SOL Baseball Wrap (4-3-23) – Suburban One Sports

Check out the recaps for SOL baseball teams in action Monday.

SOL Patriot Division

COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 4, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 3

It’s always safe to expect a battle when the sister schools meet in any sport, and Monday’s division showdown was no exception. The Golden Hawks took an early 3-0 lead and then withstood a Rock North comeback attempt.

“Today was a great win in response to a tough Neshaminy loss last week,” said Rock South coach Greg Paprocki, whose team was coming off a 12-11 loss to the Redskins. “Trey Sajeski made the start for us. He did not have his best stuff but battled to give us a shot to win the game.”

Sajeski threw 94 pitches in four scoreless innings before being relieved. He allowed just four hits and struck out six but walked seven.

The Golden Hawks put three runs on the board in the third inning. Braden Keller drew a leadoff walk, and Ryan Petrie legged out a bunt single. Sajeski helped his own cause with a single that plated Keller, and Petrie scored when Johnny Mendola lofted a sacrifice fly to right field. A sacrifice fly to center field by Chase Ennis gave the Golden Hawks a 3-0 lead.

The Indians made it a 3-2 game with a pair of runs in the fifth. Lukas Mullen and Nick DiGiacomo opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and when Brian Curry walked, the Indians had the bases loaded with none out. It looked as though the Hawks might see their way out of the inning after back-to-back strikeouts, but Nolan Riesenberger lined a two-out, two-run single to right field to make it a one-run game.

Rock South answered with a run in the bottom of the inning when Petrie, who led off with a single, scored from third on a groundout.

In the top of the sixth, Quinn Erlandsen and Lukas Mullen collected one-out singles, and with two outs, Erlandsen scored on a balk to pull the Indians to within one, but they would get no closer.

“Our bullpen stepped up in a big way,” Paprocki said. “Freshman Reed Curtier did a great job out of the pen and turned the ball over to senior AJ Pirone, who shut the door in the seventh.”

Sajeski led the Golden Hawks’ eight-hit attack, finishing the day 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored out of the leadoff spot. Mendola was 2-for-2 with an RBI. Petrie was 3-for-3 with two runs scored.

“It was a cold windy day and a tough day for any offense,” Paprocki said. “We were able to manufacture runs by putting the ball in play and moving runners.

“Guys like Johnny Mendola, Braden Keller and Ryan Petrie really put together some quality at bats which led to runs on the board.”

For the Indians, Mullen was 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Council Rock South (3-2, 2-1 SOL) will travel to Pennsbury on Wednesday, and Council Rock North (3-2, 2-1) will host Neshaminy on Wednesday.

Council Rock North 000 021 0 3-7-1

Council Rock South 003 010 x 4-8-2

NESHAMINY 8, BENSALEM 1

Ryan Fox – who took a one-hit shutout into the seventh – was in total command in Monday’s win over the Owls.

“Ryan Fox pitched an outstanding complete game for us today,” Neshaminy coach Dan Toner said. “Ryan was getting ahead of hitters and around the strike zone the entire game.”

Fox struck out eight and walked two in a contest that was a marked contrast to Neshaminy’s 12-11 win over Council Rock South in its previous outing that saw the Redskins use six pitchers.

The Redskins scored runs in each of the first five innings – a single run in the first, second and third innings. In the first, the Redskins benefitted from a leadoff walk and a sacrifice fly by Jake Kozlowski.

In the second, the Redskins were on the receiving end of a pair of walks with Mike Morrow’s RBI single accounting for the team’s run. Anthony Trommer, who led off the third inning with a triple to center, scored on a wild pitch, and the Redskins led 3-0.

The two-run fourth was highlighted by RBI singles from Jaymie Sariano and Trommer. “Anthony Trommer has been on fire on offense for us,” Toner said. “As our leadoff hitter, he is constantly getting into scoring position. Whether it’s an extra base hit to start the inning or hitting a single and being able to steal the bag, he is consistently putting hitters in RBI situations. He’s a fun player to have in your lineup.”

