Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Thursday. Souderton/CB South photos courtesy of Cynthia Hanson. Check back for a gallery of photos.
SOL Patriot Division
PENNSBURY 4, BENSALEM 0
Ainsley McClure was back in the circle for the Falcons, and the junior ace – sidelined with a groin injury – was on top of her game, allowing just one hit while striking out six and walking none. Shortstop Caitlyn Martell also had a big day at the plate and in the field.
“It was nice to see Ains come back and pitch seven innings for us – she felt good and she felt strong,” Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry said. “Caitlyn Martell had a big day. She made some great plays at shortstop, and she was 3-for-4 with a run scored, a triple and an RBI.”
In the third inning, Jessica Rowe singled, and Sam Raub drew a free pass, setting the stage for an RBI single by Martell. The Falcons plated a pair of runs in the fourth inning, benefitting from a pair of Owl miscues.
Pennsbury added a run in the top of the seventh to close out the scoring. Martell, who tripled, scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Rowan Mulholland.
“It was one of those games – their kid pitched tough,” McSherry said of Bensalem’s Maggie Formichelli. “We said, ‘Hey, we know every game you’d like to go out there and pound the ball, but it’s not going to happen. It’s not softball. There are going to be games where you have to scratch out runs,’ and I think that’s what we did, but Dan (Schram’s) kids played well.”
Schram had good things to say about the efforts of his squad.
“Maggie pitched great,” the Owls’ coach said. “Kids are starting to gel – it’s fun to watch.
“The kids are in the moment. We have a real nice freshman class, and they are gonna make noise in years to come. The kids are great. We’re trying to catch some lightning in the bottle.”
Pennsbury (12-1, 5-0 SOL) – ranked second in the latest District One 6A power rankings – will travel to Archbishop Ryan for a non-league game on Friday, and Bensalem (6-9, 1-6) will host Villa Joseph Marie in Saturday’s Cancer Awareness Game at 2 p.m.
Pennsbury 001 200 1 4-7-1
Bensalem 000 000 0 0-1-2
NESHAMINY 9, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 1
The Redskins opened up a 5-0 lead after three innings on their way to the decisive win, their sixth in a row and 10th in 11 games after a 1-2 start.
“Neshaminy is a really good team,” Rock South coach John Engelhardt said. “This team will make a run in the district playoffs.
Junior Kennedie Ruth threw four shutout innings, facing 17 batters and only allowing one hit. Barone stepped in the circle for the final three innings, facing 15 batters and allowing four hits and one run.
While the Redskins’ bats were quiet during the first inning, things started heating up in the top of the second. The inning started off with a single to right field by senior Danielle Monaco, who advanced to second base on a pass ball. Sophomore Lindsey Gorka had the first RBI of the game with a single to left field. With bases loaded, junior Carena Barr drew a walk, plating a run. Senior Kylie Siwek had the last RBI of the inning with a hard groundball to third base.
The third inning started off strong with seniors Mia Barone and Monaco both getting on base. Gorka collected another RBI on a groundball to the right side. The second RBI of the inning went to Kennedie Ruth, who singled to right field.
In the fourth inning, Barone’s double to center field plated a run, and that was immediately followed by a sac fly to center field from Monaco.
The Redskins made some noise in the sixth inning with a two-out rally. Senior Kylie Jones doubled to left field and scored on a triple down the right field line from Barone. Junior Laura Chorba collected the final RBI with a hard ground ball to third base.
Jones, Barone, Monaco, and Ruth led the team with two hits each while Siwek and Gorka each had one. Barone and Gorka led the team with two RBIs each while Barr, Siwek, Monaco, Chorba and Ruth each had one.
Despite the outcome, Engelhardt was pleased with his team’s effort.
