Check out the recaps for SOL baseball teams in action Tuesday. Pennsbury/Holy Ghost Prep photos provided courtesy of Greg Lindsay. Check back for a gallery of photos. CLICK HERE to go directly to Suburban One Sports’ BASEBALL GALLERIES.
SOL Liberty Division
Wissahickon 1, Hatboro-Horsham 0 (8 innings)
Starting pitchers Adam Hajdak and Jamie O’Neill were dominant, and it came down to one run in extra innings, and that came in the top of the eighth for Wissahickon as it emerged with the win over host Hatboro-Horsham.
Mark Selverian reached on a one-out single in the eighth and ended up scoring the winning run on a passed ball.
Hajdak (15) and O’Neill (11) combined for 26 strikeouts. Neither pitcher was involved in the decision.
“Today was a true pitcher’s duel between Adam Hajdak and Jamie O’Neill,” said Wissahickon coach Andy Noga. “Jamie and Adam went pitch-for-pitch with each other.
“This one meant a lot to Adam and our pitching coach, Colin Kennedy, a H-H grad in 2017. Jamie had our number most of the day, but we were able to work some quality at-bats late and were fortunate to have a good dirt ball read by Mark Selverian to score on a passed ball.
“Sometimes, that’s the way you’ve got to get it done against a good team and pitcher. We know we will see these guys again in a week, so we have to be ready for them again.”
By the Numbers: Wissahickon: Adam Hajdak (7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB 15 K), Giulio Carbo (WP, 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K), Jonnie Klinger (2-for-3).
H-H: Jamie O’Neill (5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K), Cole Incudine (3-for-4, 2B).
Key Inning: Top of the 8th: Mark Selverian and Josh Stonesifer had back-to-back one-out singles, and Kim was then issued an intentional walk to load the bases. A wild pitch on a 1-2 count scored the run.
Next up: Game 2 of the series is scheduled for April 22, as Hatboro-Horsham (4-7, 3-4 SOL) hosts Wissahickon (6-5, 3-4).
Wissahickon 000 000 01 – 1 5 1
H-H 000 000 00 – 0 5 1
Non-League
Upper Dublin 3, Garnet Valley 2
The pitchers dominated as the two teams combined for just seven hits, but in the end, Upper Dublin came up with some big ones, with runs in the sixth and seventh inning to walk off with the 4-3 win against visiting Garnet Valley.
Jack Brannigan, Austin Dahl, Ryan Fogle and Luke Caron each pitched for the Flying Cardinals, with Caron picking up the win as he struck out the side in the top of the seventh.
A bases-loaded walk to Conor Dynan with two outs in the bottom of the seventh was the difference in the game.
Upper Dublin stole nine bases.
By the Numbers: Upper Dublin: Eric Berman (2 runs scored, 3 stolen bases), Mike Caron (RBI single), Brannigan (2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K), Austin Dahl (2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K), Luke Caron (WP, 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K).
Key Innings: Bottom of the 6th: After back-to-back singles by Oliver Gill and Eddie Joyce, Mike Caron tied the game with a single to right.
Bottom of the 7th: Eric Berman led off with a walk. Two batters later Austin Dahl was intentionally walked. Oliver Gill reached on an error to load the bases, and then with two outs, Conor Dynan drew the walk that won the game.
Upper Dublin coach Ed Wall: “The game was a pitcher’s duel on both sides. We won the freebie war, and it led to the win for us. We’ve been really happy with our bats off the bench in Eddie Joyce and Mike Caron with back-to-back knocks today, and Mike driving in the tying run.
“Freshman Luke Caron (Mike’s brother) came in in the top of the seventh and was an inch away from an immaculate inning to get the win.
“It was great to see those guys step up to get the job done today.”
Next up: Upper Dublin (6-4, 4-2 SOL) is off until April 22 when it hosts Abington in the first of a three-game series in SOL Liberty play.
Garnet Valley 000 002 0 – 2 3 2
Upper Dublin 100 001 1 – 3 4 1
Central Bucks South 4, Downingtown West 3 (9 innings)
Close games are nothing new for CB South. Going into Tuesday’s non-league game at Downingtown West, the Titans had a string of five straight games decided by two or fewer runs, including back-to-back wins in Colonial Division play against North Penn.
So, fittingly, Tuesday’s game was close, and it went to extra innings. Jake Yang, who hit a home run against North Penn Monday, came up with the pinch-hit homer in the top of the ninth inning and that proved to be the game winner.
“Coming off of two emotional wins, you don’t know what the final game is going to be like going into Easter break and Spring Break,” said coach Kevin Bray. “But I told them on the way out there, this is not a throwaway game. We came out to Downingtown to win a ball game, and I’m happy with the way they responded.”
By the Numbers: CB South: Jake Yang (1-for-1, HR, 1 RBI), Luke Hillegass (1-for-2, double, 2 RBIs), Nick Zakrzewski (1 RBI), Shane Farrell (4-for-4, double, 1 BB), Jake Blum (2-for-4), Peter Morsa (WP, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K)
Key inning: Top of the 9th: After two strikeouts, Jake Yang pinch hit and belted the first pitch over the center field fence for the only run of the game.
CB South coach Kevin Bray: “With two outs, we pinch hit Jake Yang, and he has a knack for big moments, and he took a ball over the center field fence to give us the lead. Obviously, we knew in a big spot, Jake could handle it. We called upon him and he came through for us.
“We started some young guys in a non-league game. A majority of our starters had the game off. But as the game went on, I saw an opportunity to get some guys in. In the seventh, we gave Jake a heads up, ‘In a RBI situation, we’re probably going to go to you.’ Progressing into the ninth, even with two outs, we felt that was the spot to go to him.”
