Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action.
SOL Patriot
BENSALEM 6, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 0
Maggie Formichelli tossed a glittering complete game shutout, allowing just three hits.
“There’s a pattern,” Schram said. “If you do the math – over the last 26 innings, she’s only given up two earned runs.
“Basically, Maggie is true Bensalem. She loves pitching for Bensalem, and she took a year off pitching in travel. She’s a very, very good outfielder and a very good hitter, so she’s valuable in many ways. Her last real experience pitching was the summer of 2019 after our good season in 2019. She was gearing up to pitch last year. She’s found herself, she’s found her location. It’s taken some patience, it’s taken some time, but she’s really, really come around. It’s really nice to see. It’s changing our season.”
The Owls have given new meaning to the phrase injury plagued.
“We played with 10 kids today, literally 10 kids dressed,” Schram said. “We’re playing so little, and we’re 8-9. It’s another Owls’ season.”
While Formichelli was doing the job in the circle, Megan Klein was making it happen at the plate. The freshman speedster was 4-for-4 with two triples, two RBIs and three runs scored and moved to shortstop in the absence of her sister Jess Klein (injury).
“Megan Klein was the other really nice story today,” Schram said. “We had eight hits and she had four hits. This is a kid that just produces runs. She comes in and looks for an open spot on the field and hits to it.
“We were using Jess at shortstop, and we moved Megan from left field back to shortstop, and she made a couple of glove plays that were fantastic today. North is a good team. They hit the ball hard, and they got a lot of good things going. Susan (Yee) is doing a great job with the kids.
The Owls’ coach also lauded the play of Kira Hutchinson at second base.
“She made some great plays,” Schram said. “Today was our day. You get on a little roll sometimes. I didn’t see it coming, but I do see what our pitcher is doing, and it’s special to see how well she’s doing.”
The Owls plated single runs in the first, third and fifth innings and gave themselves some breathing room with three in the sixth.
“Bensalem came hungry and played a fantastic game today,” Rock North coach Susan Yee said. “Maggie Formachelli threw fantastically today and became the only pitcher besides Mady Volpe of North Penn to shut us out on the season. She really brought her A game, coaxing miss-hits, and her defense played great behind her.
“I was really impressed by their freshman shortstop/leadoff hitter Megan Klein. She was an impossible out today, playing some beautiful small ball, and then driving two triples to the fence. She did an amazing job setting the table for her team, and also anchored shortstop beautifully. The diving play she made up the middle to rob Emma Zoldi of a line drive hit was something you would see on an ESPN highlight reel. That kid is really going to do some great things over the next four years.”
Wednesday’s loss came on the heels of a 5-2 win over Council Rock South 24 hours earlier.
“Our team definitely had an emotional letdown today after such an emotionally charged rivalry game yesterday, and we are going to have to regroup and go at some people over the next week if we want to meet our goal of landing a spot in the district playoffs,” Yee said. “The only girls on our team who have ever experienced the playoffs are our seniors, and I’d like the rest of the girls to also know what it is like to play in the postseason. I have every confidence that our girls can do it, so we will embrace the challenge and see what the next seven days brings us.”
Bensalem (8-9, 2-6 SOL) – 24th in the District One 6A power rankings – will host Council Rock South on Friday. Council Rock North (7-10, 3-5) will travel to Neshaminy on Friday. The Indians are 26th in the latest power rankings in what will be a 24-team field.
Bensalem 101 013 0 6
Council Rock North 000 000 0 0
PENNSBURY 4, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0
Ainsley McClure tossed a complete game three-hit shutout, and the Falcons – who celebrated Senior Day – moved one step closer to clinching the division crown.
The Falcons scored the only run McClure would need in the second when Riley Mahony delivered an RBI single. They added two runs in the third with Rowan Mulholland and Emma Hause each contributing an RBI single. Jess Rowe’s RBI single in the sixth inning closed out the scoring.
Caitlyn Martell and Taylor Askey were both 3-for-3 to lead the Falcons’ attack.
McClure struck out eight and did not walk a batter in another strong outing.
The Falcons have just two seniors on their roster – Rowe and Cynthia Ehrenfeld.
