Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Wednesday. CB South/CR South photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson, Pennsbury/Methacton photos courtesy of Darryl Rule of J&D Photography, and PW/PV photos courtesy of Michael Rice Photography. Check back for galleries of all three games. CLICK HERE to go directly to Suburban One Sports’ SOFTBALL GALLERIES.
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 13, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 9 (8 innings)
If it’s high drama you’re looking for, this was the game for you.
Trailing 9-5 at one point, Maddie Motley delivered a three-run blast to pull the Titans to within one, but they still trailed by one with two outs in the seventh and two strikes on Megan Sandow when the junior smacked a solo home run to send the game to extra innings where the Titans won it in the eighth inning.
“It was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been part of. They’re the runner-up to the state champions,” South coach Matt McLaughlin said. “Their pitcher (Lexi Waring) is dazzling, exciting, a class act, and she is just amazing. Their team is amazing. Everything about them is amazing.
“We went into it – ‘Hey, if we want to compete in the state championships, we have to beat these types of teams because you have this type of pitching, and my girls just really executed today. This was such a team win.”
It was Motley delivering a one-out RBI single in the eighth to give the Titans a 10-9 lead with a run that turned out to be the game-winner.
“When we won yesterday, Pennsbury didn’t have their ace on the mound, so we took advantage of their second and third pitchers,” McLaughlin said of his team’s 17-1 win. “When you go out and beat a state champion pitcher who’s committed to play at the next level and you can tell is just a genuinely awesome human being, and she has just such poise – when you beat that type of person, that’s when you start to realize, ‘Okay, we have something here.’ I’m excited about where this season is going to go. If I can do a good job as a coach, we’ll do a good job.”
Keira Im and Ella Wheeler led the Titans’ 16-hit attack with three hits each. Im had a pair of doubles and three runs scored out of the leadoff spot, and Wheeler had three RBIs. Motley had two hits and four RBIs while Cam Lee had a pair of hits and three RBIs. Maddie McClintock had two hits, including a double.
By the numbers: CB South: Keira Im (3-for-5, 2 2B, RBI, 3R), Ella Wheeler (3-for-5, 3 RBIs, 2R), Maddie Motley (2-for-3, HR, 4 RBIs, 2R) , Cam Lee (2-for-6, 2B, 3 RBIs, Maddie McClintock (2-for-5)
CR South: Julia Scannapieco (3-for-3, 2B, 3 RBIs), Kelly Delise (3-for-5, 2 2B, 3 RBIs, R)
Key innings: Bottom of third: Rock South broke a 2-2 tie with a four-run inning that was highlighted by a two-run double by Delise, who scored on a passed ball. Scannapieco had an RBI single. (6-2)
Top of fourth: Im lined an RBI double to center, and a second run scored on an error. (6-5)
Bottom of fourth: Sophia Salamon hit a two-out triple and scored on an error. Shannon Williams singled and scored on Delise’s double to right (8-5)
Bottom of fifth: Lexi Waring’s RBI single scored Molly Gabriele, who singled. (9-5).
Top of sixth: Im had a one-out single, Wheeler a two-out single, and Motley 3-run home run to center field. (9-8)
Top of seventh: Two-out, two-strike home run by Motley to center field. (9-9)
Bottom of eighth: Maura Fleming reached on one-out error, Wheeler singled. Motley’s single plated Fleming, RBI single by Lee, second run scores on throw, McClintock (RBI single) 13-9.
Central Bucks South coach Matt McLaughlin:
–A scary moment: “We were down by two early, and Maura Fleming, one of my best players, has been injured, so she’s just hitting only right now. She took a fastball straight to the throat. It was a scary scene for two-and-a-half to three minutes because she was down, and I was trying to calm her down. It was scary, one of the scariest things I’ve ever witnessed. Because just the way she went to attack the ball then tried to
get out of the way, and it hit her right in the throat Fortunately, we were able to calm her down, and thank God Maura was okay because what an amazing leader she is. She stayed in the game.
“That’s how the game started, and that kind of got me off my game because I’m calling pitches, and I was worried about her. Once I knew she was okay, I was able to refocus and talk to the girls ‘Hey, let’s get some hits for Maura. She’s tough, she stayed in the game.’
“We tied the game at two, and it’s back and forth.”
“I have to give kudos to my pitchers (Motley and Brooke Taylor). Both girls were awesome. We have three girls who absolutely are number one pitchers on many teams across the state. I moved one of my pitchers off the mound and moved her over to first base, so she stayed in the game. Her next at-bat we’re losing 9-5, and she hits a three-run home run, so it’s 9-8.
