To view photos of the Upper Moreland/Cheltenham game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By Scott HuffIt Ain’t Over Till It’s Over – Yogi Berra
Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra never heard of the Suburban One League. But the legendary Yankee great accurately described the first half of the conference season for teams in the SOL National, Continental, and American Conferences.
The respective coaches in the conference feel that the 2011 baseball season is among the most competitive from top to bottom in all conferences. That gap between first and last place isn’t cavernous, and the scores and records of the teams reflect that competitiveness.
Suburban One League National Conference
Bensalem (1-5) won its first conference game of the season last week as the Owls flew to a 9-3 victory over Neshaminy (3-4).
“I really think we need a win like that to turn the corner,” said Bensalem head coach Rick Lee. “We have been so close to winning games this year against teams like Truman, Council Rock North, and Council Rock South. If we make some key plays, we could have won those games.
“If I can light a fire under these guys, and we show up to play, we can decide who is going to win this conference,” added Lee. “We have proven that we can be competitive with everyone in our league.”
Bensalem is a very young baseball team that should continue to improve. The nucleus of the Owl team features five juniors, a sophomore, and a freshman.
“My job is to build a bridge this year for the juniors going into their senior year,” said Lee. “We have been pitching the baseball much better this year than last year, and defensively we have been solid. We are making most of the plays in the field.”
Perhaps the biggest surprise in the first half of the year for the Owls has been junior Anthony Micalizzi. Micalizzi – who split time between second base, third base, and DH – leads Bensalem in hitting with a .660 batting average.
Junior Harry Daut – who hit a double and a homerun with 3 RBI in the Neshaminy win – is hitting well. Senior shortstop Brett Kohn is hitting over .400, while senior Dalton Gilgor sets the table as the leadoff hitter.
Senior Frank Primavera - along with juniors Jesse Dannin, Eric Rudd, and Zack Hizer – anchor the Owl pitching staff.
“We might have only one conference win, but the only game we were out of was the Pennsbury game,” said Lee in reference to the 12-3 loss. “We are looking forward to the second half of the season.”
SOL National Conference Schedule
Tuesday – April 26, 2011
Abington Ghosts (3-3) @ Neshaminy Redskins (3-4)
Pennsbury Falcons (2-4) @ Bensalem Owls (1-5)
William Tennent Panthers (0-6) @ Council Rock North Indians (5-1)
Truman Tigers (7-0) @ Council Rock South Golden Hawks (4-2)
Thursday – April 28, 2011
Council Rock North Indians @ Abington Ghosts
Council Rock South Golden Hawks @ William Tennent Panthers
Neshaminy Redskins @ Pennsbury Falcons
Bensalem Owls @ Truman Tigers
Suburban One League Continental Conference
Hatboro-Horsham (2-4) is back from the fun and sun at Disney as the Hatters prepare for the second half of its conference schedule.
“Our goal was to come back from Disney as a better baseball team than the one that went to Disney,” said Hatboro-Horsham head coach Pete Moore. “We played a team from Ohio, a team from New Jersey, and a team from Virginia. We only won one of those games, but we definitely came back a better baseball team.
“It was a five-night trip – a long bus ride – and a lot of team bonding,” added Moore. “But the experience is unbelievable. We got to play on the same field as the Atlanta Braves – sit in the same dugouts – and pitch off the same mound. Everything they do for you down there is done right.
“I really believe that this team is ready to make a run in the second half of the season,” continued Moore. “In the first half of the season, we paid for every mistake that we made. If we can eliminate our errors, we can compete with the rest of the teams in our conference. There isn’t any team that we feel we can’t beat.”
The best of the Hatter first-half performances have come from senior Matt Hollenbeck, senior Eric Heaney, junior Tyler Zingle, and junior Casey O’Donnell.
“Our goal is to come right out and string some wins together,” said Moore. “And we are confident that we can do that.”
SOL Continental Confernce Schedule
Tuesday – April 26, 2011
North Penn Knights (5-2) @ Central Bucks East Patriots (2-4)
Pennridge Rams (5-1) @ Central Bucks South Titans (4-3)
Souderton Big Red (3-3) @ Central Bucks West Bucks (3-3)
Quakertown Panthers (1-5) @ Hatboro-Horsham Hatters (2-4)
Thursday – April 28, 2011
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters @ Central Bucks East Patriots
Central Bucks South Titans @ Souderton Big Red
North Penn Knights @ Pennridge Rams
Suburban One League American Conference
Upper Moreland (7-2) kept its firm grasp on first place with a 7-2 victory over Cheltenham (3-6) on Monday.
“If this were any other year, 7-2 would make you feel a lot safer,” said Upper Moreland head coach Ernie Rehr. “But that was with a 14-game schedule, with 18 games we are only half way through the season.
“There are a lot of teams in this conference that can get on a win streak, and things can get tight real fast,” added Rehr. “It is going to be a battle right down to the very end of the season”
The Golden Bears came up with the key win over the Panthers with a four-run sixth inning. The big hit was delivered by the #9 hitter in the UM lineup – Kyle Lockhard. Lockhard – who was a perfect 3-3 – stroked a two-run single to break open a tight game.
“Kyle has done a great job hitting out of that spot in the lineup, and that isn’t going to change,” said Rehr. “He knows what his role is, and he plays it very well.”
Upper Moreland received a strong six inning outing by Mike Janus. It was the third win of the season for the Golden Bear right hander.
“Mike was very effective with all of his pitches,” said Rehr. “We are going to need him during the second half of our season.”
Also on Monday, Plymouth Whitemarsh (5-4) received a grand slam homerun off the bat of Bobby Slagle and defeated Upper Dublin (1-9) – 9-4. And Upper Merion (5-4) scored five first-inning runs as the Vikings sailed by Wissahickon (5-5) – 10-5.
SOL American Conference Schedule
Wednesday – April 27, 2011
Cheltenham Panthers (3-6) @ Upper Merion Vikings (5-4)
Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals (1-9) @ Norristown Eagles (5-2)
Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials (5-4) @ Upper Moreland Golden Bears
Friday – April 29,2011
Norristown Eagles @ Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials
Upper Merion Vikings @ Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals
Upper Moreland Golden Bears @ Wissahickon Trojans
Suburban One Sports.Com
Top Ten
1. Harry S Truman Tigers
2. Council Rock North Indians
3. Pennridge Rams
4. North Penn Knights
5. Council Rock South Golden Hawks
6. Central Bucks South Titans
7. Upper Moreland Golden Bears
8. Norristown Eagles
9. Abington Ghosts
10. Central Bucks West Bucks
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