Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Thursday.
SOL Patriot/Colonial crossover
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 11, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 10
Talk about happy endings – they don’t come much happier than this one for an Indians’ squad that entered Thursday’s season finale with 18 straight losses and not a single win to their credit.
The Indians not only snapped their losing streak, they did it in impressive fashion when – with a runner on second and two outs in the bottom of the seventh – Sarah Teitelman hit the first pitch she saw for a base hit to right field that plated the game-winner, giving the Indians the walk-off win.
“It was a very emotional win,” Rock North coach Susan Yee said. “Every player and every coach was in tears. The girls really earned this one.
“It was especially amazing seeing senior Sarah Teitelman – who played JV until this year and has worked her tail off to adjust to hitting varsity pitching – get the game-winning walk-off double. She really earned that hit. She put in so much work in the offseason and all spring for it to really pay off in this moment. I really couldn’t be happier for her.”
Teitelman’s game-winner capped a remarkable comeback by the Indians, who trailed 10-8 after the Patriots – thanks to a two-run single by Ellizabeth Gray and Sara Camposana’s sacrifice fly – scored three in the top of the seventh to erase an 8-7 Rock North advantage.
Emma Zoldi opened the bottom of the seventh with a line drive double to left. One out later, Molly Sheehy doubled, plating Zoldi. The Indians – still trailing by a run – were down to their final out after a popup for the inning’s second out. Taylor Gearhart delivered in a big way, collecting a hit that plated Sheehy with the tying run. That set the stage for Teitelman’s heroics to cap the remarkable comeback.
“Emma Zoldi is a four-year varsity player and captain, and she once again took the lead and set the tone starting off the bottom of the seventh with a shot to the fence for a double,” Yee said. “When Molly Sheehy got her third hit of the game – an RBI double to the fence – two batters later, they set all the momentum we would need to follow that lead for the comeback.
“In over a decade of coaching, I have never been more proud of a team for a win than I am today. CB East came into this game playing for their ‘playoff lives’ so to speak, and our girls had nothing to play for but pride, and they showed tons of it today. This game was a total slugfest, and no matter how many times CB East battled their way across the plate, our girls never gave up and answered right back. Coming into the top of the seventh with a one-run lead and then losing it and going down by two, the girls never lost faith in their ability to rally and come back for the walk-off win. They showed amazing fortitude, and I just couldn’t be more proud of how this group kept rallying together today.”
The game had its share of twists and turns, the first came when the location was changed to CB East since Rock North’s field was unplayable. Early on, the Patriots had the momentum. They took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an Elise Waddington RBI single only to see the Indians answer with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
Zoldi singled to open the inning, and one out later, Sheehy was hit by a pitch. Sofia Shields lined an RBI double to left, and with two outs, Teitelman lined a double to right that plated a pair, giving the Indians a 3-1 lead.
But not for long. The Patriots erupted for five runs to go on top 6-3 in a second inning highlighted by doubles from Corinn Eads (RBI), Camposano (RBI) and Waddington (2 RBIs).
Unfazed, the Indians came roaring back, benefitting from a pair of East miscues, a hit batter and a walk to score four runs in the third and go on top 7-6. East evened the score in the top of the fourth only to see the Indians score an unearned run in the fifth to go on top 8-7, setting the stage for the wild finish.
Leading the Indians’ 16-hit attack were Zoldi (3-for-4, 2B, 3R) and Sheehy (3-for-3, 2B, 2R, 3 RBIs). Also picking up multiple hits were Sierra Klein (2-for-5, R, RBI), Shields (2-for-5, 2B, R, RBI), Gearhart (2-for-4, 2R, RBI), Teitelman (2-for-5, 2B, 3 RBIs) and Ashlee Haywood-Ogborn (2-for-3, R). Haywood-Ogborn notched the win in relief.
“Sofia Shields was super sick and could barely get through warmups, but when I checked on her before the game, she looked me in the eye – as she sat on the bench hunched over and white as a sheet – and said ‘Coach, this is my last high school game, I’m not missing it,’ and she battled through the whole game and did a great job,” Yee said. “The poor thing came over to me at one point and asked permission to sit down on the bench for a minute between innings when she would usually be up cheering. I told her I have no idea how she’s even playing, and she has permission to do whatever she needs to do to get herself through.
“Similarly, Molly Sheehy has been battling a sore back all week. We gave her the day off from practicing yesterday, and when I checked in with her, she looked me in the eye and said ‘Coach, it’s the last game of the season, and the only way you are getting me off the field is to physically remove me, I’m playing this game.’ Not only did she play the game, but she went 3-for-3 with two hit by pitches and was on base all five plate appearances along with playing fantastic at first base.”
For the Patriots, Gray led the way with a 3-for-4 effort that included two runs scored and two RBIs. Waddington was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs, and Eads was 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and one RBI.
Council Rock North (1-15 SOL) closed out its season with a 1-18 record. Central Bucks East (4-12 SOL) finished its season with a 7-12 record.
