To view photos of the Wissahickon/Upper Dublin game, visit the photo gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
By Scott Huff
The Suburban One League American Conference is undergoing a change in the way that it scheduled its baseball games for the 2011 season. Springfield is no longer a conference member, and the seven remaining teams with play each other three times each this season – in previous years the conference teams played each other twice.That mathematical blueprint gives each of the SOL American Conference teams 18 league games to decide its champion. In previous seasons, it was a 14-game league schedule that would crown a conference champion. The 2011 SOL American Conference will include Plymouth Whitemarsh, Norristown, Upper Dublin, Cheltenham, Wissahickon, Upper Merion, and Upper Moreland.
The Suburban One League National Conference and the SOL Continental Conference will continue its 14-game conference schedule.
“I like the new formula,” said Plymouth Whitemarsh head coach Robert Slagle. “It has worked well in the PAC-10 for years, and I like the idea that we will be playing more meaningful games.”
Currently, the only games that count for a PIAA District One baseball playoff berth are the league games. All non-league games are discounted – which is not the case for either football or basketball.
“The flip side of playing less league games is that you can’t get as much playing time for some of the players who don’t get to start,” added Slagle. “It is much easier to sub kids into football and basketball games, but it is much harder to do that in baseball.
“In the spring, with the bad weather, teams don’t always make up non-league games,” added Slagle. “The league games are always made up.”
Cheltenham head coach Frank Decembrino is on the other side of the 18-game schedule fence.
“To be honest, I’m not a big fan of the new schedule,” said Decembrino. “I like the opportunity of going out and playing the non-league teams to expose our kids to other programs. Plus, it can put a strain on your pitchers if you have to play three or maybe four league games a week.”
Play Ball !!!
Cheltenham (1-0) opened its SOL American Conference season with a 3-0 victory over Plymouth Whitemarsh (0-1).
Right-hander Matt Brown was masterful for the Panthers throwing all seven innings and shutting out the Colonials on just five hits. Brown – who threw 106 pitches – came up with six strikeouts and issued just three bases on balls.
“We have been training indoors for quite a while, and our pitchers are ready to go,” said Cheltenham head coach Frank Decembrino. “Matt looked very comfortable throwing the ball the entire game, and we were able to play well defensively behind him.”
Cheltenham – which received a game-winning RBI single by Harry Rosenberg in the fourth inning – did not commit an error. Plymouth Whitemarsh had five errors in the game that led to a pair of unearned runs.
“The difference in the game was that we were able to make all the plays in the field,” said Decembrino as the Panthers were limited to just three hits. “Defense and pitching won this game.”
Wissahickon (1-0) opened its SOL American Conference season with a 6-4 victory over Upper Dublin (0-1).
Senior Greg Neducsin earned the victory for the Trojans with a strong five-inning effort.“Greg put his fast ball in good spots,” said Wissahickon head coach Shannon Gunby. “He kept them off balance the entire game.
“We really didn’t hit the ball all that well,” added the coach. “We scored our runs around some hits, some errors, and some walks.”
Peter Bogden went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored for Wissahickon, while Alex Lineberger drove home Matt Schulman with a key RBI in the fourth inning.
Norristown (1-0) opened its SOL American Conference season with a 4-3 victory over Upper Moreland (0-1).
The Eagles – who scored the game-winning run in the sixth inning to break a 3-3 deadlock – received a complete game outing from Patrick Campion. Campion had excellent control with six strikeouts and only two bases on balls.
The Golden Bears received a two-home run performance from senior catcher Dave McInerny. McInerny will play his baseball next season at the University of Cincinnati.
This Week in the SOL American Conference
Tuesday – March 29, 2011
Cheltenham Panthers @ Norristown Eagles
Wednesday – March 30, 2011
Upper Moreland Golden Bears @ Upper Merion Vikings
Wissahickon Trojans @ Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials
Thursday – March 31, 2011
Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals @ Upper Moreland Golden Bears
Norristown Eagles @ Wissahickon Trojans
Friday – April 1, 2011
Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals @ Cheltenham Panthers
Upper Merion Vikings @ Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials
Suburban One League Continental Conference Notebook
Central Bucks West opened its season with a 16-1 non-league win over Cheltenham. The game was stopped after three innings due to the mercy rule. Colin Ingoldsby had four runs batted in for the Bucks, while Marty Martens picked up the win.
“We lost the heart of the batting order to graduation,” said Central Bucks West head coach Jim Ertel. “And we lost the middle of our defense with the exception of catching. I feel that I have a pair of Division One catchers in (juniors) Jake Poeske and Eugene Alpin. Poeske, though, can play other positions and will be in the field.