“The outcome of today’s game might tell one story; however, as a young program looking to establish an identity and culture, we measure success based on our three pillars: leaving it all on the field, being a great teammate, and staying positive when we make a mistake and not compounding mistakes because of an earlier at bat or error,” the Golden Hawks’ coach said. “My players competed all seven innings and remained locked in and positive the entire game. We walked off the field holding our heads high, proud of how we competed and represented our school.”
Neshaminy (11-3, 5-1 SOL) – 12th in the District One 6A power rankings – will host Lawrenceville School in a non-league game on Friday, and Council Rock South (4-10, 0-5) will host Council Rock North on Monday.
Neshaminy 032 202 0 9
Council Rock South 000 000 1 1
HARRY S TRUMAN 6, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 1
The Tigers scored runs in each of the first four innings to go on top 6-1, and that score held the rest of the way as they notched their fifth win in conference play.
The two teams exchanged runs in the first inning with the Tigers plating an unearned run in the top of the first and the Indians getting that back in the second when Taylor Gearhart, who doubled, scored on a groundout.
In the second inning, the Tigers scored three runs to take a lead they would not lose. Emily Kavulic and Emily Merrigan led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Madison Kavulic’s groundout plated twin sister Emily, and Teyana Towner’s double brought another run across the plate. A third run scored on a Rock North miscue.
The Tigers added an unearned run in the third and closed out the scoring with a single run in the fourth. Emily Kavulic’s two-out double to center plated Jada Moran, who singled.
Emily Kavulic led the Tigers with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate that included a double, RBI and one run scored. Towner was 2-for-5 with a double, RBI and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Moran was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and Merrigan was 2-for-3.
Jalecia Blacston and Kylee Thomas split time in the circle. Thomas notched the win with 3.1 shutout innings. She did not allow a hit while striking out one and walking one.
Kat Hastings, who absorbed the loss, allowed six runs but only two were earned.
Harry S Truman (9-6, 5-2 SOL) – 19th in the District One 6A power rankings – will face Bristol on Monday in a non-league game, and Council Rock North (5-9, 2-4) will travel to neighboring Council Rock South on Monday.
Harry S Truman 131 100 0 6
Council Rock North 100 000 0 1
SOL Colonial Division
PENNRIDGE 10, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 9
This is the stuff dreams are made of.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh and her team trailing by two in its Senior Night game under the lights at Druckenmiller Park, Madison Silber stepped to the plate. With one sweet swing, the senior catcher turned a potential loss into an electrifying walk-off win, smashing a three-run home run over the left field fence for the game-winner.
“You could feel the excitement before the game even started,” Pennridge coach Wendy Iadonosi said. “I think every player who’s ever played dreams of hitting a walk-off home, and to do it on Senior Night is the icing on the cake. It’s a storybook win right there.
“I think all of the girls in the program that were in that dugout will remember this game. It was just so exciting.”
Silber’s home run was her third of the season, and it came on a 1-1 pitch.
“I think the excitement she had today going into the game really helped her,” Iadonisi said. “I asked her, ‘What were you thinking when you went up there?’ She said, ‘I just wanted to make solid contact and drive the ball.’
“You could tell she had her composure when she was in there. She didn’t look overanxious, and I think that’s the maturity she has and the experience – it really helped her today.”
The Rams spent the better part of the game playing catch-up. They trailed 7-3 heading into the sixth inning, but the Rams have displayed a penchant for saving their best for last, scoring nine runs in the final two innings to erase a 6-0 deficit in Tuesday’s win over Council Rock North.
“We’ve had a few games where we’ve come from behind,” Iadonisi said. “We’ve fallen short except for the other day, and when we came in after they scored a couple in the sixth inning, they’re like, ‘That’s all right – this is the best time of our games. These are the best innings.’
“The girls didn’t seem worried. It was so nice to see that confidence they had even though we were down by four runs.”
A triple to left by the speedy Thrush opened the four-run fourth that also included RBI singles by Grace Helbling, Mackenzie Owens and Chloe Coughenour.
