CR South & Upper Moreland were winners in SOL baseball action Monday. CR South/CR North photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos.
SOL Patriot Division
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 6, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 4
The Golden Hawks rallied for a win in a marathon contest, overcoming some adversity along the way to get the job done in Monday’s rivalry game that was halted after six innings due to darkness..
“This was the longest high school baseball game I’ve ever been a part of,” Rock South coach Greg Paprocki said of a contest that lasted over three hours. “Reed Curtier went down with some kind of oblique
injury – might have strained something in his leg to start the game in the first inning.
“So, we brought in Jimmy Clark, who is our 14-year-old freshman to pitch in a rivalry game with little warm up. When a guy like Reed is throwing, a lot of these guys assume – ‘He’s good to give us six innings.’ We have a freshman on the bench, and we have to throw him in in what’s a big rivalry game. He came in and was so composed and did such a great job.”
The injury slowed things down early, and it wasn’t the last mishap for the Hawks. That came in the top of the sixth with Rock North holding a 3-2 lead.
“We had a player – Ryan Hickey – get hit in the face – he went to bunt and fouled the bunt off into his forehead, he was laying on the ground, and we were worried about him,” Paprocki said. “He said he’s okay, and he was cleared by the trainer, so he came back, and he laid down a bunt that was ultimately the difference in the game, which is amazing.
“He laid down a perfect bunt, they throw it away – a kid saying he’s okay after getting hit in the face and laying it all out there for the team. I’m just so impressed with him.”
The tying run scored on Hickey’s bunt, and by the time the inning was over, the Golden Hawks led 6-3 on their way to the win in a contest that was halted after six full innings.
Jack Albright earned the win in relief.
Earlier, Rock South took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, capitalizing on a walk, an RBI double by Owen McLain and a sac fly from Billy O’Neill.
The Indians cut that lead in half with a run in the second, and they took a 3-2 lead after a two-run single by Preston Martin in the fifth.
By the numbers: Council Rock South: Jake Andrews (1-for-3, 2RBI), Billy O’Neill (1-for-1, 1RBI), Drew Nemeth (1-for-2, 1RBI, 1R), Owen McLain (2B)
Jimmy Clark (3.1 IP, 5H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 3K), Jack Albright (W) (1.2 IP 4H 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 2K)
Council Rock North: Will Cabo (2-for-3, 1RBI, 1R), Preston Martin (1-for-2, 2RBI, 1R)
Key inning: Top of sixth: With his team trailing 3-2, Billy O’Neill was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Johnny Mendola singled to left field. Then came Hickey’s sacrifice bunt and the error that plated a run and put runners on second and third. With one out, Nemeth singled home a run, and with two outs, Andrews delivered an RBI single that put the Golden Hawks on top 6-3.
Council Rock South coach Greg Paprocki: “We definitely had some setbacks, but our guys really battled through adversity, and we preach that all the time. We always talk about – when something bad happens to the team, how are you going to respond. When you have a guy like Reed Curtier on your team, and he goes down in the first inning in the biggest game of the year to that point, everybody is like ‘oh no,’ but they got their legs underneath them, took a deep breath, and they were back.
“I’m really proud of them. A lot of people got in – we had pinch runners, we had courtesy runners, we had pinch hitters, we had guys playing out of position sometimes, we had guys playing who weren’t anticipating getting in. So many guys got in, and I’m so happy for these guys to come out on top in a game like that and in those circumstances.
“To have a freshman give you four-plus innings and then our senior, Jack Albright, came in and shut the door. It was just such a gutsy win for these guys, and I’m really proud of them.”
Up next: Both schools are off until next Monday due to the senior class trip. Council Rock South (6-5, 4-3 SOL) will host Neshaminy next Monday, and Council Rock North (6-6, 2-5) will host Harry S Truman next Monday in the first of its three-game series.
Council Rock South 200 004 0. 6-10-1
Council Rock North 010 021 x. 4-9-2
SOL Freedom Division
UPPER MORELAND 12, LOWER MORELAND 1 (5 innings)
Nick Simons tossed a no-hitter in the abbreviated rivalry game between the neighboring schools.
The Golden bears took a 3-0 lead in the first and added three more in the third. A five-run fifth brought an early end to the game.
Colson Campbell, Mike Harter and Patrick Kilgus each drove in two runs.
By the numbers: Upper Moreland: Colson Campbell (2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2R), Mike Harter (1-for-3, 2RBI), Patrick Kilgus (2 RBI, 2R).
Nick Simons (W) (5.0 IP, 0H, 1R, 1ER, 5BB, 7K)
Key inning: Top of first: With one out, Jackson Towsend drew a walk, and Kilgus was safe on an error. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and both scored on a single by Campbell. With two outs, Jimmy Murray walked, and Zach O’Connor followed with an RBI single that gave UM a 3-0 lead.
Upper Moreland coach Jim Fasano: “It took us a little while to get going but by the third inning we started to string some quality at bats together.
“We have a great bunch of kids, their parents and families should be so proud. There are big games coming up, the next of which is on Wednesday against LM. I’m looking forward to practice tomorrow and continuing to improve with the boys.”
–Props: “Colson Campbell had two hits and two RBIs, every starter was on base at least once, so it was a nice team effort.
“Nick Simons did not give up a hit today in five innings, and while he walked 5 and gave up an earned run, he struck out seven and technically threw a no hitter so congrats to him. This just goes to show how good he can be when he pounds the zone consistently.
“Mike Harter started at DH today and gave us 3 barrels and 2 RBIs. Great kid who works incredibly hard, he is an awesome teammate and has nothing left to prove on JV. I am proud of and happy for that fine young man.”
Up next: Upper Moreland (8-3, 6-0 SOL) will host Lower Moreland (3-9, 1-6) in game two of the three-game series Wednesday.
Upper Moreland 303 15 12-10-0
Lower Moreland 000 01 1-0-7
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