Check out the recaps for SOL baseball teams in action Tuesday. (Souderton photo courtesy of Cindy Manero)
SOL Patriot/Colonial crossover
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 2, NORTH PENN 1 (8 innings)
It had been a tough week for the Golden Hawks.
And Tuesday’s crossover win over the Knights was exactly what the doctor ordered.
“This was a huge win for us,” Rock South coach Greg Paprocki said. “We were 0-4 last week coming off a hot start to the beginning of the season.
“These guys have been tremendous. We’ve talked about dealing with adversity all week – how important their response is, and today, they continued to stay the course, and they responded in a big way. I’m just so proud of them as a group.”
With ace pitcher Chase Ennis dealing with a tricep strain, the Hawks needed to find someone to step up and fill his spot in the rotation. That’s where sophomore Reed Curtier entered the picture.
In Tuesday’s win, Curtier allowed just two hits and one run (unearned) in seven stellar innings, striking out nine and walking two. He threw just 92 pitches – 62 for strikes.
“Reed Curtier has been tremendous,” Paprocki said. “Chase went down in the Council Rock North game, and we had to ask a sophomore to step up and be the guy on the mound for us, and he’s responded in such a big way. He’s been every bit of an ace as we could possibly ask for. He’s a heck of a competitor, and the kid just wants to win. He’s been just so big for us, and I’m super proud of him.”
Jack Albright, who earned the win, threw a 1-2-3 eighth, and the Golden Hawks won it in the bottom of the inning when Johnny Mendola, who lined a triple to right field to open the inning, scored the game-winner on a bases-loaded fielder’s choice.
“Johnny’s had ups and downs throughout the season,” Paprocki said. “We obviously have high expectations for him with him being such a tremendous talent, but just like the team – he’s kept a great attitude about it and continued to work hard throughout some of his struggles.
“To see him come up so big for us in such a big moment is great to see as a coach. I’m super proud of him, and I’m super proud of his attitude that he’s brought to the field each and every day no matter if things are going well or not. Part of being a great baseball player is being able to handle the high and lows. Johnny came up really big for us when we needed him the most, so I’m super proud of him.”
The walk-off win was set up by Mendola’s leadoff triple, and then Ennis – who is able to hit – received an intentional walk. A groundout to second for the inning’s first out was followed by an intentional walk to Mason Curtier to load the bases. That brought Reed Curtier to the plate. He hit a grounder to second, and Mendola scored on an errant throw to the plate.
“That was a great moment for us,” Paprocki said. “He needed to put the ball in play, and he did. We put a little bit of pressure on the defense. That’s a really hard play there, and fortunately for us, they threw it away, and we ended up on top.”
Earlier, the Golden Hawks scored an unearned run when Tyler Harper, who led off the third inning with a single, scored on an error.
That 1-0 scored stood until the top of the sixth when the Knights scored the equalizer. Jeremiah Criger singled to right to lead off the inning and – with two outs – stole second. He scored when Kevin Brace lined a double to right field, setting the stage for extra innings.
Knights’ ace Trevor Legura deserved a better fate than he received, allowing seven hits and two runs – both unearned – in eight innings. He struck out nine and walked one. He threw 96 pitches – 71 for strikes.
“Trevor is a heck of a pitcher, he’s a heck of a competitor,” Paprocki said. “It’s the second time we’ve faced him since I have been coaching here. He’s got playoff experience, he’s got experience being the ace of their team. He throws a lot of strikes, comes right at you, he pitches to both sides of the plate, and he’s obviously super disciplined, so hats off to him in what’s a tough loss for them. I have a lot of respect for him.”
Council Rock South (5-5, 4-4 SOL) will travel to Pennridge on Wednesday for a crossover game, and North Penn (6-5, 4-5) will be on the road at Bensalem for a crossover game.
North Penn 000 001 00 1-2-1
Council Rock South 001 000 01 2-7-1
SOUDERTON 3, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 1
The Indians have spent the season coming up just short.
Of their six league losses, four have been by one run and the other two have been by two runs. On Tuesday, Souderton turned the tables, notching a win that halted a three-game skid.
