By Scott Huff
Take me out to the ballgame.The ‘unofficial’ opening day for the Suburban One League baseball season began Wednesday, as the SOL conference schedule featured no less than eleven games.
The weather was gorgeous – an enormous surprise for early April. And some of the results of the games were equally unexpected.
SOL Continental Conference
Central Bucks West (2-1, 1-0) won one game last season – but the young Bucks have already won two this season with the second being a 14-9 win over defending conference champion, Pennridge (4-1, 0-1).
“I thought at the beginning of the season that we would score runs this year,” said CB West head coach Jim Ertel. “And we have hit the ball well so far this season.”Indeed.
The Bucks opened the season with an 11-10 loss to Upper Dublin, and followed with a 10-0 win over Roman Catholic.
“Last season our biggest problem was that we didn’t play with much confidence,” said Ertel. “When we got down in games, we didn’t have the confidence that we were going to be able to come back.”
Pennridge led 5-1 early in the game, but the Bucks exploded for 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and never trailed again.
“Last year, down 5-1, we would not have had the resolve and the fire to compete,” said Ertel. “But we have matured as a team, and I hope that we continue to play with confidence.”
West had nine hits in the decisive fourth inning – seven singles and doubles by Matt Hanson and Eugene Aspin. Hanson also had a two-out, two-run single in the sixth inning to seal the deal for the Bucks.CB West had a pair of home runs off the bat of Jake Poeske. Poeske hit solo homers in the first and fifth innings – the second being a memorable blast to center field.
“That second home run might have been the longest home run I have ever seen on our field,” said Ertel. “It was an ungodly shot.”
Dylan Tice had a nice offensive showing for Pennridge going 4-for-5 with a double and a triple. The Rams ended with 11 hits.
But the Bucks hit the ball better with 17 hits – and it was more than enough to put the last season’s last place team into first place this season.
At the very least for one day.
Hatboro-Horsham (3-0, 1-0) received a spectacular pitching performance from Nick Hinkson as the Hatters blanked visiting Souderton (1-2, 0-1) – 7-0.
Hinkson threw a complete game – struck out nine – and gave up only a pair of hits.
The Hatters scored three runs in the third inning and added four more runs in the fifth inning to seal the victory. Matt Hollenbeck with three RBI – Nick Riccione with two RBI – and Tyler Zingle who stroked a two run homerun, carried the offensive load.
North Penn (1-0, 1-0) scored eight runs in the top of the seventh inning to earn a wild-and-crazy 20-18 win over host Central Bucks East (1-1, 0-1).
The Knights led at one point by seven runs – 10-3 – and trailed at another point by seven runs – 17-10 – before securing the win.
The offensive highlights for North Penn included home runs by Casey Clauss and Ryan King, along with a pair of triples by Brandon Martinez.
The offensive highlight for the Patriots was a five-hit day by Mike Divona. Divona also drove home five runs and had a double. Pat Trymbiski had three hits – a double – and three RBI for East.
The teams combined for 38 runs – 30 hits – and 5 errors.
SOL American Conference
Upper Moreland (2-0, 1-0) hit a pair of clutch two-out home runs in the top of the seventh inning - which scored three runs - to defeat host Norristown (0-2, 0-1) – 5-1.
“Those homeruns changed the whole dynamic of the game,” said Upper Moreland head coach Ernie Rehr in reference to the blasts by Dave McInerney and Pat McKay. “If we go into the bottom of the seventh up 2-1, it puts a lot of pressure on our pitching.”
The Golden Bears had gotten a solid outing from right-hander Mike Janas for the first six frames and limited the Eagles to a single run.
“Mike had a solid ‘B’ game,” said Rehr. “He had five strikeouts, four walks, and a hit batsman. He threw a good game, but he can throw better.”
Rehr handed the ball to freshman Robert Knox in the bottom of the seventh inning with a four-run lead.
“Robert gives me the confidence that he can get people out,” said Rehr. “You would never know by the way that he handles himself on the mound that he is a freshman.
“He played varsity football this season,” added Rehr. “And he knows what it is like to play on the big stage.”
Upper Dublin (3-1, 1-0) won its conference opener with a 6-3 victory over Cheltenham (0-1, 0-1).
Jesse Kohler was the winning pitcher for the Flying Cardinals. Ethan Gregg had three hits in four trips to the plate for the Flying Cardinals and collected an RBI.
Cheltenham trailed 2-0 after the first inning and did not lead in the game. Robert Mansell was a perfect three-for-three at the plate and scored two runs for the Panthers.
Springfield (1-0, 1-0) opened its SOL American Conference season with a 7-6 win over Wissahickon (0-2, 0-1).
SOL National Conference
Neshaminy (1-0, 1-0) scored three runs in the top of the first inning and cruised to an 8-5 conference victory over host Abington (1-2, 0-1).“We had some clutch hitting today – we scored seven of our eight runs with two outs,” said Neshaminy head coach Dennis Cox. “We got out to a comfortable 8-2 lead, but Abington kept chipping away at the lead.
“It was a typical first game of the season,” added Cox. “There were a few too many unearned runs, and the defenses didn’t help out the pitchers too much.”
Ray Hyjurick – a senior right-hander – notched the win for the Redskins. Cox expects his senior ace to improve as the season goes along.“Ray wasn’t as sharp as he is going to be later in the year,” said Cox. “But for the first game of the year, he threw pretty well.
“Darren Heisse had a clutch two-out single in the first inning to give us the lead,” added Cox. “And Tim Reardon helped out with a triple.
“I feel that if we continue to do the things we need to do, we can compete with anyone,” continued Cox. “But the National Conference is always very competitive from top to bottom.”
Council Rock North (3-0, 1-0) remained unbeaten this season with a 9-4 SOL National Conference win over Pennsbury (0-3, 0-1).
Jared Weed went the distance to pick up the win for the Indians. Weed had eight strikeouts.
Tim Filer – who went three-for-three with two RBI, and Ryan Henritzy who had two hits, two runs scored, and two RBI, carried the offensive load for Rock North.
Bensalem (1-0, 1-0) opened up its season and conference schedule with a 7-6 win over William Tennent (1-1, 0-1).
The Owls scored the winning run in the seventh inning on an RBI single by Mark Cunlifse. Brett Slobidinsky hit a home run for Bensalem, and Jesse Dannin was the winning pitcher.
William Tennent led 6-2 after the first three innings.
Harry S Truman (1-0, 1-0) opened its season and conference schedule with a 3-0 victory over Council Rock South (1-1, 0-1).
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