–The seventh inning: “It’s the bottom of the seventh. The first two girls come up and get out quick. Megan Sandow comes up – she did not start, she came in the middle of the game. Her first two swings were almost silly. It was like, ‘Uh oh, she doesn’t look comfortable.’ Two outs, two strikes, bottom of the seventh. We’re losing 9-8. The third pitch comes in, and she hammers a home run over the center field fence – it was so exciting. She’s typically my starting third baseman, but today I wanted to give her some time off to think about some things, and it worked because when we brought her into the game she was refocused.”
–Props: “Maddie Motley hit a three-run home run, and she started the game pitching and was awesome. Brooke Taylor comes in and just dominated the rest of the game, and she closed the game for me.
“Keira Im and Ella Wheeler were both 3-for-5 with a bunch of RBIs against one of the best pitchers in the State of Pennsylvania. That’s what made this so special. Lexi Waring wasn’t off today. She was as great as she always is. We just had confidence today. I don’t want to take any credit away from Lexi. She is amazing, she’s a phenomenal pitcher. She’s pitched in big games. Today our girls just figured out that puzzle, and it was awesome.
“Defensively, Allie Higdon made this incredible what I would call a game-saving catch at second base. She’s one of my most consistent players. She didn’t have the best day at the plate, but she made up for it defensively. The diving catch she made at second base is probably a huge part of the difference in the game too. If that drops or gets by her, more runs score on their side and who knows.”
–Creating a culture: “What I realized is we have something special. We made a relatively deep run last year – we won two playoffs game but got knocked out against the state champions, North Penn. We came back stronger. We’re going to make noise this year. I’m so proud of the girls, the culture is amazing. I have girls on the bench who I’m having trouble getting into the game who would be number one starters on the majority of softball teams. I have to give credit to them too. I have girls on the bench who are selfless and are the number one cheerleaders of their friends who are on the field. Our bench today and this whole year so far has come in and done the job when I’ve asked them to and is selflessly cheering for their friends. I think this culture we’re building at South is the reason we’re going to make some noise this year. We have girls that really care about the girl to the left and right, and that, to me, is what establishes a winning culture. I’m so proud of them today.”
Up next: Central Bucks South (2-1) will travel to North Penn for its SOL opener Saturday (11am). Council Rock South (2-1) will host Easton on Friday in a non-league game.
Central Bucks South 002 303 14 13-16-2
Council Rock South 024 210 00 9-12-3
UPPER DUBLIN 5, GWYNEDD MERCY 0
Kya Garrison was – in a word – unhittable in Wednesday’s non-league game at Gwynedd Mercy, tossing a complete game no-hitter while fanning 14.
“She was in mid-season, late-season form,” UD coach Heather Boyer said. “Talk about somebody being locked in – as the game went on, she just kept throwing harder and stronger.”
Garrison, according to her coach, was unaffected by the fact that she was throwing a no-hitter.
“When I asked her today – when did you know – because I knew a little while, she kind of shrugged her shoulders almost like she didn’t,” Boyer said. “And I don’t know if that’s just Kya being humble or Kya just doing what she does, and she’s not looking for all the stats, all the accolades. She’s out there to do the job to the best of her ability. She always strives to get better. A part of me does think she was just doing her thing.
“There were a couple other players out there who knew what was going on, but a lot didn’t.”
Garrison walked five, but two were picked off on the base paths. UD’s defense also rose to the occasion.
“Our right fielder came up huge in the sixth inning,” Boyer said. “Maddie Small had a great outfield assist from right field to first base to save a base hit, but that was the only hard-hit ball of the day. Maddie’s got a great arm anyway, but she nailed her out with several steps to spare. It wasn’t even close.
“That’s a nod to our defense. It can be tough when your pitcher is striking out batters – it’s like, one, two, three, one, two, three, and it can get you out of the game mentally and you lose your focus.
“Just being in the right place, doing what you need to do, doing your job and staying focused – that’s important too. Again, that’s sometimes hard early in the season when you haven’t had a lot of game reps yet, so kudos to the rest of the defense to make sure they were doing the right thing and were at the right place and making plays when they needed to.”
The Cardinals scored a pair of runs in the third. Kaitlyn Zacharia, who was 2-for-5, drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single. Two runs was more than enough for Garrison.
Madden Reilly was 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the sixth, and Garrison was 2-for-5.
Upper Dublin coach Heather Boyer:
–Garrison a quiet star: “The girl works. She works so hard and is so focused. It’s hard to match, it really is. She does it because that’s just who she is.
“Kya has worked really hard in the offseason to really develop her breaking pitches and move the ball around a little bit, put a little more velocity on the ball.