The Redskins tacked on two more runs in a fifth inning that included back-to-back doubles by Kozlowski and Stone Powell (RBI) to lead off the inning. Mike Amrhein added a two-out RBI triple to center that put the Redskins on top 7-0.

The two teams exchanged runs in the seventh. For Neshaminy, Rob De Buono led off the inning with a double and scored on a groundout.

In the bottom of the inning, Zach Lentchner singled and scored when Kaden Lavendar doubled.

Trommer’s 3-for-4 effort out of the leadoff spot led the Redskins. He tripled, scored a pair of runs and drove in a run. Del Buono was 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored.

For the Owls, Lavendar was 2-for-2 with a double and RBI.

Neshaminy (4-1, 2-1 SOL) will travel to Council Rock North on Wednesday, and Bensalem (0-3) will host Holy Ghost Prep in a non-league game Thursday.

Neshaminy 111 220 1 8-13-1

Bensalem 000 000 1 1-3-0

SOL Colonial Division

CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 4, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3

Talk about dramatic endings. This was it.

Trailing their neighboring rivals 3-2, the Bucks were down to their final out when Quinn Illig stepped to the plate with a runner on first and ripped a fullcount pitch to deep left field for a dramatic walk-off home run in the completion of a game that was halted due to weather last Monday.

“Quinn worked a great at-bat with two outs in the bottom of the seventh,” West coach Brian Weaver said. “He got it all the way to a full count, and he hammered the payoff pitch.

“You do that at-bat in your backyard all the time when you’re a kid. It’s pretty cool to get that chance in an actual game, against a rival school, and make the most of it. He was one of the unsung heroes of last year’s stretch run to the playoffs. This year we’ve needed him to step into a bigger role and he keeps answering the bell.”

While Illig stole the spotlight with his seventh inning blast after the Patriots took a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh, he was not the only player to come up big for the Bucks. There would have been no late-game heroics had it not been for the effort on the mound of Julio Ermigiotti, who was the pitcher in last week’s start to the game and came back to complete it Monday. He scattered six hits and allowed three runs (two earned) while striking out 11 and walking four.

“Today starts and ends with Julio Ermigiotti,” Weaver said. “Our pitching staff has struggled the past week, but in both the beginning of this game last Monday and today’s finish, Julio dictated play. He was something like 25 first-pitch strikes out of 31 batters and was very locked in over the course of the game. He controls all of his pitches, and he and Max McGlone worked the game plan exceptionally well.”

The two teams exchanged runs in the second, and West went on top 2-1 in the fifth when Will Hogenauer, who led off the inning with a single, scored on Illig’s double to center. East evened the score with an unearned run in the sixth and then took a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh. Chase Fulford led off the inning with a single, stole second and scored when Jack Mislan lined a single to left, but that one-run lead wasn’t enough.

Illig led the Bucks’ seven-hit attack with a 2-for-4 effort out of the leadoff spot that included a double, home run, three RBIs and a run scored. Hogenauer was 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored.

“Quinn Illig and Will Hogenauer stole the show at the plate,” Weaver said. “Will drove in our first run and set the table for each of Quinn’s at-bats in the latter part of the game. He scored from first on Quinn’s triple and worked a big walk in the bottom of the seventh.”

For the Patriots, Fulford was 2-for-4 with a run scored out of the leadoff spot. He had the only multi-hit game for East.

“East can be a scary team this year,” Weaver said. “Everybody knows they can hit the ball a mile, but Kyle’s got them bunting, stealing a ton of bases…

“Adding that dimension of pressure makes them that much more dangerous. They scored a couple of runs that way and took advantage of every mistake. I’m proud that our guys took those blows but still bounced back to close it out in the last frame.”

Central Bucks West (2-1, 1-1 SOL) will travel to Perkiomen Valley for a non-league game Thursday, and Central Bucks East (1-3, 1-1) will host Pennridge on Tuesday.

