Check out the recaps for SOL baseball teams in action Friday. Quakertown/Pennridge photos provided courtesy of Kim Supko Photography. Check back for a gallery of photos.
Non-league
QUAKERTOWN 4, PENNRIDGE 3
First Energy Stadium – home of the Reading Fightin Phils – was the site of Friday night’s special rivalry game pitting the neighboring schools.
“We lost our Myrtle (Beach) trip this year, which is a big thing for our program,” Quakertown coach Jon Pallone said. “The kids fundraised and the parents fundraised a lot to go there. We thought about a back-up plan, and we said, ‘The point of Myrtle is the experience.’ They call it the Ripken Experience and it is. It’s the team bonding. When they ask our seniors their favorite memory, it’s usually Myrtle. They love the baseball, but it’s more than that, so when we lost that opportunity, we said – what can we do to build some memories for these guys because they deserve it. They put a lot of work in on and off the field.
“We said, ‘Let’s play in as many stadiums as we can.’ This is the only one we’ve had so far. We’ve fundraised that money, so we’re going to try and build some more experiences with it. What an experience tonight was. Watching them throughout the entire game – it was pretty intense.”
Making the experience even more memorable for the Panthers was the fact that they won a thriller, but it wasn’t easy.
The Rams put a run on the board in the first inning when Joey Calabretti ripped a one-out triple that plated Nic Chellew, who singled.
In the bottom of the inning, the Panthers scored three runs, benefitting from a pair of Pennridge miscues. Anthony Rostick was safe on an error to lead off the inning, and Brandon Pierce followed with a single. Justin Butler’s single to left plated Rostick with the tying run. Tyler Nielson reached first on an error, allowing the second run to cross the plate. With two outs, Nielson scored the third run on a wild pitch.
“We had a couple of opportunities, and we took advantage of them,” Pallone said. “A lot of times, the team that scores first wins, so you’ve got to answer back. To put three up was obviously key for us.”
The Rams responded with two runs in the top of the second. They also benefitted from several miscues. Shea Rourke had a one-out single, the only hit in the inning. He scored on a passed ball, and the second run also came home on a passed ball, knotting the score 3-3.
That score stood until the bottom of the sixth when Butler – who singled, stole second and advanced to third on a Nielson groundout – scored the game-winner on a wild pitch.
The Panthers scored four runs with the benefit of just three hits with Butler collecting two of them.
“We’ve had some opposite games this year where we’ve left a small army on the field,” Pallone said. “Today we didn’t have as many base runners, but we were able to get them on, over and in.”
Chellew and Calabretti each had a pair of hits to account for four of the Rams’ six hits. The Rams stranded 11 base runners.
Pallone used five pitchers in the contest – Trevor Hurst, Colin Mosko, Tyler Neilson, Jack Qualteria and Anthony Rostick.
“It’s a non-league game, and it’s a special game, so we wanted to get everyone in, but we wanted the seniors to play the whole game,” Pallone said. “The underclassmen were playing for the seniors. They wanted it for them as much as for themselves.
“The seniors went out there, and they just battled. Especially the last two-three innings – everyone is pumped up. It’s a great rivalry to be part of.”
Quakertown (5-5, 2-3 SOL) will be on the road at William Tennent for a crossover game Monday, and Pennridge (2-7, 1-4) will host Neshaminy on Monday.
Pennridge 120 000 0 3-6-2
Quakertown 300 001 x 4-3-1
UPPER DUBLIN 14, SOUDERTON 10
It’s a non-league game that doesn’t count in the standings, but there’s always something special when Upper Dublin and Souderton do battle. The fact that UD coach Ed Wall has had a son on the opposite team – Conlan for four years and now Shanley – certainly has a whole lot to do with it. Wall has also coached some of the Souderton players.
“I know a lot of those guys, so it was a lot of fun,” the UD coach said.
For an Upper Dublin squad that has struggled out of the gate this season, Friday’s game was especially important.
