Check out the results for SOL baseball teams in action Thursday. NP/CB East photos provided courtesy of Keith Clemens Photography. Check back for a gallery of action shots…CLICK HERE to go directly to the BASEBALL GALLERY.
National Conference
PENNSBURY 2, ABINGTON 0
Justin Ward and Nick Price combined for a two-hit shutout, propelling the Falcons to a win in the first game of an away-home doubleheader on Thursday. Ward started the game and was lifted after 49 pitches with one out in the fourth. Price closed it out. Each pitcher allowed just one hit. The duo combined for four strikeouts and three walks.
“Knowing we have a pretty big stretch of about eight days coming up, we wanted to make sure people are fresh, and it was really more that we just wanted to split the game between those two guys,” coach Joe Pesci said. “Nick was a starter for us last year, but he’s been mostly in relief, and he threw 49 pitches.
“This was Justin’s fourth start, one last year and three this year. In his first three, he took no-hitters into the fifth inning. Today he gave up a hit in the third inning, and that was it. We’re getting solid outings from them – not a lot of hard hit balls.”
Hits were at a premium for both teams as the Falcons managed just five hits but manufactured a single run in both the fourth and fifth innings.
“Abington did a pretty good job of keeping us under control because we would get a couple of runners on but were only able to get one run in,” Pesci said. “We had base runners every inning.
In the fourth, Tyrone Hodges scored on a fielder’s choice by Vaughn Hodges, and one inning later, Hodges delivered a sacrifice fly that plated Billy Bethel with an insurance run.
Matt Horn absorbed the loss, allowing just five hits and two runs (one earned) in five innings.
Pennsbury (6-2, 3-0 SOL) will host Neshaminy in a key conference game on Tuesday, and Abington (2-6, 0-4) will host Council Rock North on Tuesday.
Pennsbury 000 110 0 2-5-0
Abington 000 000 0 0-2-1
NESHAMINY 4, BENSALEM 0
Pitching gems have become the norm for the Redskins this season, and it was Evan Matthews’ turn to shine on Thursday. The senior hurler allowed just one hit in seven shutout innings. He fanned two and walked a pair in a stellar showing.
While Matthews was silencing the Owls’ bats, the Redskins were providing all kinds of support at the plate. Zach Tredway – who’s hitting a team high .667 – was 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Jerry Scavone was 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored. Brian Nicholas was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Anthony Rapposelli was 2-for-4.
The Redskins put two runs on the board in the second, and that was more than enough for Matthews.
Neshaminy (6-1, 3-0 SOL) will be on the road at Pennsbury on Tuesday, and Bensalem (3-2, 1-2) will host Norristown in a non-league game Monday.
Neshaminy 021 001 0 4-11-0
Bensalem 000 000 0 0-1-2
Continental Conference
NORTH PENN 6, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1
The Knights once received solid performances from their pitching staff. This time it was Matt Stevenson and Collin McTaggart combining forces to toss a two-hitter. The Patriots only run came in the top of the first and was unearned.
At the plate, the Knights made things easy for themselves by pounding out 10 hits, receiving contributions up and down their lineup. They scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take a lead they would not lose.
Zack Miles led the Knights, finishing the day 3-for-4 with a double and run scored. Atlee Hasson was 2-for-3 with a double and run scored. Tyler Siddal was 1-for-3 out of the leadoff spot with a home run, two RBIs and run scored. Dan Drop also had a solo home run. Contributing one RBI each were Corey Stouffer and Billy Collins.
Collin Sheehan had East’s lone RBI, plating Matt Ernst.
Stevenson threw three-and-a-third innings, allowing two hits and one run (unearned) while striking out four and walking two. McTaggart worked the final 3.2 innings, allowing one hit, no walks and striking out a pair. Jared Thompson was charged with the loss.
North Penn (6-0, 2-0 SOL) will host Parkland in a non-league contest on Saturday at noon, and Central Bucks East (1-3, 0-2) will be on the road at Central Bucks West on Tuesday.
Central Bucks East 100 000 0 1-3-2
North Penn 301 020 x 6-10-1
Non-league
BENSALEM 8, LINCOLN (Ellwood City) 0
Dominic Grady and Nick Fossile combined for a two-hit shutout, propelling the Owls to a convincing win in the second game of a rare twinbill on Thursday. Grady earned the win with five strong innings to open the game. He allowed just one hit, struck out six and walked four. Fossile allowed one hit in two shutout innings in relief, fanning two and walking one.
The Owls – who had eight hits – scored two runs in the bottom of the first and all but put the game out of reach with a five-run second.