“You come out in March, and you’re not expecting to see kids throwing like this right now. She’s always so composed. There were calls that were definitely close pitches. I flinched on probably four or five, and I’m like – really, where was that? It was close enough that it should have been a strike, but it wasn’t. She lets it roll off her back – next pitch. It doesn’t faze her.
“I just really hope that people around her are watching because you can learn so much from her – how to maintain your focus, how to maintain your composure, what hard work looks like and how you can really reap the benefits when you put the time in. She is a giant iceberg. People don’t see what she does all year long. Some do, but most don’t. They just assume – oh, she’s really talented, and she certainly is, but they don’t see the giant part of the iceberg that’s below the surface and everything she does to be where she is and she never does it looking for recognition or special treatment. She just does it because it’s what she enjoys doing and that’s who she is, which makes her a pleasure to coach.”
Up next: Upper Dublin (2-0) will travel to Upper Merion for a non-league game Monday.
Upper Dublin 002 102 0 5
Gwynedd Mercy 000 000 0 0
BENSALEM 8, LOWER MORELAND 1
Sophomore Veronica Pachucki and Dana Oliverio combined for a one-hitter, and the Owls pounded out 11 hits to earn their first win of the young season.
They scored two early runs and saw that lead cut in half when the Lions scored a run in the fourth. They blew the game open with a six-run sixth.
By the numbers: Bensalem: Gina Oliverio (2-for-4, 3B, RBI, R), Adrianna Vargas (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, R), Abbie Krevolin (2-or-2, R), Ashlyn Merz (1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, R)
Veronica Pachucki WP (5 IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 8K), Dana Oliverio (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0R, 0BB, 3K)
By the innings: Bottom of second: A two-out error allowed a pair of unearned runs to cross the plate for the Owls. (2-0)
Top of fourth: Maddie Menchhofer, who doubled to lead off the inning, scored on a groundout. (2-1)
Bottom of sixth: Pachuki led off with a single, and after Krevolin was safe on an error, Merz doubled home a pair. Gina Oliverio roped an RBI triple to center, Dana Oliverio followed with an RBI single. An error was followed by an RBI double by Vargas. (8-1)
Bensalem coach Erin Smith:
–Lineup miscue: “I really messed up as a coach today, but these girls were gritty and able to win despite my errors. I made a last-minute change to the lineup before the start of the game and neglected to tell my scorebook. Which resulted in the team batting out of order twice (both those kids smoked doubles and had them taken away- Aubrey Merz ripped a two-RBI double and Veronica Pachucki smacked a leadoff double. I feel bad those girls didn’t get the hits they deserved because of my mistake.”
–Props for pitchers: “A big shoutout to my pitching staff today. Sophomore Veronica Pachucki got her first start of the season today and tossed 5 strong innings with a career high 8 strikeouts, only allowing one hit. Sophomore counterpart Dana Oliverio came in for the save and tossed two scoreless innings. They both did really well hitting spots today and throwing hard.”
–The game: “Shoutout to Lower Moreland pitcher – she throws a nice hard ball that jumps, and my girls spent the majority of the game chasing it and popping up. In the sixth inning, we pulled them aside and talked to them about just taking that pitch for a strike instead of swinging. They stopped swinging at it, and she was forced to come lower in the zone, and we started jumping on the ball.
Up next: Bensalem (1-2) will travel to Conwell-Egan for a non-league game Friday, and Lower Moreland (0-1) will travel to Lower Merion for a non-league game Thursday.
Lower Moreland 000 100 0 1-1-0
Bensalem 020 006 x 8-11-0
PENNSBURY 9, METHACTON 7
Jenna Thompson gave the Falcon faithful reason to celebrate, ripping a monster grand slam to center field in the bottom of the sixth and turning a one-run deficit into a three-run lead with one swing of her bat.
“She hit it to dead center field,” Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry said. “It went over the second fence – the baseball fence – and then bounced once to the dirt. It was a bomb. It was legit.”
The sixth inning began with Maddie Rea drawing a free pass.
“Maddie Rea had a really good at-bat and worked the walk,” McSherry said. “We had a sacrifice bunt, and there was an error on the play, so we had first and second with no outs. Liv Czerniak got a base hit up the middle, so the bases were loaded with no outs.
“We had a strikeout for one out, and Jenna Thompson hits the grand slam.”
The Warriors tacked on a run in the top of the seventh, but the Falcons held on for the win.
“We played really, really solid softball,” said McSherry, whose team was coming off a 17-1 loss to CB South 24 hours earlier. “A ‘W’ gave our kids something to feel good about. It was good for the kids.”
