Check out the results for SOL baseball teams in action on opening day on Thursday.
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 1, NESHAMINY 0
Dan Klepchick was in midseason form.
So effective was the Titans’ junior hurler that coach Brian Klumpp’s plan to give several pitchers time on the mound went out the window. Klepchick needed just 74 pitches in the complete game shutout win, allowing only two hits while striking out six and walking one.
“We planned to use two or three different guys, and his pitch count was just so low that we ended up just riding him for the entire game,” Klumpp said. “He was just getting ahead in the count, pounding the mitt and throwing strikes.
“They were aggressive in the count, and we were making the plays behind him. It was just a perfect storm – throwing strikes, getting ahead in the count and the play behind him was everything we hoped for. Dan was very effective. He was mixing his offspeed with his fastball. He was just hitting spot after spot. He was definitely tough to hit, that’s for sure.”
The Titans scored the only run Klepchick would need in the bottom of the fourth. Kyle Rossi was safe on an error – the only error of the game for either squad, and Tommy Dugan was hit by a pitch. Rossi scored on a fielder’s choice by Andrew Dietz.
Klepchick did the rest.
“We kept saying – it’s the first game, and we want to get guys some work,” Klumpp said. “He said he was feeling good, and his pitch count was so low – we just rode it out to get the win.
“Neshaminy is a very good team. A 1-0 win like that is a very good win. That’s what is going to win you playoff games.”
South managed just three hits off a duo of Redskin hurlers. Andrew Alvino allowed just two hits and one unearned run in four solid innings of his own. Billy Meyer threw two scoreless innings in relief.
“Their pitchers did a great job,” Klumpp said. “They had a lefty start the game who threw very well – he was impressive.
“Balls were put into play, but fielding was solid. The wind was pretty tough today. Guys were hitting balls pretty hard, but they were getting caught up in the wind, and they were just fly outs. It was a well-played game. It was fun.”
Central Bucks South (1-0) will travel to Council Rock South on Tuesday for a non-league contest while Neshaminy (0-1) will be on the road at Central Bucks East.
Neshaminy 000 000 0 0-2-1
Central Bucks South 000 100 x 1-3-0
ABINGTON 2, WISSAHICKON 1
Greg Troyer didn’t earn the win, but the Ghosts rode the strong performance of their senior ace – who threw five shutout innings – into the sixth, and after the Trojans rallied to knot the score in the bottom of the sixth, Abington came back to win it with a run in the top of the seventh.
The win won’t count toward power points in the district rankings, but that didn’t diminish its importance to Abington coach Dave Torresani.
“We’re climbing the ladder, and every game is important to us to get that winning feeling and keeping it,” the Ghosts’ coach said. “While they may not count in the standings, the record still counts.
“Certainly the goal is to do well in the league and make the playoffs, but we want to do well in both. We want to keep that winning atmosphere going upwards.”
The Ghosts got on the scoreboard in the top of the first. Aidan Coyle drew a leadoff walk, and Matt Close followed with a single. Both runners advanced on Jack Larini’s sacrifice, and Coyle raced home on Chris Clewell’s sacrifice fly. The Trojans’ lone run in the sixth came when – after a walk – Alex Tappen delivered an RBI double.
The Ghosts had an immediate response in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Justin Yerkes drew a walk, and Paul Poppert followed with what Torresani described as a “tracer shot to left center” for a double that plated Yerkes.
Troyer allowed just three hits in five innings, fanning two and walking none.
“It was just a great five innings,” Torresani said. “He reached his pitch count, and it’s early, so we moved on from him.
“Both teams played very good defense. It’s early in the season, but we’ve been out on the field so much, unlike other years. For a first game, it was a great baseball game by both teams.”
Cole Henrie, who relieved Troyer in the sixth, earned the win. Brian Close closed it out with a strong seventh inning.
“He did a great job – two strikeouts and a weak fly ball,” Torresani said of Close. “There was a lot of pressure. It’s 2-1, and he came in and closed it out.”
Logan Willans, who went the distance in a strong outing for the Trojans, absorbed the loss.
Abington (1-0) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh in a non-league contest on Tuesday, and Wissahickon (0-1) will travel to Germantown Academy on Monday.
Abington 100 000 1 2
Wissahickon 000 001 0 1
BENSALEM 8, NORRISTOWN 1
Joey Benedetti had himself a day, earning the win on the mound with five strong innings and also leading the Owls with a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate. The senior southpaw allowed just two hits and one unearned run, fanning 10 and walking just two in an overpowering performance.
The Owls scored all the runs they would need in a four-run first that included RBI singles by Benedetti, Brian Swentkowski and Stephen Aldrich. They tacked on two more runs in the second, sparked by an RBI double from Rick Massott and an RBI single by Shawn Puskar. For good measure, they scored two more runs in the fourth before the Eagles broke up the Owls’ shutout bid with an unearned run.
Kenny O’Connell was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Puskar finished with a pair of RBIs for the Owls.
Dom Grady worked two scoreless innings in relief for the Owls, allowing a pair of hits while fanning two and walking none.
Bensalem (1-0) will be on the road at Neshaminy for next Thursday’s SOL opener. Norristown (0-1) will travel to Upper Dublin for Thursday’s conference opener.
Norristown 000 010 0 1-4-1
Bensalem 420 200 x 8-12-1
HATBORO-HORSHAM 18, BROOKE 8
HATBORO-HORSHAM 6, BROOKE 5
The Hatters won a pair of games against Brooke High School (W. Va.) on Thursday at Disney’s Spring Training Baseball in Orlando, Fla., edging Brooke by one run in the morning contest and rolling to a five-inning mercy rule win in the afternoon’s rematch.