“That was huge,” Iadonisi said of Thrush’s leadoff triple. “She had an unbelievable night. She was 5-for-5, and she’s another one that’s really starting to come into her own.
“We moved her down to the two spot from the one spot where we had her early on in the season, and you can see a confidence in her that she didn’t have her sophomore year. You can see she has the confidence that she’s going to put the ball in play. She’s been working really hard in the offseason, weight training, and I think that’s really benefitted her also.”
Earlier, the visiting Patriots erased a 3-0 deficit with four runs in a third inning that was highlighted by RBIs from Amelia Funston, Soleil Dooner and Mackenzie Wilson. They added a single run in the fourth and two more runs in the top of the sixth to go on top 7-3. In the sixth, Alex Frenia doubled and Dooner had a two-run single. The Patriots appeared poised to walk away with the win, but Silber had other ideas.
Silber (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs, 1 run) and Thrush (5-for-5, 2B, 3B, 2 RBIs, 3 runs) were not the only players to come up big at the plate. Helbling, who notched the complete game win, was 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs. Regan Bauman was 2-for-5 with a run scored out of the leadoff spot and Chloe Coughenour was 2-for-4 with one RBI. The top four hitters in the Rams’ lineup combined for 12 of their team’s 16 hits.
For the Patriots, Elizabeth Gray (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, 3 runs), Frenia (2-for-5, 2B, 2 runs) and Dooner (2-for-5, 3 RBIs, 1 run) had multiple hit games.
The past week has been a rough one for the Patriots, who watched a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning disappear in a 5-4 walk-off win to Pennsbury. That was followed by Tuesday’s 9-1 loss to Neshaminy, the Patriots’ first home loss, and then Thursday’s heartbreaker.
Thursday’s game was a marked contrast to an early season meeting between the two teams – a 4-3 East win that saw Soleil and Frenia combine on a one-hitter with 11 strikeouts between them. In that contest, Soleil did not allow a hit in five shutout innings, and all three of the Patriots’ runs were unearned.
“I just think my girls have been building up confidence, working on making contact,” Iadonisi said. “We came out with 16 hits in this game, which was huge, just huge.
“I told them to play every game like it’s Senior Night and play with that energy, that confidence.”
Pennridge (5-10, 2-4 SOL) will travel to North Penn on Monday, and Central Bucks East (9-6, 4-2) – 14th in the District One 6A power rankings – will host Souderton on Monday at 4 p.m.
Central Bucks East 004 102 2 9-10-1
Pennridge 210 004 3 10-16-3
SOUDERTON 7, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 2
Riley York was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs, and Abby Burns took a shutout into the seventh inning when the visiting Titans plated a pair. By that time, the Indians had a 7-0 lead and were well on the way to their 12th win of the season
“Our hitting, our pitching, our defense – we’ve really been playing pretty solid over the last couple of weeks,” Souderton coach Carol Atkinson said. “We focus a lot on hitting. That’s our big thing because we know if we hit we can win.
“We did a little bit of small ball today, and we had some really nice bunts, but we also had some really nice hits.”
A walk and a Titan error set the stage for an RBI double by Burns and a 1-0 Souderton lead in the bottom of the first. In the third inning, Riley York, who singled, scored on a wild pitch, and in the fourth, the Indians added a pair of runs. They loaded the bases with none out on a walk and back-to-back singles by Sierra Ripka and Megan Kummery. A bases-loaded walk to Riley York pushed a run across, and Ryan Zimmerman followed with an RBI single that put the Indians on top 4-0.
The Indians added three more runs in the sixth before the Titans got on the scoreboard in the seventh when Allie Franck ripped a two-run home run to right center that plated Marlena Hacker, who had singled.
The Titans managed just four hits off of Burns – two in the seventh inning. The Indians’ junior pitcher struck out eight and did not walk a batter in the complete game win.
“Abby’s been on fire lately,” Atkinson said. “She’s hitting her spots, she’s learning to adjust to the umpires. She’s doing really, really well.”
