Scott Huff recaps all of Monday’s SOL baseball action. To view action photos of the CR South/Abington game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By Scott Huff
The top of the Suburban One League Continental Conference began Monday afternoon with four teams knotted at the top of the conference standings.
That logjam has been reduced by one as Quakertown (2-5, 1-3) knocked Souderton (5-2, 2-2) out of that top spot as the Panthers clawed to an 8-3 victory. It was the first conference win of the season for the Panthers and stopped a five-game losing slide.
The Rest of the Story in the SOL Continental Conference
Hatboro-Horsham (6-2, 3-1) kept its grasp on first place as the Hatters scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inningand stunned Pennridge (6-3, 1-3) – 4-3.
“Things just broke the right way for us in that seventh inning,” said Hatboro-Horsham head coach Peter Moore. “We got that bases loaded – and we had our best hitter at the plate in Chris Hens. And Hens came through with a two-run single, and Casey Saverio followed later in the inning with a game-winning single.
“These players really believe that they can make anything happen,” added Moore. “(Evan) Myers pitched a great game for Pennridge, but our team never really felt like we were out of it.”
And they were right.
“We have a big game coming up with CB West, and every game in this conference is going to be a good one,” said Moore. “Quakertown proved that today. You can’t expect to win any game in this conference.”
Pennridge Rams 000 102 0 - 3 7 3
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters 010 000 3 - 4 9 3
North Penn (7-1, 3-1) kept its grasp on first place as the Knights shut out high scoring Central Bucks South (5-2, 2-2) – 5-0.
“You could tell as the game went along that it wasn’t going to be a high scoring game,” said North Penn head coach Kevin Manero. “Both (NP’s) Alex (Lashkevich) and (Ricky) Dennis (of CB South) pitched very good games. We were able to find ways to move base runners one base at a time and get some runs across.
“This was a huge win for us, but now it is ancient history,” added Manero. “We have to focus on the game we play on Wednesday (@ Quakertown), and then the game we play after that.”
Tyler Phifer collected a key two-run – two out single – in the fifth inning to spark the offense.
Laskevich picked up the win for the Knights with a five inning – eight-strikeout performance - and allowed just three hits. Bobby Reddick threw two shutout innings to close out the win for North Penn.
Central Bucks South Titans 000 000 0 - 0 3 1
North Penn Knights 011 120 x - 5 6 2
Central Bucks West (6-2, 3-1) kept its grasp on first place as the Bucks edged rival Central Bucks East (4-4, 1-3) – 4-2.
“Marty Martens played a great game for us both pitching and hitting – he was the difference,” said Central Bucks West head coach Jim Ertel. “With us losing our second starting pitcher, we are going to have to count on Marty to win games for us to stay in the race.
“Marty had great command of all of his pitches,” continued Ertel. “And he was on base three of the four times he batted with a couple of hits.”
Martens threw a complete game for the Bucks with eight strikeouts and only one earned run. CB West outhit CB East 10-4.
Central Bucks East Patriots 101 000 0 - 2 4 1
Central Bucks West Bucks 200 101 x - 4 10 1
SOL Continental Conference ‘On Deck’
Wednesday – April 18, 2012
Pennridge Rams @ Souderton Indians
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters @ Central Bucks West Bucks
North Penn Knights @ Quakertown Panthers
Central Bucks South Titans @ Central Bucks East Patriots
SOL National Conference Unbeatens Remain Unbeaten
Bensalem (6-0, 4-0) remained unbeaten as the Owls soared to a 7-0 conference victory over host Neshaminy (2-6, 2-2).
“Right now we just have that feeling that we were going to be able to win this game,” said Bensalem head coach Rick Lee after the Owls scored all seven runs in the fifth inning. “(Neshaminy pitcher) Justin Andrews threw a no-hitter for the first four innings, but we were able to piece together a rally in that fifth inning.”
Bensalem pounded out 10 hits over the last three innings to secure the win. Rob Diamond collected the key hit in that critical fifth with a bases-loaded double to plate two runs.
Jesse Dannin collected the victory for the Owls with a six-inning performance that included two strikeouts. Dannin allowed just two hits.
“This team continues to pull together and pick each other up,” said Lee. “There has not been a letdown the entire season.”
