Check out the results for SOL baseball teams in action Friday. Souderton/Lower Merion photos provided by Keith Clemens Photography. Check back for a gallery of action photos…CLICK HERE to go directly to the BASEBALL photo gallery.
American Conference
HATBORO-HORSHAM 3, UPPER DUBLIN 1
Colin Kennedy turned in another dominating performance on the mound. The La Salle-bound senior scattered six hits in the complete game win. He walked two and struck out 11.
For good measure, Kennedy collected the Hatters’ only hit, which didn’t factor into the scoring.
The Hatters managed to push three runs across in the second inning, benefitting from four walks, an error and a fielder’s choice.
Upper Dublin got on the board with a single run in the fourth. Jason O’Gara, who was 1-for-3, drove in the run.
A bright spot in the loss was the performance of Jason Greene, who allowed just one hit in three scoreless innings of relief for the Cardinals. He struck out one and walked one. Justin Horn did not allow a hit or run in 1.2 scoreless innings of relief.
Hatboro-Horsham (5-4, 4-2 SOL) will host Abington in a non-league game on Saturday at 10 a.m. Upper Dublin (3-5, 2-4) will host Upper Moreland on Wednesday.
Upper Dublin 000 100 0 1-6-2
Hatboro-Horsham 030 000 x 3-1-2
Non-league
SOUDERTON 5, LOWER MERION 1
Tommy Wassel will undoubtedly remember Friday’s game against Lower Merion for the rest of this life. The game was memorable not for the fact that he was 1-for-2 with an RBI and run scored, although that was a nice bonus.
Rather he’ll remember Souderton’s first Veterans Game that he organized through his involvement with the school’s Support Our Troops Club.
“We used to do this game in middle school (Indian Valley) when I played back in eighth grade,” he said. “We had this game where we would sell hot dogs just like we did today, and we had all the proceeds go to the PA Veterans Foundation.
“This year I talked to (coach) Childs and asked if we could bring it to the high school because we could probably make a lot more money there.”
Wassel said he received help from two other clubs at Souderton as well as his teammates.
“We definitely learned a lot from what we messed up on, but it was super exciting to have the Army guys out there doing colors,” he said. “The first pitch was from a local teacher from Indian Valley Middle School (John Handerhan) who has been teaching for 40 years and, on top of that, served in the Navy, so that was really cool.”
The afternoon that was capped when Wassel was presented a coin reserved for a select few by the head of the PA Veterans Foundation.
“He told me they had a tradition in the Army of giving out an honor coin to somebody when they’ve done a great thing,” Wassel said. “He said he was continuing that tradition by giving it to me.
“It’s very ceremonial, and I was very honored to have that bestowed upon me – I’m definitely going to keep it with me.”
In addition to a food tent, the team obtained sponsors. The Indians wore special t-shirts with the words Souderton RED (remember everyone deployed) emblazoned on them.
“For the first time, it was awesome,” coach Mike Childs said. “There were 10-12 veterans there. They announced all their names and their branch of service. Some of their wives were there.
“All the boys got a picture with the veterans and thanked them.”
The Indians also won the game, rallying from a 1-0 deficit to score five runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Miles Minnick threw two-and-a-third innings, allowing two hits and one run while striking out four and walking three. Aaron Groller tossed 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits while walking one and striking out three. Jake Morgan allowed one hit in two scoreless innings, striking out two and walking one.
“Our pitchers have been doing well lately, and hitting – we came back,” Childs said. “We started our substitutes today.
“We had nine new starters, and then our subs came in in the fifth inning. That’s always nice with non-league games, but in a special situation like this with a special team that we were hosting for our Veterans Game, they got an opportunity to start which is nice for them.”
Derek Freed delivered the game’s big blow, a two-run double. Wassel and Lucas Kullman each had one RBI on a day that saw both teams collect just five hits.
The win was the third of the week for the Indians, who – according to Wassel – hope this is the first of regular Veterans Games.
“This was huge, and it just makes you happy to see the veterans who came out,” Wassel said. “They were so happy to be there, and they were having a great time, so that’s really what it’s all about. We hope to bring it back next year.”
Souderton (5-4, 2-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks West on Monday.
Lower Merion 001 000 0 1-5-3
Souderton 000 032 x 5-5-1
UPPER MORELAND 6, PENNRIDGE 0
Nick Pagano – in his second start of the season – gave the Golden Bears five shutout innings in Friday’s non-league contest, allowing two hits while striking out seven and walking three.
“Nick had a very good game on the mound this afternoon,” coach Dan Heiland said. “He did a great job of keeping their batters off balance, working ahead in the count, getting strikes and really keeping them guessing.
“I felt like they never really got comfortable in the box. It also gives him a lot of confidence throwing the ball when he’s got the defense he does behind him.
Shane Barras tossed two scoreless innings in relief, allowing three hits.
The Golden Bears scored all the runs they would need in a three-run first, benefitting from five walks. They added three more runs – and were on the receiving end of three more free passes – in the second. Jon Searles doubled home a run in the second.