York was the lone Souderton player with multiple hits. For the Titans, Franck was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs. Suzie Williams had a double.
Souderton (12-4, 4-2 SOL) – 10th in the latest District One 6A power rankings – will travel to Central Bucks East on Monday for a 4 p.m. game, and Central Bucks South (6-8, 2-4) will be on the road at Quakertown for a non-league game Friday. The Titans were the 23rd ranked team after Thursday’s game.
Central Bucks South 000 000 2 2-4-1
Souderton 101 203 x 7-9-0
NORTH PENN 16, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0 (4 innings)
Rick Torresani reached a historic milestone, notching win number 400 of a stellar coaching career. His team took care of business in a hurry, erupting for six runs in the second and nine more in the fourth to bring an early end to the contest.
Mady Volpe led off the six-run second with a single, and Bri Wilmot followed with a two-run home run to center field. Other big hits in the inning included RBI doubles by Sophia Collins and Julia Shearer and an RBI single by Annabelle Smink.
The nine-run fourth was highlighted by doubles from Gianna Cimino, Rachel Lowry (RBI) and Shearer (RBI) as well as a two-run home run by Sarah Sabocsik.
Volpe did not allow a hit in four shutout innings, striking out 10 and walking four.
North Penn (13-1, 6-0 SOL) – the fourth seed in the latest District One 6A power rankings – will travel to Hatboro-Horsham for a non-league game Friday (4 p.m.), and Central Bucks West (1-13, 0-6) will host Downingtown West in a non-league game on Friday.
Central Bucks West 000 0 0-0-2
North Penn 061 9 16-13-1
SOL Liberty Division
HATBORO-HORSHAM 3, WISSAHICKON 2
For the second time in as many games, the Hatters needed a late-game comeback to eke out their second win over the pesky Trojans this week. Thursday’s win came on the heels of the Hatters’ 8-4 win over William Tennent one day earlier that saw them use a six-run sixth to erase a 6-4 deficit.
“We just played Wissahickon on Monday, and that was a really tight game and well played by both teams,” HH coach Kelly Krier said of Monday’s 5-1 win. “Today was another game like that.
“We woke up in the bottom of the fifth inning. We left a lot of runners on base both against William Tennent and again today. We have some things we need to take care of moving forward, but we showed grit and we focused in when we needed to. It was nice to see that happen.”
Kendal Leitner once again got the job done in the circle and at the plate. Her two-run double highlighted the Hatters three-run fifth. She also notched the complete game win, allowing four hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out 11 and walking one.
Leitner’s clutch two-out hit was set up by singles from Tess Kearney and Kayla Tauber. Abby Waeltz followed with a single that plated Leitner with the game-winner.
“We had up to that a point a few innings where we had runners on base, and I was nervous with that ‘here we go again’ feeling,” Krier said. “We had girls who had good at-bats. Kendal got a good pitch and just smacked it out to the fence. Kayla Tauber was on first, and coach Rachel (Gieringer) said, ‘If this is in the gap, go for it,’ and it was.
“Kayla – who had a beautiful bunt to get on – did her part, and our next batter, Abby Waeltz, got Kendal in, so it was some small things put together to get the necessary runs.”
Leitner retired the Trojans in order in the sixth and seventh to close out the game.
“She did it again,” Krier said of Leitner. “It’s exciting, it’s team building, it’s character building type of games, which is important. Especially at this point in the season, you want to start to see things come together. Would we have liked to have done it sooner? For sure, but they did it when they needed to do it.
“We had really great senior leadership today. Kristin Myers and Kayla (Tauber) were great keeping girls focused in the game and using their experience on the varsity. Everyone lost last year, but they had a couple of years under their belts, and they were able to use that today to help our younger players. From a coach’s point of view, it’s nice to have that kind of leadership.”