–Pitching: Being a non-league game, we tried to get guys opportunities that haven’t had a ton of opportunities. Sawyer Freeman started today. He’s a junior and gave us three good innings. Tyler Moore gave us another two. Another junior, Peter Morsa, pitched three innings and kept them off the board, which was huge in the latter half of the game. And Blake Bell closed the door after we got the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth.”
Next up: CB South (6-4, 3-3 SOL) returns to Colonial Division play with a night game at home against Souderton on April 22.
CB South 010 200 001 – 4 11 1
Downingtown West 100 200 000 – 3 8 0
Pennsbury 8, Holy Ghost Prep 0
It’s a non-league game, and for Pennsbury at least, it doesn’t count toward district playoff points. But don’t call it meaningless. Not with these two Lower Bucks programs.
And the Falcons didn’t treat it like that, as four pitchers combined for a one hit shutout and they had a huge third inning with the bats, and the result was a convincing 8-0 rivalry-game victory.
“It kind of has a lot of implications in the community,” said Pennsbury coach Joe Pesci. “A lot of these kids played together in middle school – they have two Pennsbury kids in their starting lineup – all that kind of stuff, and we haven’t played them since 2019, just because the way our schedule has worked out. We always used to play them every year, and it was a good contest against them.
“It’s nice to get them back on our schedule. Them being the defending state champ in (Class) 4A, and having some Pennsbury kids on their roster, it’s nice to get the win. There’s no animosity. We know we’re going to lose some kids to private schools. We lose kids to Hun, we lose kids to (Conwell) Egan, we lose kids to Ghost. It happens.
“The kids were fired up. It was an off-week from the league, and it was our only game, and it’s a high-stakes game for (Holy Ghost) … It was nice to play really clean baseball today.”
By the Numbers: Pennsbury: Evan Hawkes (2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 stolen base), Carlton Craine (double, 2 RBIs), Mike Sognass (HR, 3 RBIs), Ben
Seidler (2-for-3, 1 RBI), Keller Bradley (WP, 4 IP, 1 K, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K).
Key Inning: Bottom of the 3rd: Evan Hawkes led off with a single, followed by a walk to Ryan Webber. With one-out, a Brendan Zuckerman single scored the game’s first run, Carlton Crane then doubled to score a pair, Ben Seidler had an RBI single, and after a Pierce Perry single, Mike Sogness hit his first varsity home run, a three-run shot, that was also Pennsbury’s first HR of the season.
Pennsbury coach Joe Pesci: “Keller Bradley started the game. He hasn’t pitched since March 31st. We gave him a week off, but we gave him the ball today and capped him at a number. He hit that number after 4. He only gave up one hit with seven strikeouts. Quinton Shaffer, Ryan Paolella and Joe Beitler all threw scoreless innings. We only gave up that one hit the whole game.
“It’s nice to get good pitching and solid defense. We were tracking balls down in the outfield, making the plays. We had 10 Ks, but it’s nice the pitchers know they can throw to contact. Evan Hawkes, in center field, tracked down four balls that other people wouldn’t get to.”
Next up: Pennsbury (7-2-1, 4-2 SOL) plays at Harry S. Truman in the first of a three-game series in Patriot Division play on April 22.
Holy Ghost Prep 000 000 0 – 0 1 3
Pennsbury 008 000 x – 8 8 0
Council Rock North 6, Pendleton (S.C.) 5
In its first game of the week in South Carolina, CR North scored four times in the top of the fourth and added another in the fifth and was able to hold off Pendleton (S.C.) for the 6-5 win on Tuesday night.
“Will Seiler was dominant (on the mound) for the first four innings,” said Indians coach Matt Schram. “Will Godonis closed the game in a clutch situation with the tying and winning runs on base.”
Seiler struck out eight in four innings. Godonis retired the only two batters he faced in the seventh to close out the game.
By the Numbers: CR North: Kyle Book (2-for-4, double, 1 RBI), Noah Furman (2-for-4, 1 RBI), Cabo (2-for-4, 3 RBIs), Will Seiler (WP, 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K).
Key Inning: Top of the 4th: Trailing 2-1, the CR North scored four runs to take control of the game. Will Cabo had a two-run single, Jude Hamilton an RBI single, Kyle Book a double to center field and Furman an RBI single.
Next up: CR North (4-5, 2-4 SOL) is back in action Wednesday in South Carolina against Liberty (S.C.)
CR North 001 410 0 – 6 8 1
Pendleton 002 030 0 – 5 4 0
Lower Merion 7, Springfield Twp 3
Visiting Lower Merion broke open a close game with one run in the fifth and two more in the sixth, and Springfield didn’t have an answer falling in the end by the 7-3 final score.
After falling behind early, the Spartans got back in it with two runs in the third and another in the fourth to make it a 4-3 game, but they would get no closer.
Mike Capoferri had a two-run double in the third and went 2-for-3.
By the Numbers: Springfield: Mike Capoferri (2-for-3, double, 2 RBIs), Max May (2-for-3), Chris Cahill (1-for-4, 1 RBI).
Key Inning: Bottom of the 3rd: Springfield trailed 4-0 to start the inning, and after two quick outs, Max May singled to right and then Bob Hartman was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. Mike Capoferri doubled to center field to score the runs and get the Spartans on the scoreboard.
Next up: Springfield (7-2, 6-0 SOL) returns to Freedom Division play on April 22, when it plays at New Hope-Solebury.
Lower Merion 121 012 0 – 7 10 0
Springfield 002 100 0 – 3 5 0
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