Searles finished the day 2-for-3.
“We had some really good at-bats today,” Heiland said. “Their pitcher was struggling, and our guys were very patient in the box.
“They made sure they were getting pitches they could hit, and if they weren’t pitches that they wanted to take a hack at, they laid off of them, so we got guys on base.”
For the Rams, Brett Henofer was 2-for-3 with a double.
Upper Moreland (7-2, 4-1 SOL) will host Wissahickon on Monday, and Pennridge (5-5, 3-1) will host William Tennent on Monday.
Pennridge 000 000 0 0-5-2
Upper Moreland 330 000 x 6-4-0
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 7, CHELTENHAM 3
It had been a rough week for the Bucks, who had not scored a run in back-to-back losses to Central Bucks East and Pennridge. Friday’s non-league win against the visiting Panthers was exactly what the doctor ordered.
“Our message at the beginning of the day was – just win,” coach Brad Tracy said. “It doesn’t matter how. We need a ‘W.’
“We have a big week coming up, and hopefully, this is a nice catapult to get us into that week.”
The Bucks, who managed just six hits, used a four-run fourth to go on top 5-1. Stephen Brady’s two-run single highlighted the frame. He finished the day with three RBIs.
Thomas Philipps was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Dom Dicicco drove in a run and scored a pair. Josh Crecca also had an RBI. Leadoff batter Trevor D’Arcy was 2-for-4 with a double and run scored.
“We actually had a number of good at-bats today,” Tracy said. “We lined out probably four or five times. We actually hit the ball.
“We’ve been hitting into a lot of bad luck the entire week, and that continued today, but we put together really good at bats. They made about three or four amazing plays. Their left fielder made two or three plays, robbing our guys of clean base hits. He laid out on one where he was horizontal and made a fantastic catch.”
The Bucks may have hit into hard luck, but once they got on base they created havoc for the Panthers, swiping eight bases. Steven Gebre and Thomas Philipps had two each while Frank Amsler, Jake Boehm, Dom Dicicco and Ryan Rudek had one each.
“We really utilized our speed today,” Tracy said. “Our team speed is really one of our team strengths, and we were able to read the pitchers very well.
“We’ve been working on that in practice, and we really took advantage of our strengths, which we need to start doing more. Our problem this past week is we keep on getting behind. It’s tough to run when you’re behind.”
Six West pitchers limited the Panthers to just two hits. Aaron Worthington did not allow a hit in two scoreless innings, striking out one and walking one. Matt Varallo also threw two scoreless innings, fanning one while not allowing a hit.
“We had Aaron Worthington start the game, and we’re just trying to piecemeal things together in a non-league game, give guys opportunities, and we had some good results today,” Brady said. “We’re happy with that.
“We brought up a couple kids from the jayvee team and gave them a couple of at-bats and a couple of innings. We were really happy at the end of the day.”
For the Panthers, Jordan Rorer doubled. Alex Haasz accounted for the Panthers’ only other hit – a double.
Central Bucks West (3-4, 1-3 SOL) will be on the road at Souderton on Monday, and Cheltenham (1-8, 1-5) will host Germantown Academy in a non-league game Monday.
Cheltenham 001 020 0 3-2-4
Central Bucks West 014 002 x 7-6-4
NESHAMINY 8, WILLIAM TENNENT 4
Eddie Parry’s grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning broke a 4-4 tie and propelled the Redskins to the non-league win. The home run highlighted a dazzling performance by the senior infielder, who finished the day 3-for-4 with two home runs, six RBIs and two runs scored.
Things looked promising for the Panthers when CJ Goodz roped a three-run double in the first inning, but the Redskins got one run back in the second. They added two more in the third – sparked by a Parry’s first home run – and then knotted the score in the fourth, setting the stage for Parry’s blast.
While Parry led the Redskins’ 11-hit attack, Zach Tredway (2-for-4, 2 runs) and Evan Matthew (2-for-2, RBI, 1 run) also had multiple hits. Jake Jones had one RBI.
The Panthers collected just three hits off a pair of Redskins hurlers. Kyle Rovny earned the win, allowing two hits and four runs (none earned) while striking out two and walking none in five innings. Owen Foraker threw two scoreless innings, allowing one hit while fanning two and walking none.
Neshaminy (8-2, 4-1 SOL) will host Harry S Truman on Monday, and William Tennent (3-4, 2-2) will be on the road at Pennridge on Monday.
William Tennent 300 010 0 4-3-3
Neshaminy 012 140 x 8-11-2
LANSDALE CATHOLIC 6, WISSAHICKON 2
The Trojans were led by Matt Shilling’s 2-for-3 effort that included a double. Zack Culp, Logan Willans and Steven Loden were all 1-for-3.
Phil James and Antonio Bova combined for three scoreless inning of relief on the mound.
Wissahickon (3-6, 1-3 SOL) will travel to Upper Moreland on Monday.
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