“Cynthia Ehrenfeld has had some really big hits for us this year,” coach Frank McSherry said. “They call her the team mom. She just does everything for everybody. She’s just been a great kid. We nominated her for the Unsung Hero award that Pennsbury gives.
“Both of them have just been great. They’ve done it the right way. They’ve totally bought in, and they’ve been great role models for the kids.”
Pennsbury (15-1, 7-0 SOL) – the top seed in the District One 6A rankings – will travel to Harry S Truman on Friday. Council Rock (4-12, 0-7 SOL) will travel to Bensalem on Friday.
Council Rock South 000 000 0 0-3-1
Pennsbury 012 001 x 4-10-0
NESHAMINY 10, HARRY S TRUMAN 1
Junior Kennedie Ruth faced just 26 batters in the complete game one-hitter, allowing only a run in the sixth while striking out eight.
The Redskins set the tone for this one in a hurry, plating five runs in the bottom of the first. Junior Carena Barr led off with a walk, and Kylee Jones followed with a single to left field. Sophomore Lindsey Gorka immediately followed with a triple to right field, scoring two. Ruth delivered the inning’s big blow, a two-run home run.
In the third inning, Jones led off with a triple followed immediately by a home run from Gorka that put the Redskins on top 7-0.
Gorka – who was in the middle of most of the scoring action – opened the fifth inning with a single to the left side. Junior Zoe Shimp singled up the middle, and junior Laura Chorba followed with a single to the left side to score the only run of the inning. The Redskins staged a two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth with a single down the left field line from Gorka. Shimp got on base and was followed by yet another hit from Chorba, scoring two.
Courtney Nau collected the Tigers lone hit in the sixth when they plated their only run on Jada Moran’s sacrifice fly to center.
The Redskins were led by Gorka’s 4-for-4 effort with four RBIs. Chorba was 2-for-2 with three RBIs, Ruth went 1-for-4 with three RBIs, and Jones was 2-for-4. Sophomores Rachel Allen, Maddie Nelson and Shimp contributed hits as well.
Neshaminy (12-5, 6-2 SOL) – 12th in the District One 6A power rankings – will host Council Rock North on Friday. Harry S Truman (10-7, 5-3) – 17th in the district power rankings – will host Pennsbury on Friday.
Harry S Truman 000 001 0 1
Neshaminy 502 012 0 10
SOL Colonial
NORTH PENN 4, SOUDERTON 3 (9 innings)
A pair sophomores came up big when it mattered most, delivering clutch two-out hits in the top of the ninth inning to break a 2-2 tie and give the Knights a 4-2 lead.
Sophia Collins started the rally with a one-out single and moved up to third on Rachel Lowry’s sacrifice. That set the stage for leadoff hitter Julia Shearer’s RBI double to left, and Sarah Sabocsik followed and lined a single to center that brought Shearer home from second.
The Knights needed both of those runs as sophomore Sierra Miller made things interesting when she led off the bottom of the inning with a solo home run to left field. Mady Volpe closed it out without further damage.
“Souderton always plays us tough there year after year after year,” North Penn coach Rick Torresani said. “It was typical Souderton-North Penn end-of-the-year playoff type softball. We just happened to be the lucky one to get a couple of runs to win the game.
“The girls just played – there was no fear. They didn’t get nervous, and at the end two sophomores came through with the big hits.”
The Knights jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Shearer led off with a single and moved up to second on Sabocsik’s sacrifice. Annabelle Smink followed with a single, and then it was Volpe hitting a sacrifice fly to center that plated Shearer with the game’s first run. Bri Wilmot’s RBI single to right put the Knights on top 2-0.
That score stood until the bottom of the fourth when Riley York ripped a two-out, two-run home run to center that scored Sierra Ripka, who led off the inning with a single.
Both teams had their chances. Ripka led off the top of the fifth with a double, and Megan Kummery drew a walk, but both runners were stranded as Volpe fanned the next two batters she faced and closed out the inning with a popup to second.
Abby Burns worked herself out of a jam in the top of the seventh when the Knights – thanks to back-to-back Souderton miscues – had runners on the corners with none out and the top of the Knights order due up. Burns came up with a huge strikeout and got the second out on a popup to short, escaping unscathed when the next batter grounded out.
In the bottom of the eighth, York led off the inning with a double to left but was erased when shortstop Sophia Collins snagged Ryan Zimmerman’s line drive and turned it into a rally-killing double play.
