SOL baseball teams are back in action. Pennsbury, Wissahickon, Neshaminy, CB East and William Tennent were winners on Wednesday. Check the recaps.
SOL American Conference
UPPER DUBLIN 4, UPPER MORELAND 4
The Golden Bears scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth to go on top 4-1, but in the top of the fifth, the Cardinals plated three runs to knot the score. That’s when the runs stopped coming for both teams, and with the two teams still deadlocked after 10 innings, the game was suspended in the top of the 11th because of darkness. Play will resume at a later date.
Both teams had nine hits.
For the Golden Bears, Jack Dombroski (RBI), Ryan Gibbs, Trey Cuozzo (RBI) and Cole Kitchen each had two hits. Kevin Walder contributed a double and RBI.
Michael Zicchinolfi led the Flying Cardinals with a 3-for-5 effort that included a double and run scored. Jack Jamison was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Brian McPeak and Ben Cheifetz each added one RBI.
In 6.1 shutout innings of relief, Garrett C Breslin allowed just one hit while fanning seven and walking three. For the Bears, Colin Bates threw 4.1 shutout innings, allowing three hits while striking out six and walking one.
Upper Dublin will travel to Cheltenham on Tuesday, and Upper Moreland will be on the road at Plymouth Whitemarsh on Tuesday.
Upper Dublin 000 130 000 0 4-9-0
Upper Moreland 110 200 000 0 4-9-3
Non-league
PENNSBURY 13, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 4
The Falcons are swinging some big bats in the opening week of the season. Twenty-four hours after scoring 20 runs in a win over Central Bucks West, the Falcons were back at it again, this time putting up 13 runs.
“I knew we were going to be improved hitting,” coach Joe Pesci said. “We lost 13 seniors, but even last year as a team, it was pitching and defense that really were our strong points.
“Coming in this season, we knew they were going to hit and defend well. The pitching was the question mark because we returned only about six innings from last year. In the fall, we played really well, and in our two scrimmages, we hit a bunch.
“I don’t think anybody says, ‘Oh yeah, we expected to score 20 runs, but we definitely knew we were going to hit a little bit more than last year. We have power up and down the lineup. The good thing was our guys were walking a lot early too, and we’re taking advantage of mistakes, coming up with big hits and multiple-run innings, which is huge.”
The Falcons set the tone for this one in the bottom of the first after the Titans had put three runs on the board in the top of the inning. With two outs, RJ Huth delivered a bases-loaded triple to knot the score with one swing of the bat.
“Last year we DHed for him, and he just played outfield,” Pesci said of Huth. “This year he’s hitting .400.
“Kids like Jake Martell who two years ago played one game and probably started four games last year – this year he’s a starter for us and hitting .500.”
So far, it’s been that kind of start for the Falcons. Huth finished the day with five RBIs. Kyle Dear, who started at first base the last two years, was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Justin Massielo was 2-for-2 with one RBI and three runs scored. The veteran shortstop had the highest batting average the last two seasons. Sam Ruta was 1-for-3 with a double, RBI and two runs scored. Josh Tesarck, who was 1-for-2 with a double and RBI, is a three-year starter and anchors the Falcons behind the plate.
“We returned 10 kids from last year’s team, a lot of guys waiting in the wings that might have been jayvee players last year but are going to come in and play right away,” Pesci said. “The writer from the Courier, Joe Fite, actually said, ‘It sounds like you guys are recharging, not rebuilding,’ and I think that was the perfect line.
“With the program we have now and the number of kids who come out for the team, we have 60 kids at the high school who play on the jayvee, varsity and freshman teams. I think we built a program now where the subs are pushing the starters, so when they get their opportunity, they’re able to perform.”
The Falcons led 4-3 after one inning only to watch the Titans knot the score in the second. The Falcons scored two in the third to take a lead they would not lose. For good measure, they added two more in the fourth and five in the sixth.
South was led by the two-hit efforts of Ben Berger and Jake McKeown. Dylan Grober, Joey Loynd and Ryan Rieber each had a double. Zach Steinberg had a triple.
Pennsbury (2-0) will open SOL National Conference play on Tuesday at Bensalem. Central Bucks South (0-2) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Monday in a non-league contest.
Central Bucks South 310 000 0 4-10-0
Pennsbury 402 205 x 13-9-0
WISSAHICKON 6, HARRY S TRUMAN 5
(Submitted Michael Steitz, Wissahickon Baseball)
The Trojans capped of this week's two-game set with a hard-fought victory over Harry S Truman. Truman's offense was clicking early against starting pitcher Garrett Hirsch ('19). The Tigers pounded the Trojans for four runs in the first, but Hirsch settled into the game and tossed two shutout innings to conclude his first three innings of work.
The Trojan offense responded in kind by taking on runs in each of the first three frames, hithlighted by a four-run third inning. The six unanswered runs proved to be enough for the Trojans' bullpen. Sophomore Gio D'Amroe got the call in the fourth and tossed 1.1 innings while allowing one. Juniors Joel Bjordmmen and Bobby McFarland combined to shut down the Tigers and secure the Trojans' victory. The Tigers threatened the Trojans' one-run lead with a small-ball effort. The Tigers created opportunities by moving runners into scoring position late in the game, but solid defense and gutsy relief efforts by the Trojans preserved the win.
****
The win was the second in as many days under first-year coach Andy Noga.
