a joy to coach this year,” Parkins said. “They were a really special group.”
Souderton (5-7 SOL) closed out its season with a 12-9 record.
Souderton 000 000 0 0-2-1
Downingtown West000 010 x 1-5-0
#1-1 SPRING-FORD 13, #1-17 QUAKERTOWN 0 (5 innings)
The Rams lived up to their number one seed, scoring early and scoring often en route to a shutout win over the Panthers in the abbreviated contest. Spring-Ford scored three in the first, and they added to that lead in every inning.
The Panthers managed just four hits – three off winning hurler Brianna Peck, who threw the first three innings. She fanned five and walked one.
Briana Lefkoski doubled – the Panthers’ lone extra base hit.
Tori Caputo absorbed the loss.
Quakertown (8-4 SOL) closed its season with a 13-9 record.
Quakertown 000 00 0-4-3
Spring-Ford 334 3x 13-15-0
Class 5A
#1-4 UPPER PERKIOMEN 10, #1-5 UPPER DUBLIN 1
The Indians scored four runs in the third and three more in the fourth, seizing control of Wednesday’s second round game on their way to the win.
The Cardinals plated their lone run in the second, thanks to Brianna Kesslick’s RBI double that knotted the score 1-1.
Lauren Carboni led the Cardinals’ attack with a 3-for-3 effort while Koryn Bischoff was 2-for-3.
Chloe Foster absorbed the loss.
Upper Dublin (8-6 SOL) closed out its season with a 14-7 record.
Upper Dublin 010 000 0 1
Upper Perk 104 311 x 10
Class 4A
#1-4 GWYNEDD MERCY 2, #1-3 UPPER MORELAND 0
Madison Seidel scattered six hits in the complete game shutout win. The freshman hurler fanned eight and walked one.
UM senior Jenna Sadowski pitched well enough to win most days, turning in a stellar outing of her own. She allowed three hits and two runs over six innings while striking out 11. She also had two of the Golden Bears’ hits.
Upper Moreland (11-3 SOL) closed out its season with a 13-7 record.
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