“Sophia made a couple of outstanding plays in the field,” Torresani said. “That double play was huge. She made a great catch and then had the wherewithal to throw to second base to get the girl.”
That set the stage for the dramatic ninth.
Volpe notched the complete game win, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out 16 and walking five.
“Mady gutted it out,” Torresani said. “She didn’t have her best stuff today even though she had 16 strikeouts.”
Burns allowed nine hits and four runs while striking out five and walking none. For Burns and the Indians, it was their second nine-inning loss in three days.
Shearer (RBI), Sabscsik (RBI), Smink and Collins each had a pair of hits for the Knights.
York led the Indians with a 2-for-4 effort that included a double, home run and two RBIs.
North Penn (16-1, 8-0 SOL) – the second seed in the District One 6A power rankings – will travel to Central Bucks South on Friday, and Souderton (12-6, 4-4) will travel to Pennridge Friday for a 6:30 p.m. contest. The Indians are 14th in the power rankings.
North Penn 200 000 002 4-9-0
Souderton 002 000 001 3-7-4
PENNRIDGE 16, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 6
Reagan Bauman and Catelyn Thrush opened the game with back-to-back triples, and three batters later Mackenzie Owens slammed a two-run home run to left field. It turned out to be a preview of things to come in the seven-inning contest that saw the two teams combine for 22 runs and 28 hits, but for no one more than Owens, who was just getting started.
In the top of the third, Owens stepped to the plate with a pair on board (thanks to back-to-back walks) and hit her second home run, a three-run shot to center field that put the Rams on top 7-0, and she wasn’t finished yet.
One inning later with two outs and the Rams on top 8-0 after a Grace Helbling RBI single, Owens did the improbable, smashing a line drive over the center field fence for a grand slam and a 12-0 Pennridge lead.
In the top of the seventh, Owens – who was retired on a fly ball to left field in the sixth – hit an RBI single.
Owens line for the game was a ridiculous 4-for-5 with three home runs, a season’s worth of RBIs with 10 and three runs scored. Interestingly, they are her first home runs of the season.
“As one of our captains, the players really look up to her,” Pennridge coach Wendy Iadonisi said of her senior who joined the Army Reserves last year and will be attending West Chester University. “She’s a great kid. She plays with a quiet confidence that is sometimes overlooked. We recently moved her up in the lineup because she’s been making great contact.”
Helbling also had a good day at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored. Thrush was 2-for-3 with a triple, RBI and two runs scored, and Madison Silber was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Chloe Coughenour also had two hits, and Anna Hensler doubled and drove in a pair of runs.
For the Bucks, Abby Lineman was 3-for-4 with a double and RBI, Anna Rodebaugh was 2-for-4 and Emily Anton was 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.
Anja Puketza notched the complete game win, allowing 13 hits and six runs (two earned) while striking out eight and walking a pair.
Pennridge (6-11, 3-5) will host Souderton on Friday at 6:30 p.m., and Central Bucks West (1-16, 0-8) will host Central Bucks East on Friday.
Pennridge 403 503 1 16-15-4
Central Bucks West 000 231 0 6-13-0
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 1
Elise Waddington is having herself quite a week. On Tuesday, the sophomore delivered the game-winner – a three-run home run in the third inning that gave the Patriots a lead they would not lose. Two days earlier, Waddington’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Patriots a 3-2 walk-off win over Souderton.
Wednesday’s big hit came after Ava Catron drew a base on balls, and one out later, Alex Frenia was safe on a South miscue. Both scored on Waddington’s blast to center field. It was her third home run of the season.
Soleil Dooner earned the complete game win, allowing just three hits and one unearned run while striking out 11 and walking just two in a stellar outing. The senior hurler came up with her biggest strikeout in the fourth inning with a Titan run across and the bases loaded.
South’s run in the fourth came when Nicole Pilla singled and was replaced by CJ Haney, who scored on a wild pitch. Pilla was 2-for-3, accounting for two of her team’s three hits.
Elizabeth Gray had two hits and a stolen base for the Patriots. Catron also had a base hit.
South’s Maddy Borowski, who absorbed the loss, threw a complete game four-hitter, striking out six and allowing three runs (two earned).