“We’re in every single game against all the top competition in the league,” Souderton coach Mike Childs said. “We’re just on the wrong side of the close scores. It’s nice to be on the winning side of it today.
“We’re getting great pitching, and our defense has been good, but we have been struggling to put up runs. Our pitchers have been phenomenal. Last year, these four guys – (Tyler) Lutz, (Jeremy) Fallon, (Grayson) Norris and (Austin) Kreyenhagen – were good pitchers, but they struggled to step up to number one. Right now, all four are number ones. We have to go on a rotation because they’re all doing really well. We just have to put up runs.”
Norris started and threw six standout innings, allowing four hits – only two after the first inning – and one run while striking out seven and walking one. Through his six innings on the mound, 14 of the 18 outs he recorded occurred on three pitches or less. Lutz did not allow a hit in a scoreless seventh to earn the save, striking out two and walking two.
“The combo of Norris and Lutz have been doing their job all year and I was glad they got the win today,” Childs said. “It was another 2-run game but happy to be on this side. We hope this win turns things around.”
The visiting Indians managed just four hits in Tuesday’s win but stole a season-high seven bases.
“We only got four hits, but they were timely hits, and we were putting guys in scoring position with stolen bases,” Childs said. “We started mixing some things up, trying some things.
“At the plate, Tyler Lutz and Connor Klock sparked our offense with extra base hits. This is without a doubt in my mind a playoff team – we just have to start playing believing in it.”
In the top of the first, Preston Martin and Will Scibona hit back-to-back singles, and with two outs, Nicks DiGiacomo drew a walk to load the bases. Norris came up with his third strikeout of the inning to end that threat.
Souderton answered with two runs in the bottom of the first. Fallon drew a leadoff walk, and with one out, Nick Turcillo drew a free pass. A double steal put both runners in scoring position. Fallon scored on an error, McKenna stole home, and the visiting Indians led 2-0.
Rock North made it a 2-1 game in the top of the fifth, manufacturing a run without getting a hit.
Souderton got that run back in the bottom of the sixth. Lutz led off with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice by Kreyenhagen. Evan Divens drew a walk, and Klock delivered an RBI single, giving the home team a 3-1 lead. Lutz did the rest, retiring the visitors in the seventh.
Klock was 2-for-3 with a triple and RBI to lead Souderton.
Souderton (3-8, 2-6 SOL) will travel to Council Rock South for a crossover game Thursday, and Council Rock North (7-4, 4-3) will host Central Bucks East in a crossover game Friday.
Council Rock North 000 010 0 1-4-1
Souderton 200 001 x 3-4-1
Non-league
PENNRIDGE 9, DOCK MENNONITE ACADEMY 4
The visiting Rams opened up a 5-0 lead after two innings and led wire to wire in Tuesday’s non-league road game.
Tommy Ginnetti led off the top of the first by lining the first pitch he saw into center field for a double. He scored on a Dock error on Ryder Olson’s grounder, and one out later, Olson, who stole second, scored on Connor Murray’s double to right. Noah Keating’s single to center plated a run that put the Rams on top 3-0.
In the bottom of the first, Gavin Forrester worked his way out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam with a force out at home, a strikeout and a line out to third base.
The Rams had another productive inning in the second. With one out, Zach Swanson drew a walk and stole second. He scored when Owen Gruver doubled to right field. Gruver advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Ginnetti’s sacrifice fly to center, and the Rams led 5-0.
Dock made it a 5-2 game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Rams got those back in the top of the sixth to go on top 7-2 on their way to the win.
The Rams collected 10 hits with multi-hit games from Ascher Hamburg (2-for-3, R), Keating (2-for-4, RBI, R) and Gruver (2-for-2, 2B, 2 RBIs, 2R).
Four pitchers saw action for the Rams. Forrester allowed three hits in three scoreless innings, striking out one and walking one. James Embert did not allow a hit in a scoreless sixth. Owen Dimmick and AJ Plizska also saw action on the mound.
Pennridge (6-3, 3-3) will host Council Rock South on Wednesday.
Pennridge 320 002 2 9-10-3
Dock Mennonite 000 020 2 4-8-2
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