The Falcons are without seven starters from last year’s squad – six through graduation and the seventh – Jaylen Rodweller – to a season-ending injury. 
“We’re young age-wise in several areas, but we’re really young experience-wise,” McSherry said. “Our catcher/designated player-first baseman, who just hit rockets last year, tore her ACL in gym class before the season started, so she’s done for the season.”
Kylie Dressel earned the complete game win.
“Our pitcher did a great job,” McSherry said. “She was out for five days – she had her four wisdom teeth taken out, and she just came back today. She pitched all seven innings.
“She had no strikeouts, so we had to make 21 plays, and we had no errors, which is a far cry from yesterday and our two scrimmages, so the turnaround on defense helped us.”
Leading the Falcons’ 14 hit attack with two hits each were Liv Czerniak, Bella Morales, and freshman Ryen Rittersbach,, who was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Up next: Pennsbury (1-1) will host Coatesville on Saturday (11am) in a non-league game.
Methacton 031 101 1 7-14-3-
Pennsbury 311 004 x 9-8-0
WISSAHICKON 4, SPRINGFIELD TWP 3
Wissahickon and Springfield renewed their neighborhood rivalry with a tight defensive, well-pitched game. Both teams had their chances to score through the first four innings, but pitching and defense negated the base runners.
“We were hitting the ball but kept finding their defensive players,” Wissahickon coach Mike Borkowski said. “Their outfielders covered a lot of ground and made some good plays.”
Wissahickon pushed a run across in the top of the fifth. Sophomore right fielder Dani Marra walked. Riley McGarry was trying to bunt and missed, but Marra moved up. McGarry pushed Marra across the plate with a short-to-first fielder’s choice.
Wissahickon held Springfield till the bottom of the sixth when they strung together a walk by Ashley Schulz, a single by Joce Davis and a fielder’s choice.
Wissahickon came back with three runs in the top of the seventh with a single by Marra, a double by Darnell, a double by Giuliana Schumann (RBI) and a single by shortstop Julia Lentz (RBI) to put the Trojans up 4-1.
Not to be outdone Springfield came back with a single by Nora Manchester, a single by McKayla McKeever and a two-run triple by Juju Cooney.
Schulz walked to set up a first and third situation with one out. Davis ripped a line drive right at second baseman Ava Fredericks, who caught it and threw to first base to double off the runner to end the game.
“That was a terrific play by Ava,” Borkowski said. “A real heads-up play- especially since that was the first time she ever played second base in a varsity game.
“Syd (Darnell) pitched really well today. She probably had her best game of her career, going the full game and getting out of trouble.”
Despite seeing the Spartans fall just short, coach Heather Gehlhaus saw plenty of positives.
“Julia Mathews was strong in the circle for us,” the Spartans’ coach said. “She did a nice job through seven innings.
“McKayla McKeever and Nora Manchester were both 2-for-3. Juju Cooney came up clutch with a triple in the bottom of the seventh to give us a shot at winning. Natalie Hartman had a big RBI for us as well. Unfortunately, we came up short to a team that fought hard until the end.”
Up next: Wissahickon (1-2) will host Upper Merion in a non-league game Friday, and Springfield Twp (0-2) will host Nazareth Academy in a non-league game Friday.
Wissahickon 000 010 3 4
Springfield Twp 000 001 2 3
WILLIAM TENNENT 4, VILLA JOSEPH MARIE 3 (8 innings)
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Molly Alff lined a 1-2 pitch to left field that plated teammate Madison Pirolli for the dramatic walk-off win. Pirolli reached base on a one-out single.
Rylie O’Toole notched the complete game win, allowing three runs while striking out 12 and walking none.
By the numbers: Morgan Kocher (2-for-4, 2B, R), Madison Pirolli (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, R), Victoria Colagreco (1-for-4, HR, RBI, R)
Rylie O’Toole (8.0 IP, 8H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 12K)
By the innings: Bottom of second: O’Toole led off with a single and one out later scored on a double by Pirolli. (1-0)
Bottom of third: Kocher lined a double to center to lead off the inning, moved up to third on a groundout and scored on a sac fly from Sydney Teufel (2-0)
Top of fourth: Villa used a 2-run home run and a solo homer to score three runs (3-2)
Bottom of fifth: Colagreco led off the inning with a line drive home run to left. (3-3)
Bottom of eighth: Pirolli lined a one-out single to left, and with two outs, Alff lined a double to left, plating Pirolli for the walk-off win. (4-3)
Up next: William Tennent (2-0) will host Upper Moreland in Tuesday’s SOL opener.