“In the non-league games at the beginning of the season, you want to find out what you have on your team to get ready for the season,” added Ertel. “But the non-league games later in the season give some of the other kids a chance to play.
“We only have three seniors on the team, and that makes it hard for us to compete in what I feel is the best league in the state,” continued Ertel. “We might be up against it, our pitching is a huge question mark, but I have great kids and we will play hard.”
Central Bucks East opened its season with a 2-1 non-league win over William Tennent.
Senior Kris Davis was wonderful on the mound for the Patriots with a six-inning stint that included eight strikeouts and a single walk. He permitted just four hits and did not allow an earned run.
“Kris only threw 85 pitches and 75 per cent of those were strikes,” said Central Bucks East head coach Kyle Dennis. “He set a great example today for the rest of our pitchers to follow.”
East scored a single run on an RBI single by Ben Hauser in the sixth inning and scored the game winner on an RBI single by Connor Bednarzyk in the seventh inning.
Jason Goldberg recorded the win in relief.
Central Bucks South earned an impressive 11-0 non-league win over Council Rock South on Monday. The Titans exploded for 10 hits in the abbreviated five-inning contest that saw a trio of South pitchers combine for a one-hitter. Pat Dundon and Ricky Dennis each worked two innings while Larry Kelley threw one scoreless frame.
Dylan Glassmire was 2-for-3 with two RBIs while Brian Happ was 2-for-2 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Chris Coia was 1-for-3 but reached base on all three trips to the plate and scored three runs. Ben Moller was 1-for-2 with three RBIs, Chris Veal was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and Kyle Lewis was 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Pennridge was held to just two hits as the Rams opened their non-league season with a 2-0 loss to Palisades. The only two hits of the game for the Rams were singles by Jon Uangst and Mike Kessler.
This Week in the SOL Continental Conference
Thursday – March 31, 2011
Central Bucks South Titans @ Hatboro-Horsham Hatters
Friday – April 1, 2011
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters @ North Penn Knights
Suburban One League National Conference Notebook
Abington has its bags packed for its Thursday flight to Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
“This trip has been a real boost to our program,” said Abington head coach Dave Torresani. “They say that Disney World is the happiest place on earth, and it’s true. My players are always excited to be down there, and it isn’t always about just playing baseball.
“This is the fourth year that we have gone down there, and we are going to play two games and have one scrimmage,” added Torresani. “We take our 16 varsity players and three coaches. It has created a lot of interest in Abington baseball.”
The Ghosts have added a pair of junior transfer pitchers in lefty Greg Mungier (La Salle) and Jesse Leary (North Catholic).
“The addition to those two pitchers will do a lot for this team,” said Torresani. “Pitching is so important in high school baseball, and they will go us some pitching depth.”
And both Mungier and Leary will also get to enjoy both Mickey and Donald.
This Week in the SOL National Conference
No conference games scheduled this week.
Darts and Coin Flips
How about preseason predictions? How about dart throwing and coin flips? The SOL conferences are divided into my contendersand pretenders to begin the 2011 season. Don’t go to Las Vegas on these picks.
SOL National Conference – [contenders] - Council Rock North, Council Rock South, Truman, Pennsbury, and Neshaminy.
SOL Continental Conference – [contenders] – Central Bucks East, Central Bucks South, Hatboro-Horsham, Pennridge, and North Penn.
SOL American Conference – [contenders] – Plymouth Whitemarsh, Wissahickon, Cheltenham, and Upper Moreland.
Signed, Sealed, but yet to be Delivered
The following is a partial list to Suburban One League senior baseball players that have signed letters of intent to play collegiate baseball next season:
Suburban One National Conference:
Council Rock North Indians – Daniel Denton (Bloomsburg); Ryan Hartley (Delaware); Ryan Henritzy (Lock Haven); Darren Lauer (Elon); Patrick O’Leary (Winthrop); David Pine (Millersville); Alex Sable (Shippensburg); and Michael Tentilucci (Harvard).
Council Rock South Golden Hawks – Billy Fleming (West Virginia) and Justin Thomas (Rider).
Suburban One Continental Conference:
North Penn Knights – Craig Lepre (Albany).
Central Bucks East Patriots – Ryan Pater (St. Joseph’s); Sean Trymbiski (Albany).
Central Bucks West Bucks – Matt Hanson (Moravian)
Quakertown Panthers – Tyler Coleman (West Chester)
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters – Matt Hollenbeck (Georgetown)
Suburban One American Conference:
Upper Moreland Golden Bears – Dave McInerney (Cincinnati)
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