“The first seven games of the season we were really on a skid, and I really think that we’re catching a little bit of a wave,” Wall said. “We’re starting to figure out what it takes to win a game – that competitiveness. It’s a little bit of jelling.
“I know all the teams were disheveled coming into the season, and for whatever reason, we had a little more difficult time figuring it out than some other teams, but they kept working hard.”
The game was hardly a classic with the two teams combining for 10 errors and eight hit batsmen.
“The amount of hit batters – we definitely earned it with a little bit of blood, sweat and tears,” Wall said. “(Souderton coach) Mike (Childs) has had a tough go of it losing some of his pitchers.
“It wasn’t the prettiest game. We still have a lot of work to do defensively. We’ve had two really good back-to-back games where we took care of the baseball, but today was a rough one.”
For the Cardinals, Ethan Madnick was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Landon Kratchman was 1-for-1 off the bench with three RBIs and a run. Leo Soriano was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run, and Tristan Cairnes was 1-for-3 with a double, three RBIS and a run scored.
“Tristan Cairnes continues to rip the cover off the ball,” Wall said. “This is at least his third game in a row with an extra base hit. Today he had three RBIs – he continues to impress.
“Ethan (Mednick) didn’t start off the season in the fourth spot, but he’s been making really good contact over the course of the season, so we’re delighted with his continued progress.
“All the way through the lineup from top to bottom – I’m really happy with where we’re going and the fact that we have a bunch of juniors with a couple of sophomores sprinkled in there and some senior leadership at the top.”
A pair of seniors saw action on the mound. Griffin Johnson started and threw four innings, allowing six hits and six runs (only one earned) while striking out three and walking one. Karan Acharya threw two innings, allowing one hit and two runs (unearned) while striking out three and walking none.
“Griffin did a great job,” Wall said. “He got out of some spots with some really good pitching. Karan Acharya came in and followed suit. By that time, the game was pretty well in hand, and Griffin (Pestrack) finished it off.
“I like where our mindset is and our attitude. We have some good momentum rolling into next week. Upper Moreland is going to be a really big game for us, and that’s going to be a lot of fun. They’re all big considering our situation.”
For the Indians, Isaac Frye was 2-for-4 with a run scored out of the leadoff spot. Jacob Horton was 2-for-4 with a home run, one RBI and two runs scored. Luke DeSpain was 1-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Ryan Kagarise was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, three RBIs and two runs.
Upper Dublin (3-7, 0-5) will travel to Upper Moreland on Monday, and Souderton (4-5, 2-3 SOL) will host Pennsbury on Monday.
Souderton 100 502 2 10-9-3
Upper Dublin 103 604 x 14-9-7
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 8, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 2
A trio of Patriot pitchers combined to allow just two hits – and no earned runs – in Friday’s non-league contest. Junior Max McGrady earned the starting nod.
“Max McGrady made his first start off year and was very effective in his pitch count limited three innings,” East coach Kyle Dennis said. “We are excited to have him back and joining our regular rotation as we start to approach the second half of the season.”
Brett Young earned the win with another strong outing out of the bullpen. He did not allow a hit in two innings, striking out four and walking one.
Offensively, the Patriots benefitted from seven Spartan miscues. The two teams exchanged runs in the first inning, and the Patriots took a lead they would not lose with a run in the third. They took a 5-1 lead into the top of the seventh when they scored three runs with the big blow a booming two-run triple to left field by sophomore Xavier Sjostedt.
“Xavier Sjostedt got his first varsity hit for a stand-up triple and 2 RBIs,” Dennis said. “He has been a bullpen pitcher and third starter for us this year so far and continues to impress.”
Reece Moody doubled, drove in a run and scored a pair out of the leadoff spot. Tony Demichael and Sajan Shah (RBI) both contributed a double.
Central Bucks East (7-2, 3-1 SOL) will be on the road at Council Rock North on Monday, and Springfield Township (4-5, 4-1) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh.
Central Bucks East 101 021 3 8-8-3
Springfield Twp 100 000 1 2-2-7
About the Author