Villa Joseph Marie 000 300 00 3-8-2
William Tennent 011 010 01 4-9-2
CONWELL-EGAN 4, NESHAMINY 3
Twenty-four hours after notching a big win over defending state champion North Penn, the Redskins took the road and fell to the Eagles.
Neshaminy took a 1-0 lead in the first when Kendall McCafferty delivered an RBI single. The Redskins added a run in the third when Zahmira Coppola-Miller hit an RBI single.
Conwell-Egan evened the score with two runs in the fourth and took a 3-2 lead with an unearned run in the fifth. The Eagles upped their lead to 4-2 in the sixth.
In the top of the seventh, Coppola-Miller hit a two-out single and scored when Morgan Leonhauser doubled to center field. That’s as close as the Redskins would get.
The Redskins, who held a 10-5 advantage in hits, were led by McCafferty (2-for-4, RBI, R), Coppola-Miller (2-for-4, RBI, R) and Addie Pennisi (2-for-3).
Up next: Neshaminy (1-1) will play its third game in three days when the Redskins travel to Perkiomen Valley for a non-league game.
Neshaminy 101 000 1 3-10-2
Conwell-Egan 000 211 x 4-5-1
PERKIOMEN VALLEY 5, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 3
The visiting Vikings opened up a 4-0 lead after four innings and then withstood a PW comeback attempt. Wednesday’s win was the third in as many games for PV over SOL opponents.
The Colonials plated all three of their runs in the bottom of the fifth, a rally highlighted by triples from Zoey Robinson and Kalina Childers (2 RBIs) and included a hit batter.
Rian Reed kept the Colonials in the game, allowing four hits and five runs.
Plymouth Whitemarsh coach Mike Perez: “This game was definitely an improvement over our first 2 games, but we still have so far to go to be the type of team we know we can be.”
–Pitcher’s duel: Today’s was a great pitcher’s duel between Maci Stretchay and Rian Reed with both scattering just 4 hits per team through 7 innings. Maci did a great job early in the game moving the ball around. I was really proud of our girls today vs an elite pitcher. While we had 10 strikeouts, I thought our girls had a great approach at the plate, had good pitch selection, and made Maci really work. And I thought Rian pitched great today. Kudos to Perk Valley as they executed when they needed to and got some key hits.”
–Props: “Aside from Rian’s effort in the circle, I was really proud of our defense today for playing a clean game with 0 errors, something that we’ve been struggling with early in the season. Freshman Zoey Robinson (SS) and junior Ava McEvoy (first start at 2B) specifically played really well up the middle.”
Up next: Plymouth Whitemarsh (0-3) will host Haverford for a non-league game Friday.
Perkiomen Valley 002 200 1 5-4-1
Plymouth Whitemarsh 000 030 0 3-4-0
COATESVILLE 8, PENNRIDGE 1
The visiting Raiders took a 1-0 lead in the second and added five runs in the third on their way to the non-league win.
Averi Dockery accounted for the Rams’ only run when she led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo blast to center field.
Dockery was a perfect 2-for-2 with an RBI and run scored. She also drew a walk.
Up next: Pennridge (0-2) will host Methacton in a non-league game Friday.
Coatesville 015 101 0 8-11-1
Pennridge 000 100 0 1-6-3
OWEN J ROBERTS 9, SOUDERTON 1
The visiting Indians collected just one hit and did not get on the scoreboard until the top of the seventh when Kathryn Jones, who doubled, scored on a sacrifice fly by Emma Messmer.
OJR’s Maddie Reed took a no-hitter into the seventh when Jones lined a double to center field to lead off the inning. Ava Detwiler was safe on a dropped third strike wild pitch, and Josi Tolentino drew a walk, setting the stage for Messmer’s sac fly. Reed fanned 13 and walked three in a winning effort.
Up next: Souderton (0-1) will be on the road at Phoenixville for a non-league game Thursday.
Souderton 000 000 1 1-1-2
Owen J Roberts 010 242 x. 9-10-0
UPPER PERKIOMEN 17, QUAKERTOWN 2 (3 innings)
The Panthers managed just three hits while the Indians collected 15 in their abbreviated mercy rule win.
Quakertown took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Kira Jefferson led off with a single, moved up to second on an error and scored when Ellie Hilton lined a double to right field. Gianna Santangelo’s RBI single in the third accounted for the Panthers’ only runs.
Up next: Quakertown (0-2) will host Harry S Truman in a non-league game Friday.
Quakertown 101 2-3-2
Upper Perkiomen 269 17-15-1
MOUNT ST JOSEPH 5, HARRY S TRUMAN 1
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