Central Bucks East (11-6, 6-2 SOL) – 11th in the District One 6A power rankings – will travel to Central Bucks West on Friday, and Central Bucks South (7-10, 3-5) will host North Penn on Friday.
Central Bucks East 003 000 0 3-4-1
Central Bucks South 000 100 0 1-3-5
SOL Liberty
QUAKERTOWN 11, WISSAHICKON 1 (6 innings)
LauraRose Morelock had a big night at the plate, leading the Panthers’ 12-hit attack with three hits – including a double and home run – and four RBIs. Syd Andrews once again got the job done in the circle, allowing only three hits and one run while striking out seven and walking none.
The Panthers all but put the game out of reach with a six-run second. Andrews got the ball rolling with a double to right. After Maya Hellyer was safe on an error, Skyler Williams singled. One out later, Cadence Lewis collected an RBI single to center, and Emma Hilton delivered a two-run single. Morelock capped the big inning with a two-run home run to center that put the Panthers on top 6-0.
Wissahickon got on the scoreboard in the fourth when Grace Franczyk hit a solo home run to left field. In the bottom of the inning, the Panthers plated three runs, benefitting from an error and a walk. Morelock brought both runners home with a two-run double to right, and Mary Wilkinson put the Panthers on top 9-1 with a two-out RBI single.
In the sixth, Wilkinson and Andrews both contributed RBI singles to close out the scoring.
In addition to Morelock, Beal was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Wilkinson was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Andrews also was 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Danielle Ciliberto collected a double, the Trojans’ only extra base hit.
Quakertown (15-2, 7-1 SOL) – the seventh seed in the district power rankings – will travel to Cheltenham on Thursday, and Wissahickon (10-7, 4-4)- ranked 16th in the District One 6A rankings – will host Upper Dublin on Monday.
Wissahickon 000 100 1-3-2
Quakertown 060 302 11-12-1
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 12, UPPER DUBLIN 0 (5 innings)
Molly Moore threw a one-hit gem in a five-inning shutout win. She faced just 17 batters, striking out eight and walking one. The Colonials’ defense was flawless behind her.
The Colonials put a pair of runs on the board in the first and added another in the second. They brought an early end to the game with five more in the fourth and four in the fifth.
Carly Rosenberger was 3-for-4 out of the leadoff spot with two runs scored, and Hannah Suh also was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Talia Carr had an RBI triple in the five-run fourth and finished the game with two RBIs. Regan Gehman was 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and three runs scored.
Lauren Carboni had the lone hit for the Flying Cardinals.
UD pitcher Chloe Foster allowed 10 hits and eight runs (only one earned) while striking out four and walking none.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (10-7, 3-5 SOL) – the 18th ranked team in the District One 6A rankings – will travel to Abington Friday, and Upper Dublin (8-8, 2-6) – ninth in Class 5A – will host Radnor in a non-league game Thursday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 210 54 12
Upper Dublin 000 00 0
HATBORO-HORSHAM 16, ABINGTON 1 (3 innings)
The Hatters continued to roll through conference play, winning in three innings for the second time in as many days. Alyssa Tooley allowed just one hit, striking out four and walking one.
The Ghosts got on the scoreboard in the top of the first, collecting their lone hit – an RBI single by Lauren Everitt. The Hatters answered with seven in their half of the inning.
Kristen Myers got things started with a leadoff triple to right, and she scored when Kayla Tauber singled. Kendal Leitner doubled with one out, and Tess Kearney, Marissa Rapino, and Tooley followed with back-to-back-to-back RBI singles, and the Hatters led 7-1. They added nine runs in the second to go on top 16-1.
Leitner’s 3-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and three runs led the Hatters. Myers (2-for-3, 3B, 2 RBIs, 2 runs), Tauber (2-for-2, 2 RBIs, 2 runs) and Kearney (2-for-3, 2 RBIs, one run) also finished with multiple hits. Tooley helped her own cause with a 1-for-2 day at the plate and three RBIs.
Hatboro-Horsham (16-1, 8-0 SOL) – the third ranked team in the district power rankings – will travel to Quakertown Friday for a key conference battle, and Abington (7-9, 0-8) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Friday.