Central Bucks East 150 100 3 10-11-2
Council Rock North 304 010 3 11-16-2
SOL Freedom Division
WILLIAM TENNENT 10, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 0 (5 innings)
The Panthers put the finishing touches on their SOL Freedom Division championship with a decisive win in their regular season finale.
Carlie Nydick allowed just two hits while striking out nine and walking one in the five-inning shutout win.
The Panthers scored all the runs Nydick would need in a three-run third that included a Spartan miscue, a walk and hit batter as well as a two-run single by Chloe Hostettler. Gigi DeMito’s RBI single in the fourth put the Panthers on top 4-0, and they brought an early end to the contest with a six-run fifth that included singles by Giselle McLaughin (RBI), Kate Smith (2 RBIs) and Vicky Colagreco (2 RBIs).
Colagreco (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) and Hostettler (2-for-2, 3 RBIs) led the Panthers’ nine-hit attack.
William Tennent (12-3 SOL) closed out its regular season with a 13-4 record. The Panthers are the 19th seed in the 24-team District One 6A Tournament, and the Panthers will travel to #14 Avon Grove for Monday’s opening round contest.
Springfield Twp 000 00 0-2-1
William Tennent 003 16 10-9-0
Non-league
HATBORO-HORSHAM 2, SOUDERTON 0
Thursday’s game followed a familiar formula – Kendal Leitner was all but untouchable in the circle, and the Hatters received timely hitting to notch the non-league win.
Leitner, who retired 15 in a row to start the game, tossed her fifth straight shutout, allowing just one hit in the complete game win. The Binghamton University bound senior struck out 15 and walked one in another stellar outing.
“Kendal had another strong performance,” HH coach Kelly Krier said. “She and (catcher) Abby Waeltz worked to quiet the bats of a very strong Souderton lineup.”
The Hatters plated the only runs they would need in the top of the fourth, thanks to a two-out rally. Abby Waeltz lined a single to right, and Tess Kearney followed with a double to center field. Maddie Karpovich singled to right, plating a pair, and that 2-0 score stood the rest of the way.
“Abby Waeltz and Tess Kearney each had big time two-out hits, and Maddie Karpovich drove them in to get the runs we needed,” Krier said. “Souderton players made important plays to shut down potential opportunities throughout the game.”
The Hatters collected seven hits with Kearney (2-for-3, R) the only player with multiple hits.
Burns, who absorbed the loss, struck out 10 and did not walk a batter. She also had the Indians only hit of the game – a leadoff single in the sixth inning that broke up Leitner’s perfect game. She was one of just two Souderton baserunners in the contest with Kendell Clemmer the other after drawing a two-out walk in the seventh.
Hatboro-Horsham closed out its regular season with a 16-3 record, 15-1 en route to the SOL Liberty Division title. The Hatters, the sixth seed in the District One 6A Tournament, have an opening round bye. They will host the winner of the #11 Neshaminy/#22 Perk Valley game in a second round contest on Wednesday.
Souderton (9-7 SOL) takes a 12-8 record into the District One 6A Tournament. The Indians are the 18th seed and will travel to #15 Plymouth Whitemarsh for Monday’s opening round contest.
Hatboro-Horsham 000 200 0 2-7-0
Souderton 000 000 0 0-1-0
QUAKERTOWN 11, UPPER PERKIOMEN 1 (5 innings)
The Panthers finished what they started last Friday in the resumption of a non-league game that was halted because of rain. The Panthers received contributions up and down their lineup, pounding out 15 hits in the abbreviated contest.
Syd Andrews notched the win, allowing two hits and one run in four innings. She recorded 11 of 12 outs on strikeouts. Abbey Wagner threw one shutout inning, striking out three and allowing one hit.
The Panthers scored five runs in the first inning and five more in the second. In the first, Ava Beal led off with a double, and Trinity Lucas lined a two-run home run to right field. The Panthers also benefitted from a pair of Tribe errors. Highlights of the five-run second included doubles by Leah Schwalm (RBI), Maya Hellyer (RBI) and Beal.
In the bottom of the third, the Panthers added a run, thanks to doubles by Andrews and Carli Maha (RBI).
Contributing multi-hit games for the Panthers were Beal (2-for-4, 2 2B, R), Lucas (2-for-4, HR, 2R, 2 RBIs), Hilton (2-for-4, 2B, 2R), Maha (2-for-3, 2 2B, 2R, 3 RBIs), Schwalm (2-for-3, 2B, RBI) and Hellyer (2-for-3, 2 RBIs).
Quakertown (14-2 SOL) closed out its regular season with a 17-3 record. The Panthers, the seventh seed in the District One 6A Tournament, have an opening round bye and will host the winner of the #10 Ridley/#23 Abington contest in a second round game on Wednesday.
Upper Perk 001 00 1-3-2
Quakertown 551 0x 11-15-1
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