Tauber’s 3-for-3 day at the plate led the Hatters. Kearney was 2-for-3 with a run scored while Leiter was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run.
The Trojans, who used back-to-back doubles by Katelyn Fitzgerald and Grace Franczyk to get on the board in the fourth inning. They added a run in the top of the fifth when Emma Dutill, who singled, scored on a single by Danielle Ciliberto to put the Trojans on top 2-0.
For the Trojans, Emma Clayborne threw three scoreless innings, allowing three hits while striking out two and walking one. Ciliberto also threw three innings, allowing four hits and three runs while striking out two and walking none.
“It was a great game,” Wissahickon coach Mike Borkowski said. “Both teams played well. We were really focused today. The girls thought they could hang with Hatboro today after Monday, and we did. It’s a great boost for our program to go toe to toe with the number one team in the district.”
Hatboro-Horsham (13-0, 6-0 SOL) – ranked first in the latest District One 6A power rankings – will host North Penn in a non-league game on Friday at 4 p.m., and Wissahickon (9-6, 3-3) will host Abington on Monday. The Trojans are 17th in the latest power rankings.
Wissahickson 000 110 0 2-4-1
Hatboro-Horsham 000 030 x 3-7-2
UPPER DUBLIN 4, ABINGTON 0
Chloe Foster was in command in the circle, scattering seven hits in the complete game shutout while striking out eight and walking just one. The UD junior surpassed the 100-strikeout mark for the season in the game.
“Her poise and her composure is outstanding,” UD coach Heather Boyer said of Foster. “You can tell the effort she’s put in the offseason is really starting to pay off in the season. She’s consistently throwing well. She’s averaging eight strikeouts a game – that’s more than a third of the outs. She doesn’t get flustered, she doesn’t get upset if errors are made in the field. She just comes back and tries to get the next out.
“She’s been a quiet but profound leader in the circle, and she’s a good kid too. I have her in class, and I have the ability to see her from that standpoint too. The same attributes you see on the softball field are also evident in the classroom, so that makes for a well-rounded student-athlete.”
The Cardinals led 3-0 after two innings and added a single run in the seventh. The two teams combined to strand 17 runners with Upper Dublin leaving nine on base.
“Abington – as is typical – no quit,” Boyer said. “They had runners on in a number of scenarios.
“Their two outfielders – left fielder Annie Sokolski and center fielder Leanna Schenk – made two unbelievable catches. The one in center field was ridiculous. We had the bases loaded with two outs, and Rachel Bilger hit the ball on the nose to deep left center. Schenk dropped her right foot and was on the run and caught it over the shoulder. It was really well done. Otherwise, that was big trouble.”
Dani Lucidi led UD’s seven hit attack with a 2-for-3 day at the plate. Ally McDaid was 1-for-3 with a double, stolen base and one run scored. Anna Levin was 1-for-3 with a run scored, and Kaelin Penna had an RBI single in the sixth inning and finished with a pair of RBIs.
“Our two corners – Dani Licidi and Gretchen Wolpert – both of them had plays in both the sixth and the seventh inning to really solidify the defense and to make sure Abington didn’t have a chance to rally at all,” Boyer said of her third baseman and first baseman respectively. “Those were key plays.”
For the Ghosts, Madison Cornell (2-for-3, 2B) and Schenk (2-for-3) both had multiple hits.
Upper Dublin (8-6, 2-4 SOL) will host Quakertown on Monday, and Abington (6-7, 0-6) will travel to Lower Moreland on Friday.
Upper Dublin 210 001 0 4-7-1
Abington 000 000 0 0-7-5
QUAKERTOWN 5, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 3
The Colonials gave the visiting Panthers all they could handle and then some, taking a 2-1 lead into the sixth and still leading by one heading into the seventh when the Panthers scored three runs to eke out the win.
“I’m extremely proud of our girls for the way they played today,” PW coach Mike Perez said. “Quakertown is a very talented team, and we battled the entire game and made adjustments at the plate. We were in a position to win, and it slipped away.”