Game one was a back and forth affair. Brooke scored one run in the top of the first, but the Hatters answered with two in the bottom of the inning, thanks to RBI singles from Ryan O’Donnell and Brian Edgington. Brooke went on top 3-2 in the second, but the Hatters knotted the score in the bottom of the inning.
Brooke took a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh when the Hatters won it with a two-run single by Eric Jester that plated Colin Kennedy and Ryan O’Donnell.
Ryan O’Donnell earned the win in relief, allowing three hits and one run in two innings.
O’Donnell led the Hatters with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate that included a double, RBI and run scored. Jester finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Billy Carr also contributed an RBI out of the leadoff spot in a contest that saw Brooke hold an 11-9 advantage in hits.
Game two belonged to the respective offenses as the two teams combined for 26 runs and 22 hits.
The Hatters took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first that included a two-run single by O’Donnell. Brooke got those three runs back in the bottom of the inning only to watch Hatboro-Horsham score four runs in the second. The Hatters took a 7-5 lead into the fourth when Brooke knotted the score.
In the top of the fifth, the Hatters exploded for 11 runs, sparked by RBI singles from O’Donnell, Jarrett Prendergast, Kyle Katz and Shaun Thomas and a booming two-run triple by Edgington. Thomas stole home in a frame that included a sacrifice fly by Carr.
O’Donnell (3-for-4, 3 RBIs, 3 runs) and Thomas (3-for-3, RBI, 2 runs) led the Hatters’ attack. Carr finished with three RBIs and Katz had a pair.
Alex Crim earned the win in relief, allowing five hits and three runs in three innings.
Hatboro-Horsham (2-0) will face Spring-Ford on Friday to close out its spring break trip to Florida.
Game One
Brooke 120 010 1 5-11-4
Hatboro-Horsham 210 001 2 6-9-3
Game Two
Hatboro-Horsham 340 011 18-11-1
Brooke 320 21 8-11-2
QUAKERTOWN 11, WILLIAM TENNENT 7
The visiting Panthers – led by the three-hit effort of Tyler Guidos – pounded out 11 hits and scored all of their runs in two innings.
Tennent took a 1-0 lead in the first, thanks to an RBI double from Paul McElroy, but Quakertown pushed seven runs across in a fourth inning that was highlighted by a two-run double by Guidos. In the bottom of the inning, Tennent scored a pair to make it a 7-3 game. Both teams scored four runs in the fifth, and that 11-7 score held the rest of the way.
Gunnar Horst finished the game 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and run scored. Matt Bukavich also contributed a double, RBI and run scored, and Jake Reed had a pair of RBIs out of the leadoff spot. Also contributing RBIs were Aaron Besch, Brian Robison, Jake Wooden and Jared Kishbaugh. Robison and Brandon DiCicco both scored a pair of runs for the winners.
McElroy and Christian Mendez led Tennent with two hits each.
Cooper Johnson earned the win on the mound, allowing three hits and three runs in four innings. Viktor Morelock and Horst each threw a scoreless inning in relief.
Quakertown (1-0) will host Perkiomen School in a non-league tilt on Monday, and William Tennent (0-1) will travel to Central Bucks West for a non-league contest Tuesday.
Quakertown 000 740 0 11-11-4
William Tennent 100 240 0 7-6-2
PENNRIDGE 3, PALISADES 0
A trio of hurlers combined to toss a three-hit shutout – striking out nine and walking none, and the Rams scored three runs in the fifth to earn an impressive win in Thursday’s non-league opener.
Andrew Mayhew earned the starting nod and threw five strong innings to earn the win, scattering three hits while fanning six. Austin Rodenberger threw a scoreless sixth, and Danny Long closed it out with a one-two-three seventh to earn the save, fanning the side.
Mitch McLeod delivered the big blow in the fifth inning with a two-run single, and Long had a sacrifice fly. Joe Robinson led off the frame with a single, and Kolby Rush also singled in the inning as the Rams collected three of their five hits in the inning.
Pennridge (1-0) will be on the road at Upper Perkiomen on Tuesday for a non-league contest.
Pennridge 000 030 0 3
Palisades 000 000 0 0
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 5, NORTH HUNTERDON 2
Chase D’Aracanglo had a big day at the plate for the Indians, finishing 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs, and CJ Kilgariff tossed four shutout innings to earn the win.
The Indians scored a run in the bottom of the first and added two more in both the fourth and fifth innings to go on top 5-0 before North Hunterdon scored two runs in the sixth inning. D’Arcangelo’s RBI double accounted for a run in the fourth, and he singled home a run in the fifth.
Seth Leuz and Cavan Tully both added a pair of hits for the Indians, who pounded out 11 hits.
North Hunterdon scored a pair of hits in the sixth. Tyler Marlow worked a scoreless seventh to seal the win.
Kilgariff allowed just three hits in four strong innings, fanning five and walking none.
Council Rock North (1-0) will travel to William Tennent next Thursday for its conference opener.
North Hunterdon 000 002 0 2-8-1
Council Rock North 100 220 x 5-11-0
LOWER MERION 2, UPPER MERION 1
The Vikings received solid pitching performances from Ryan Foster and Jarrett Quinn, who combined for 10 strikeouts and allowed just four hits and one unearned. Unfortunately, the Vikings managed just one hit – a single by Mike Hutchinson – and only plated a single run in the fifth inning.
Lower Merion scored a pair of runs in the fourth off Foster – only one earned. The Aces led the rest of the way.
Upper Merion (0-1) will host Cheltenham in its SOL American Conference opener next Thursday.
Lower Merion002 000 0 2-4-0
Upper Merion000 010 0 1-1-1
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