Wissahickon, North Penn, Neshaminy, Tennent, CB East and Hatboro-Horsham were winners in SOL baseball action Thursday. Check the recaps.
National Conference
NESHAMINY 3, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 2 (8 innings)
Zach Boop allowed his first runs of the season (only one earned) but still pitched well enough to earn his fifth win before leaving with two outs in the seventh after reaching the maximum 100 pitches. Zach Tredway earned the save, retiring the first batter he faced for the game’s final out.
“It was nerveracking, it was a good one,” coach Dan Toner said. “Zach gave up his first runs of the season, but that couldn’t last forever.
“It was nice because our pitching has been carrying us. Our hitting has been okay, but our hitting in those late innings really came through. Our offensive approach really helped us big time.”
The Redskins trailed 2-0 heading into the fifth as the Golden Hawks scored single runs in the second and fourth innings. An RBI single by Eric Jeronis accounted for the second-inning run, and Josh Kim had an RBI in the fourth.
Pinch hitter Ben Raab’s RBI single in the top of the fifth made it a 2-1 game. The ‘Skins manufactured a run in the sixth to tie things up. Ed Parry drew a walk and moved up to second and then third on wild pitches. He scored on a balk.
In the top of the eighth, Brian Nicholas got things started with a single, and he advanced to second on Parry’s sacrifice bunt.
“This was huge by Eddie,” Toner said. “Most people overlook the small ball and the bunt. He got two strikes on him while trying to attempt the bunt, and he got the third attempt down.”
Parry’s bunt loomed large when Jerry Scavone followed with an RBI single, plating Nicholas for a run that turned out to be the game winner.
“Those last couple of innings we turned it on a little bit,” Toner said. “We got it done when we needed to.”
Nicholas led the Redskins with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate.
Boop’s line for the game included three hits allowed and two runs (one earned) while walking five and striking out six. For the first time this season, he boasts an earned run average above 0.00 with an ERA of 0.21 He has allowed one earned run in 33.2 innings and has 33 strikeouts in that span.
Shane Walter was charged with the loss, allowing three hits and one run in three innings of relief.
Neshaminy (10-2, 6-1 SOL) will be on the road at Pennridge for a non-league game on Friday, and Council Rock South (5-5, 3-3) will travel to Abington on Friday.
Neshaminy 000 011 01 3-7-1
Council Rock South 010 100 00 2-3-2
Continental Conference
WILLIAM TENNENT 2, SOUDERTON 1 (8 innings)
The visiting Panthers were down to their final three outs and still hadn’t found a way to push a run across against Souderton ace Thylar Summarell.
“We couldn’t do anything,” Tennent coach Rick Penecale said. “That Summarell kid is really good, he’s really tough. We really didn’t hit him.”
Sean Jeffries gave the Panthers life when he reached first on a bunt to open the seventh inning. He moved up to second on an error and advanced to third on a groundout. Penecale called for a suicide squeeze, and David Scott delivered, laying down a bunt that plated the tying run.
One inning later, the Panthers won it, but not before giving Penecale some anxious moments. Cole Browne and Greg Delgado (single) reached base to open the inning, and both advanced on Joey Shannon’s sacrifice. It looked like the Panthers had squandered a golden opportunity when – as a result of a botched tag – no one scored on a fly ball to deep left.
“I thought we messed up the game at that point,” Penecale said.
With two outs, the Indians opted to walk Nick Cataldi intentionally to load the bases. A throw in the dirt on Dylan Mannon’s ground ball to the infield allowed the go-ahead run to cross the plate.
Dan McNamee – who entered the game with one out in the second – threw a scoreless eighth, and the big win was in the books for the Panthers.
“I just wasn’t happy with the way my starter was throwing, so I took him out,” Penecale said. “I don’t have a very long leash.”
McNamee allowed just four hits and one run with two strikeouts and two walks in 6.2 innings of work.
“Dan’s a senior, he’s been around,” Penecale said. “He’s a kid that’s always waited for his opportunity. He’s the kind of kid you root for. He came in and did the job. He’s a battler.
“He might weigh 115 pound soaking wet. He just comes in and battles. He doesn’t throw real hard. Whatever God gave him he uses. He’s not blessed with a great arm, but he knows how to pitch. He really did a great job today. He was incredible.”
No player from either side had more than one hit as the two teams combined for just seven hits.
“It was a tough game,” Penecale said. “We didn’t do a whole lot, but they’re the kind of games you have to win.
“It’s a tough league. Sometimes you have to find other ways to win a game. We had Pennridge on Monday. It was a big week for us. I wanted to see how we would play, whether we were pretenders or contenders. To win those two games, I think the kids are getting confident. We have a big game tomorrow, so we’ll see how things go.”
Jordan Morales absorbed the loss on the mound for the Indians.
William Tennent (5-4, 4-2 SOL) will be on the road at Central Bucks West on Friday, and Souderton (6-5, 3-2) will travel to Central Bucks South.
William Tennent 000 000 11 2-3-2
Souderton 001 000 00 1-4-3
NORTH PENN 7, PENNRIDGE 3
Kyle Yoder’s RBI single in the top of the first spotted the visiting Rams an early 1-0 lead. That lead disappeared quickly in the bottom of the first when the Knights pushed three runs across.
The Knights’ first-inning rally started with Tyler Siddal reaching base on an error and included a double by Ryan Bealer as well as RBI singles Zack Miles and Joe Picozzi.