The Panthers plated an unearned run in the first, and the Colonials knotted the score with a run in the fourth when Emily Caffrey, Charley Tassoni, Regan Gehman and Marissa Perez (RBI) collected consecutive one-out singles. A huge strikeout by Syd Andrews allowed the Panthers to escape the bases-loaded jam without further damage.
In the fifth inning, the Colonials used singles by Talia Carr, Hannah Suh and Molly Moore to plate a run and go on top 2-1. In the top of the sixth, the Panthers evened the score when LauraRose Morelock, who doubled to open the frame, scored on a one-out single by Andrews.
A Panther error and an RBI double by Carr put the Colonials on top 3-2 after six, but the Panthers responded in the top of the seventh. Cadence Lewis led off the inning with a single, and one out later, Ava Beal singled. Emma Hilton followed with an RBI double to left, and after Morelock drew a walk, Mary Wilkinson delivered an RBI single. A sacrifice fly by Andrews gave the Panthers a 5-3 lead.
Andrews retired the Colonials in order in the seventh, striking out a pair. The junior pitcher allowed 11 hits while striking out six and walking one in the complete game win.
“Syd Andrews is a wonderful pitcher, and we fought the entire game for 11 hits,” Perez said. “We really adjusted well against her versus the first time we faced her when we had 15 strikeouts.
“They also have very talented hitters up and down their lineup. Molly Moore did a good job moving the ball around against them.”
Moore allowed eight hits and five runs (four earned) while striking out seven and walking three.”
Morelock led the Panthers with a 2-for-3 effort that included a pair of doubles and a run scored.
For the Colonials, Carr finished the game 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Suh was 2-for-4.
Quakertown (12-2, 5-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks South in a non-league game Friday, and Plymouth Whitemarsh (9-6, 2-4) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Monday.
Quakertown 100 001 3 5
Plymouth Whitemarsh 000 111 0 3
SOL Freedom Division
UPPER MORELAND 11, LOWER MORELAND 0 (5 innings)
The Golden Bears set the tone for this one early, plating three runs in each of the first three innings on their way to the mercy rule win in the abbreviated Senior Day contest.
“We came into the game today ready to play,” UM coach Melanie Martino said. “Today was our senior recognition day, so the girls were pumped up and wanted to win. Eowyn Stainback pitched a great game with five strikeouts and no earned runs, and after a few tough losses, we finally found our bats again.”
The Golden Bears were led by their seniors. Chloe Kramer was 4-for-4 with two doubles, three stolen bases and four runs scored, and Gab Wiley was 3-for-4 with one run scored. Rylee McDade went 2-for-4 and scored twice. Liz Santry also had a great day today with two doubles and four RBIs.
Upper Moreland (6-8, 5-1 SOL) will travel to Cheltenham on Monday, and Lower Moreland (3-8, 3-3) will host Abington on Friday.
Lower Moreland 000 00 0
Upper Moreland 333 2x 11
WILLIAM TENNENT 19, CHELTENHAM 0 (3 innings)
Anna Coulter’s grand slam highlighted a 15-run first inning for the Panthers in Thursday’s mercy rule win over the visiting Lady Panthers. Coulter finished a productive day 1-for-1 with a home run, five RBIs and a run scored.
Leading the Panthers’ 12-hit attack was Lainey Scotese, who was 3-for-3 with a double, four RBIs and three runs scored. Olivia Clee was 2-for-3 with a game high six RBIs.
Katie LaPlaunt notched the win, allowing two hits in three shutout innings while striking out seven and walking one.
William Tennent (6-4, 4-0 SOL) will host New Hope-Solebury on Friday, and Cheltenham (1-11, 0-5) will host Upper Moreland on Monday.
Cheltenham 000 0-2-4
William Tennent 15 4x 19-12-2
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 15, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 0
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