“Being a first-year head coach, to start off 2-0 and head into next week when we start league play – it’s really big for us,” he said. “The kids are buying into what I’m trying to do, and they’re all excited to have a new face and a new guy to listen to.
“Everything points to an exciting season for us. We just have to go out and earn our wins now.”
D’Amore, who earned the win, allowed one run in 1.1 innings while Bjordammen allowed one hit in a scoreless inning of relief. McFarland closed it out with 1.2 scoreless, hitless innings, and Noga was pleased with the performance of his pitchers.
“We had one really rough inning, and it was Garret’s first inning,” the Trojans’ coach said. “The expression I used is we came out and kind of got punched in the gut when we gave up four runs in the first inning.
“Garret settled in for the next two, and then I brought in a sophomore lefthander (D’Amore). I don’t know how many innings he’s going to get down the stretch, but I trusted him in that situation to come in and throw strikes, and he did a great job.
“Behind him was Joel Bjordammen, who pitched the day before and threw 24 pitches, so he was eligible to pitch today. We finished the game with Bobby McFarland, our rightfielder, who closed it out. For the three of those guys to come in for four innings behind Garrett and give up one run was a great job.”
Brian Menhardt and Michael Steitz both finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate. Steitz had a double.
“Michael Steitz is our senior captain, so it was good for him to have a good game,” Noga said. “He had a good game against Abington, so he’s really setting the tone at the bottom of the lineup.”
Steve Loden was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored, and Andrew Booth was 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
Truman was led by the 2-for-3 effort of leadoff batter Evan Profy. Dale Summers and TJ Brasier each had a double for the Tigers.
“They’re a good hitting team,” Noga said. “We really kept them off balance. I know they like to attack early. I think their big thing is ambush, so we tried to keep them off balance the rest of the way.”
Tyler Chew was charged with the loss. Mike Finsel allowed one hit and one run (unearned) in 3.2 innings of relief.
Wissahickon (2-0) will host Upper Merion in a non-league game on Monday, and Harry S Truman (1-1) will be on the road at Council Rock North for Tuesday’s SOL opener.
Harry S Truman 400 100 0 5-7-5
Wissahickon 114 000 x 6-7-1
NESHAMINY 8, HATBORO-HORSHAM 0
Kyle Rovny and Dan Errigo combined for a three-hit shutout to lead the Redskins to the convincing win in their non-league opener. Rovny, who notched the win, started and allowed three hits in five scoreless innings, fanning six and walking one. Errigo, a sophomore, did not allow a hit in two scoreless innings to close it out. He struck out a pair and did not walk a batter.
“They were very good today,” coach Dan Toner said. “Our pitchers attacked the strike zone and did a real good job.
“They didn’t give up any deep drives in the gap. (Rovny) was keeping them off balance and really locating today.”
The Redskins scored six runs in the bottom of the first, and that would have been more than enough, but they tacked on single runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
“We haven’t had any scrimmages,” Toner said. “This was our first game of the season. It happened to be our first non-league game, opening day.
“For us to come out and win and get eight (runs) and our pitchers dominated – that’s very good for us.”
Brian Nicholas delivered a solo home run in the fifth to close out the scoring. He led the Redskins with a 2-for-4 effort with one RBI and two runs scored. Harold Landman was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Brody McAndrew, the quarterback for the Neshaminy football team, was 1-for-2 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored.
“He hasn’t played baseball in two years, and he decided he wanted to come out again, and he’s starting in our lineup,” Toner said. “We’re really young.
“We graduated 11 seniors last year, and I have three sophomores starting and three juniors starting.
For the Hatters, sophomore Jackson Treski struck out six and allowed just one run in 2.2 innings of relief.
Neshaminy (1-0) will travel to Central Bucks East for a 3:45 game Thursday, and Hatboro-Horsham (0-1) will be on the road at Central Bucks South on Monday.
Hatboro-Horsham 000 000 0 0-3-4
Neshaminy 600 110 8-7-1
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 4, CONWELL EGAN 1
The Patriots scored three runs in the fifth to erase a 1-0 deficit that had stood since the first inning. They tacked on an insurance run in the sixth to earn their second win in as many days.
Three Patriot pitchers combined to allow just three hits and one run. Junior Connor Bates notched his first varsity win, allowing one hit in three scoreless innings in relief. He fanned one and walked one. Tommy Webb started and threw three innings, allowing two hits and one run. Jason Coluccio, who earned the save, did not allow a hit in a scoreless inning to close it out.
Leadoff batter PJ Harris doubled and had a pair of RBIs. Senior Will Masterson was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Third baseman Colin Weber delivered the defensive gem of the day with a diving play and spectacular over-the-shoulder catch in foul territory.
Central Bucks East (2-0) will host Neshaminy on Thursday at 3:45 p.m.
Central Bucks East 000 031 0 4-5-0
Conwell Egan 100 000 0 1-3-2
LEGACY 7, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 2
The Colonials came up short in Wednesday’s game in Vero Beach. They took a 2-1 lead into the top of the sixth inning after scoring single runs in the first and fifth. Legacy erased that deficit in a hurry with a six-run sixth.
PW managed just five hits – four singles and a double by Jack Mangan. Kevin Reilly contributed the Colonials’ lone RBI.
Steve Gallagher threw a scoreless inning in relief to close it out.
Legacy 001 006 0 7-8-3
Plymouth Whitemarsh 100 010 0 2-5-3
WILLIAM TENNENT 16, LANSDALE CATHOLIC 6
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