Check out the recaps for SOL baseball teams in action Wednesday.
SOL Freedom Division
SPRINGFIELD TWP 1, WILLIAM TENNENT 0
Sparked by the combined four-hit shutout of Bobby Hartman and Max May, the Spartans – who scored the game’s only run in the first – eked out a win in Wednesday’s SOL opener.
The Spartans managed just three hits but ‘bunched’ two of them in the bottom of the first inning. Matthew Caruso led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on an error. He scored a run that turned out to be the game-winner when Jake Gibson lined a double to center.
Hartman and May made sure that 1-0 lead stood the rest of the way. Hartman notched the win, allowing three hits in five shutout innings while striking out seven and walking one. He faced one over the minimum through three innings and retired the first two batters in the fourth before Conor Servis hit a two-out double – Tennent’s first hit of the game.
May allowed just one hit over the final two innings, striking out five and walking none. In the sixth, Tennent put a pair of one-out base runners on board after a hit batsman and a single by Jackson Archibald, but May struck out the next two batters he faced and two more in a one-two-three seventh to earn the save.
Gibson’s 2-for-3 effort with one RBI led the Panthers.
“It was 10 degrees warmer than yesterday when we started the game,” Spartans’ coach Dennis Primavera said. “It was actually not bad for the first three or four innings, but then the sun went in, the wind came, and it dropped 10 degrees.”
The Spartans will leave for their annual spring training trip in Fort Pierce, Fla., on Friday morning, returning on Wednesday. For Primavera, it’s the 26th year he has made the trip – 10 with Springfield Twp and 16 with Chestnut Hill Academy.
“We have two-a-days, so I get three weeks’ worth of practice time in five days,” Primavera said.
Springfield Twp (1-0 SOL) will return to action Monday, April 1, when the Spartans host New Hope-Solebury. William Tennent (0-2, 0-1) will host MaST Community Charter in a non-league game on Friday.
William Tennent 000 000 0 0-4-1
Springfield Twp 100 000 x 1-3-2
UPPER MORELAND 15, LOWER MORELAND 8
The visiting Golden Bears were on the short end of a 7-4 score after four innings but staged a gutsy rally to earn the come-from-behind road win in their SOL opener.
“I’m so proud of our kids,” UM coach Jim Fasano said. “We were down three runs in the top of the fifth and came back to score three and then seven in the sixth. It was a real character victory for us in the league opener.”
The two teams were deadlocked 3-3 heading into the fourth inning. The Golden Bears plated a run in the top of the inning to go on top 4-3, thanks to an RBI double by Jimmy Murray, and the Lions answered with four in the bottom of the inning.
James Cronin walked to open the inning, and one out later, Gavin Blumhardt doubled to left to put runners on second and third. Kevin Fay followed with an RBI single, and Kevin Cronin singled home a run. A passed ball and an error allowed two more runs to cross the plate, and the Lions led 7-4.
In the top of the fifth, Nate Kelly drew a leadoff walk and scored when Jackson Townsend ripped a triple to right field. Colson Campbell’s two-run double evened the score 7-7. The Golden Bears won it with a seven-run sixth, benefitting from three walks, a hit batter as well as singles by Dylan Wood, Kelly (2 RBIs) and Tanner Sharp (2 RBIs).
“Tanner Sharp came off the bench with a huge two-RBI single and is a wonderful kid on top of that,” Fasano said.
Nine players contributed at least one hit for UM in the win. Murray was 2-for-3 with a double, home run, two RBIs and a run scored. The home run was his first on the varsity level and came to lead off the third inning.
“Jimmy Murray, a sophomore, is a three-sport varsity athlete and had his best performance when we really needed it,” Fasano said.
Townsend was 2-for-5 with two triples, two RBIs and two runs scored, and Wood was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Kelly had one hit, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Luke Sword started and threw 3.2 innings and, according to his coach, deserved better on a windy day when fly balls were an adventure. Nick Simons closed out the game to earn his first varsity win, allowing three hits and one run while striking out four and walking none.
“Nick Simons was awesome on the mound – the sophomore lefty has an incredibly bright future,” Fasano said. “Luke Sword is also a sophomore, and he’s a huge part of our program.”
For the Lions, Kevin Cronin was 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs. Mason Tammmaro was 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored.
Upper Moreland (1-1, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Lansdale Catholic for a non-league game Friday, and Lower Moreland (2-1, 0-1 SOL) will travel to Cheltenham on Friday.
Upper Moreland 012 137 1 15-12-2
Lower Moreland 120 400 1 8-10-3
Non-league
UPPER DUBLIN 3, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2
The Flying Cardinals found themselves staring at a 2-0 hole after one inning but rallied for the win in Wednesday’s non-league contest.
“A lot of people contributed to the win today, and that was really nice to see,” UD coach Ed Wall said. “Even some of our better hitters didn’t have the best day, but other guys, especially at the bottom of the order, were picking them up. That was great to see early in the season.
“Offensively, we had opportunities that I wish we would have capitalized on a little bit more, but in the end, we were able to scrap together a couple of runs. We bunted the ball really well. We’re moving runners – we had a stolen base or two. They did a good job of holding our runners, and their catcher caught one of our guys stealing early in the game. They had a pretty good plan against us.”
Leor Kedar – on the heels of a 3-hit effort in a win over Holy Ghost Prep – continued his torrid offensive production, leading off the bottom of the first with a line triple to right field. He scored on Nick DiGiacomo’s groundout. Will Scibona drew a walk, advanced to second on an error and scored on Johnny Mulder’s two-out single to center.
The Cardinals cut that 2-0 lead in half with a run in the top of third and scored a pair in the fifth to take a lead they would not lose. David Morris singled to lead off the frame, Ben Wilkins walked, and both runners advanced on Oliver Gill’s sacrifice bunt. Morris scored on an error, and Wilkins scored a run that stood as the game-winner when Eric Berman lined a single to left field.
Evan Sanders notched the win, allowing three hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out three and walking four. Brady Fogle earned the save with one shutout inning out of the bullpen.
“Evan Sanders just pitched his tail off – went six strong for us, only giving up the two runs,” Wall said. “We couldn’t have asked for anything more out of him. It was a great job by him.
“I was really happy with the way our defense played. Ben Wilkins had a heck of a day at third base with six putouts. He did a great job and turned a big double play late in the game.”
Berman’s 3-for-4 day at the plate led the Cardinals and included one RBI.
“It was some really great hitting by Eric Berman,” Wall said. “David Morris scored two runs, and one of them was really heads up baserunning. There was an overthrow by the pitcher on a play at third base, and we capitalized on that. That was one of his two runs.”
For the Indians, Preston Martin and Jake Green combined for 2.2 scoreless innings in relief of starter Peyton Shaw. Both struck two.
Upper Dublin (1-0) will host Quakertown in its SOL opener Thursday, and Council Rock North (1-1) will travel to North Hunterdon for a non-league game Friday.
Upper Dublin 001 020 0 3-7-3
Council Rock North 200 000 0 2-4-2
NORRISTOWN 6, CHELTENHAM 1
The visiting Panthers found themselves trailing 4-0 after three innings and 6-0 heading into the seventh when they played their only run.
The Panthers’ run came when Kaeden Carrera lined a two out single to center that plated Finn Kopp, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.
Cheltenham had just two hits off a pair of Norristown hurlers – none in five innings off starter Matt Leary, a Northwestern commit who struck out five and did not walk a batter.
Cheltenham (1-1) will travel to New Hope-Solebury for Thursday’s SOL opener.
Cheltenham 000 000 1 1-2-0
Norristown 022 002 x 6-9-3
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