Abington 100 1-1-4
Hatboro-Horsham 79x 16-11-0
SOL Freedom
UPPER MORELAND 10, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 9 (8 innings)
The Golden Bears won a wild one when Liz Santry delivered a double to give UM the walk-off win in the eighth inning. Chloe Kramer, who singled and then stole second and third, scored the game-winner.
“The Springfield team came out to play for the win today – they played great,” UM coach Melanie Martino said. “It was a fun game to coach, that’s for sure.
“We had our share of mistakes in the field today, but our team never gave up. They really play hard for each other and support each other. Both of our pitchers did great today with Eowyn Stainback picking up the win.”
The Spartans took an early 1-0 lead that was erased when the Golden Bears scored six runs in the third. Springfield scored six in the sixth to knot the score 7-7, and they took a 9-7 lead with two runs in the top of the seventh. With just one out separating the Spartans from a win, Grace Ounan dropped a two-out hit over first to plate a pair and knot the score, setting the stage for extra innings.
Kramer’s 4-for-4 effort with two runs scored led the Golden Bears. Natalie Walton also delivered a big hit – a home run that cleared the bases.
“The Springfield coaches and players have obviously worked hard this season they were a different team since the beginning of the season and a really nice group of coaches and players,” Martino said. “I think both teams had a lot of fun today.”
Upper Moreland (8-8, 7-1 SOL) will travel to William Tennent on Friday, and Springfield Township (2-12, 2-6) will travel to Lower Moreland.
Springfield Twp 010 006 20 9
Upper Moreland 006 100 21 10
WILLIAM TENNENT 7, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 1
Katie LaPlaunt tossed a complete game shutout, scattering six hits and allowing one run while striking out 15 and walking none.
In the top of the first, Mackenzie Clee walked and scored on an error. The Panthers had a lead they would not lose.
Mackenzie Clee was on base all three trips to the plate and finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored. Meg Curtis tripled and scored a run. Gigi Demito was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored.
William Tennent (9-4, 7-0 SOL) – 22nd in the District One 6A rankings – will host Upper Moreland on Friday, and New Hope-Solebury (2-14, 2-6) will host Cheltenham on Friday.
William Tennent 111 020 2 7-10-0
New Hope-Solebury 000 100 0 1-6-4
LOWER MORELAND 22, CHELTENHAM 4
The Lions took care of business in a hurry, scoring 12 runs in the top of the first inning on four hits, six walks, and one hit by pitch. Payton Lennon collected the first hit with a double to left field that scored two runs. Sam Himmelstein followed with another double, scoring 2 more runs. And Demmi Fox singled twice in the inning. Lower Moreland added two more runs in the top of the second inning on one hit by Jessica Shein.
Cheltenham answered in the bottom of the second inning with four runs. Savannah Tarlo led off with a walk and stole second base. Kayla Sullivan was hit by a pitch, and Megan Boyle singled to right. Tarlo scored on a passed ball, and Sullivan was caught stealing. James walked, Tabitha Sterman was hit by a pitch, and the bases were loaded. Keilah Reyes came to the plate and blasted a fly ball over Lower Moreland’s center fielder for a triple and three more runs scored, but that was the end of Cheltenham’s scoring.
Lower Moreland added eight more runs in the top of the fourth on seven hits. Jess Dugo led off with a bunt single, Hannah Klanderman followed with another single, and Natalie Shiloni singled, scoring Dugo. Another run came in on a fielder’s choice and then two more on a Sam Himmelstein double. Demmi Fox and Madi Sahl both got on base with a fielder’s choice, and Jessica Shein singled to right, scoring Himmelstein and Fox. Isabella Ricciardi grounded out for the first out of the inning and Sahl crossed the plate. Dugo singled to left for her second hit of the inning, scoring Shein, and Hannah Klanderman popped out to shortstop for the second out. Natalie Shiloni got her second hit of the inning with another single, and Payton Lennon struck out for the third out.
In her first game back in four weeks after suffering an injury, Liz Neeld got the win on the mound for the Lions, allowing just three hits and striking out nine.
Lower Moreland (5-10, 5-3 SOL) will host Springfield Township on Friday, and Cheltenham (1-13, 0-7) will host Quakertown on Thursday.
Lower Moreland 12-2-0-8 22-12-1
Cheltenham 0-4-0-0 4-3-9
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