Trace Coulter was safe on an error to open the second, and again, the Knights capitalized. After a Bealer single, Corey Stouffer delivered an RBI double, putting the Knights on top 4-1. The Rams got one of those runs back in the third, and that 4-2 score stood until the fifth when the Knights added a pair on Dan Drop’s two-run pinch double that put the Knights on top 6-2.
The Knights’ two, three, four and five hitters were a combined 8-for-16. Bealer (double, two runs), Miles (RBI, run), Stouffer (double, 2 RBIs, run) and Billy Collins (double, run) all finished the game 2-for-4. Siddal scored two runs.
Matt Stevenson earned the win, allowing four hits and two runs (both unearned) while walking four and striking out six. Ricky Henning did not allow a hit in a scoreless seventh to earn the save.
Andrew Fantaskey (2-for-4, two runs), Joe Robinson (2-for-2), Kyle Yoder (1-for-3, 2 RBIs) led the Rams at the plate.
Andrew Mayhew absorbed the loss, allowing eight hits and six runs (three earned). The Rams’ ace fanned one and walked two.
North Penn (10-1, 4-1 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks East on Friday, and Pennridge (5-7, 3-3) will host Neshaminy in a non-league game.
Pennridge 101 000 1 3-6-2
North Penn 310 021 x 7-10-2
American Conference
HATBORO-HORSHAM 11, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 1(6 innings)
The Hatters pounded out 13 hits and scored in five out of six innings in the abbreviated contest.
On a day that saw the seniors lead the way, Colin Kennedy stole the spotlight, tossing a complete game win. In six innings, he allowed five hits and one run while striking out four and walking a pair.
Kennedy also sparked the offense, going 3-for-3 with a double, walk, one RBI and two runs scored. Senior catcher Shaun Thomas was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Senior right fielder Drew Passerini was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Senior designated hitter Ryan Long was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Senior first baseman Brian Edgington drew three walks.
Noel Franzyk, who absorbed the loss on the mound, and Nick Pave both had doubles to lead the Spartans.
Hatboro-Horsham (9-5, 7-3 SOL) is off until Tuesday when the Hatters will travel to Upper Moreland. Springfield (6-4, 3-4) will be on the road at Cheltenham on Tuesday.
Springfield 000 100 1-5-2
Hatboro-Horsham 301 142 11-13-0
WISSAHICKON 12, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 2
The Trojans led 3-0 after two innings and took a 7-1 lead into the top of the seventh when they erupted for five funs.
Eddie Fortescue (3-for-4, double) and Steven Loden (3-for-5, two doubles) led the Trojans’ hit parade with three hits each. Adding two hits each were Matt Shilling (2-for-4), Andrew Seitz (2-for-4) and Mike Schoenleber (2-for-5). Ben Maltin (1-for-3) and Trey France (1-for-4) also contributed. Seitz, Loden, Maltin, Fortescue, France and Schoenleber all had RBIs.
France earned the complete game win, allowing seven hits and two runs. He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter.
For the Colonials, Drew Kliesh was 2-for-4 with a home run, RBI and run scored. Brad Krenicky also had a hit and RBI. Jack Morgan was 1-for-3 with a triple and run scored.
Jake Kuruc absorbed the loss on the mound.
Wissahickon (5-6, 3-3 SOL) will travel to Quakertown on Friday, and Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-8, 1-5) will host Upper Moreland on Friday.
Wissahickon 210 040 5 12-14-1
Plymouth Whitemarsh 001 000 1 2-7-6
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 10, BISHOP McDEVITT 0 (5 innings)
Junior Jack Roland tossed a no-hitter in Thursday’s abbreviated non-league game. While that in itself is an accomplishment, making it even more remarkable is the fact that he needed just 37 pitches to do it.
“He threw 28 strikes,” coach Kyle Dennis said. “He just forced them to put the ball in play.”
McDevitt had just one base runner, and that came on an error.
“The interesting part – on the next pitch, our catcher picked that runner off at first base,” Dennis said. “He faced the minimum of 15.”
Thursday’s start was the second of the season for Roland, who fanned two and did not walk a batter.
“He pitched last week against Hatboro, and he struggled a little bit,” Dennis said. “We didn’t really defend behind him too well. He pitched two innings and took the loss. He didn’t really have his command.
“We’ve been talking about our philosophy of throwing strikes and just competing and really trying to just challenge hitters. He really took that and ran with it today, and he was very, very effective.
“He’s not going to overpower anybody, but he’s going to command the strike zone, he’s going to throw strikes, and he’s going to force guys to put it in play. He kept the ball down. They only hit one or two balls out of the infield, so everything was ground balls. He just really did a nice job.”
The Patriots scored three runs in the first and added three more in the second. They brought an early end to the game with four in the fifth.
The Patriots – who benefitted from five McDevitt errors and seven free passes – had nine hits. Sean E’nama was 1-for-3 with a double, RBI and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot. CJ Gillmer was 1-for-2 with an RBI and run scored. Will Masterson was 1-for-2 with an RBI, and Collin Sheehan was 1-for-3 with a triple, RBI and run scored. Jimmy Parrish was 1-for-2 with an RBI and run scored, and Andrew Neat was 1-for-2 with an RBI. Owen Roche was 1-for-2 with a double RBI and run scored. James Pello also had an RBI.
Central Bucks East (5-5, 2-3 SOL) will host North Penn on Friday.
Central Bucks East 330 04 10-9-1
Bishop McDevitt 000 00 0-0-5
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