Fossile was the lone player for either side to collect multiple hits, finishing the day 2-for-3 with a double and run scored. Keith Parrish was 1-for-3 with two runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Scott Rooney was 1-for-2 with a double and two RBIs. Trevor McGee was 1-for-2 with an RBI, Nickolas Kiesling was 1-for-3 with an RBI and Greg Janowski was 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored. Stephen Aldrich also had an RBI.
Bensalem (3-2, 1-2 SOL) will host Norristown in a non-league game on Monday.
Lincoln 000 000 0 0-2-1
Bensalem 250 010 x 8-8-0
PENNSBURY 18, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 8 (5 innings)
The Falcons exploded for 16 hits and 18 runs in their no-doubt-about-it win over PW in non-league action. Their offensive onslaught more than made up for the absence of offense in game one of Saturday’s twinbill that saw Abington and Pennsbury combine for just seven hits with the Falcons accounting for five of those.
The Colonials took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but that was quickly erased by the Falcons, who scored five runs in the bottom of the inning and added four more in the second.
Zach Demarchis and Ryan McCarty did most of the damage at the plate for the Falcons. Demarchis was a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and two runs while McCarty was 3-for-3 with a double, triple, four RBIs and three runs. Justin Massielo was 2-for-4 with one RBI and five runs scored, and Dave Murphy was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Jake Martel also chipped in a double, RBI and run scored.
Also contributing single RBIs were Vaughn Ward, Max Crawn, Shane Ostrowsky, Billy Bethel and Tyrone Hodges.
The Colonials, who scored enough runs to win on most days, were led by Steve Longo’s 2-for-2 effort that included a double and two RBIs. Brad Kernicky was 1-for-2 with a home run, three RBIs and run scored. Drew Kliesh was 1-for-2 with a double and run scored out of the leadoff spot. Kevin Reilly, Justin Gelfand and Noah Goldstein each added an RBI.
Kyle Dear notched the win for the Falcons, allowing four hits and three runs in three innings while walking one and striking out one.
Pennsbury (6-2, 3-0 SOL) will host Neshaminy on Tuesday in a key conference showdown. Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-6, 1-3) will be on the road at Upper Dublin on Tuesday night.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 201 05 8-8-6
Neshaminy 542 43 18-13-2
SOUTHERN LEHIGH 5, PENNRIDGE 4
Kyle Yoder was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and Jake Siwert had two RBIs in non-league contest that was held at Limeport Stadium. Ray Knight and Oliver Jervis each also had one RBI.
The visiting Rams held a 10-7 advantage in hits, an advantage that was negated by the team’s three errors. Southern Lehigh had none. The Rams took a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth and still had a 4-2 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh when Southern Lehigh scored three runs for the walk-off win.
Jim Petrik was charged with the loss.
Pennridge (4-3, 2-0 SOL) will travel to Souderton on Tuesday.
Pennridge 000 300 1 4-10-3
Southern Lehigh 000 002 3 5-7-0
METHACTON 7, HATBORO-HORSHAM 6
The Hatters opened up an early 3-0 lead and took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning when the Warriors erupted for five runs to knot the score. They won it with a run in the bottom of the seventh.
Drew Passerini led the Hatters at the plate with a 2-for-4 effort that included a double and two RBIs. Eddie Schultz, Shaun Thomas, Colin Kennedy and Ryan O’Donnell each had one RBI.
Hatboro-Horsham (2-4, 2-2 SOL) will be on the road at Wissahickon on Tuesday.
Hatboro-Horsham 102 030 0 6-6-0
Methacton 000 105 1 7-11-2
PERKIOMEN PREP 3, QUAKERTOWN 2
It’s a rare day that the team with an 8-1 advantage in hits will come out on the short end of the score, but that’s exactly what happened in Thursday’s non-league game.
The Panthers scored single runs in the third and fourth innings. Jake Wooden and Justin Guidos each had an RBI. Perkiomen Prep came back to score two runs in the bottom of the fifth and the go-ahead run in the sixth inning.
Guidos led the Panthers with a 2-for-3 day at the plate. He was one of a trio of hurlers to split time on the mound, allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out three in three scoreless inning to open the game. Devyn Bard threw two innings and absorbed the loss.
Quakertown (4-1, 2-0 SOL) will travel to Cheltenham on Tuesday.
Quakertown 001 100 0 2-8-1
Perkiomen Prep 000 021 x 3-1-1
DOWNINGTOWN WEST 10, UPPER MORELAND 9
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