Bensalem Owls 000 070 0 - 7 10 0
Neshaminy Redskins 000 000 0 - 0 4 2
The Rest of the Story in the SOL National Conference
Council Rock South (8-0, 4-0) remained unbeaten as the Golden Hawks soared to a mercy-rule 10-0 victory over Abington (2-6, 1-3).
Rock South scored seven runs in the bottom of the second inning and added three more runs in the last of the fourth inning to secure the win.
“We hit the ball hard up and down the lineup in the second inning,” said Council Rock South head coach Greg Young. “Steve Wright had a big two-run single in that inning.”
Council Rock South had a five-inning complete game thrown by Ryan Fleming. Fleming had nine strikeouts in his outing and yielded just two hits.
“I was impressed with Ryan – it was only the second time that he was on the mound all year,” said Young. “And now we get (CR) North on Wednesday – and that is always an exciting game for the players.”
Abington Ghosts 000 00 - 0 2 2
CR South Hawks 070 3x - 10 10 0
Council Rock North (4-3, 3-1) remained in contention as the Indians edged visiting Pennsbury (2-8, 1-3) 4-2.
Rock North had a wonderful game hurled by Jake Drossner who fired six innings and collected 13 strikeouts.
“Jake had an electric fast ball today,” said Council Rock North head coach Matt Schram. “He seemed to get stronger as the game went along. It was his best game of the year.”
Nate English earned the save for the Indians with a 1-2-3 seventh inning – all strikeouts.
Chris Ender (solo homer) and Brett Newman (two RBI) fueled the Rock North offense.
Pennsbury Falcons 020 000 0 - 2 4 2
CR North Indians 301 000 x - 4 5 0
SOL National Conference ‘On Deck’
Wednesday – April 18, 2012
Neshaminy Redskins @ William Tennent Panthers
Council Rock North Indians @ Council Rock South Golden Hawks
Bensalem Owls @ Abington Ghosts
Pennsbury Falcons @ Truman Tigers
Suburban One League American Conference
Norristown (1-8, 1-7) won its first conference game of the season as the Eagles soared to a 10-2 victory over visiting Cheltenham (4-4, 3-3).
Kevin McGinley smoked a three-run homerun in the third inning to fuel the Norristown offense. McGinley had two of the nine Eagle hits on the day.
Cheltenham Panthers 020 000 0 - 2 3 3
Norristown Eagles 105 211 x - 10 9 6
The Rest of the Story in the SOL American Conference
Upper Moreland (7-2, 7-1) took care of business as the Golden Bears clawed to a 12-8 victory over host Upper Merion (1-7, 1-6).
Upper Moreland scored four runs to assume a lead it would never relinquish. Ryan Snyder keyed that first inning with a two-run single.
The big hit in a five-run sixth inning was a ‘slash bunt’ by sophomore catcher Pat Driscoll. Driscoll faked a bunt and slashed it through the vacated shortstop position.
“When you execute a play like that, it gives the whole team a lift,” said Upper Moreland head coach Ernie Rehr. “Pat did a great job executing that play – it isn’t easy. It drove home a couple of big runs for us.”
Upper Moreland Golden Bears 420 105 0 - 12 10 2
Upper Merion Vikings 201 000 5 - 8 8 3
Plymouth Whitemarsh (6-4, 6-3) captured a huge conference win as the Colonials scored two runs in the last of the sixth inning to edge visiting Wissahickon (3-7, 3-5) – 10-9.
Plymouth Whitemarsh senior catcher Bobby Slagle was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBI. Mike Minetola stroked what proved to be the game-winning hit with a two-run, two-out single.
Jake Mascio earned the win for PW, while Austin DiBonaventure (double) and Steve Wallace (triple) stroked extra base hits to key the 15-hit Colonial attack.
Wissahickon Trojans 012 024 0 - 9 12 1
Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials 303 202 x - 10 15 0
SOL American Conference ‘On Deck’
Tuesday – April 17, 2012
Upper Merion Vikings @ Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials
Wednesday – April 18, 2012
Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals @ Cheltenham Panthers
Norristown Eagles @ Wissahickon Trojans
Suburban One Sports.com
Top Ten
1. Council Rock South Golden Hawks
2. North Penn Knights
3. Bensalem Owls
4. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters
5. Upper Moreland Golden Bears
6. Central Bucks West Bucks
7. Council Rock North Indians
8. Central Bucks South Titans
9. Souderton Indians
10. Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials
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