Central Bucks East 010 001 1 3-6-1

Central Bucks West 010 010 2 4-7-1

SOL Liberty/Freedom crossover

UPPER MORELAND 3, UPPER DUBLIN 1

Jimmy Torpey – according to his coach – didn’t have his best stuff, but he had enough to limit a dangerous Upper Dublin squad to seven hits and one run in five-and-a-third gutsy innings. He also drove in a run as the Golden Bears notched the impressive win in Monday’s crossover game.

“What else is there to say about Jimmy other than he was his usual fantastic self even without his best stuff,” UM coach Jim Fasano said. “I don’t want to take these starts for granted, but he gives us a chance every time he’s on the mound and will go down as one of UM’s all-time great pitchers.”

The Cardinals scored their only run in the top of the first when Jared Levis, who led off with a single to center, scored on Aiden McCarthy’s two-out triple to left field.

The Golden Bears wasted little getting that run back, plating two of their own runs in the bottom of the inning. Shawn Townsend and Nate Kelly opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Both runners advanced on a groundout. Shawn Townsend scored when Jackson Townsend lofted a sacrifice fly to left, and Torpey’s single to left plated Kelly with the go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the third, Jackson Townsend stroked a two-out double to right that plated Kellly, who singled. That 3-1 score stood the rest of the way.

Torpey was relieved by Colin Fell with one out and a runner on first in the sixth. Fell retired all five batters he faced to earn the save. He struck out three.

Torpey – who picked up his third win in as many starts – allowed seven hits and one run in 5.1 innings. He struck out nine and walked two.

“He pitched with runners on base most of the game and was helped tremendously by his senior battery mate, Paul Meyers, who picked two runners off second base,” Fasano said.

Jackson Townsend was the catalyst in a contest with limited offense for both sides, finishing 1-for-2 with a double and two RBIs.

“Jackson Townsend proves again and again why he belongs on varsity and in the middle of our lineup,” Fasano said. “The kid is unfazed and consistently has quality at bats.”

Nate Kelly was 2-for-3 with two runs scored in the crossover victory against the 2022 District 1 champions.

“I’m proud of our guys and happy for Nate Kelly who’s been hitting balls hard with little to show for his efforts,” Fasano said. “But he’s a great kid and I’m not surprised a couple fell in today.”

For the Cardinals, Jared Levis was 2-for-4 with a run scored out of the leadoff spot.

Upper Moreland (3-2, 2-1 SOL) will travel to Wissahickon for another crossover game Tuesday, and Upper Dublin (2-2, 2-1) will host Souderton in a non-league game Tuesday.

Upper Dublin 100 000 0 1-7-0

Upper Moreland 201 000 x 3-7-1

Non-league

ABINGTON 15, PENNRIDGE 12

No lead was safe in this one.

Monday’s non-league game saw the two teams combine for 26 hits off seven pitchers, and the two teams were deadlocked at 12 apiece after a six-run Pennridge outburst in the top of the sixth.

The Ghosts answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a lead they would not lose, benefitting from a walk and a hit batter.

“Excellent baserunning by Darrell Andrews and Chase Goodson in the bottom of the sixth put us up for good,” Abington coach Bill Degan said.

Pennridge trailed 12-6 after five full innings. Highlighting its six-run sixth was a three-run home run by Matt Atchley. It was his second round tripper of the day. He also led off the top of the fourth with a solo shot to right field.

For the game, Atchley was 3-for-3 with a double, two home runs, five RBIs and three runs scored. Also for the Rams, Nick Leight was 3-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and three runs. Joey Gregoire was 2-for-5 with an RBI and run scored, and Noah Keating was 2-for-4.

For the Ghosts, Matt Worek was an impossible out, finishing 5-for-5 with a double, triple and three RBIs. Also contributing multi-hit days were Goodson (2-for-4, 2RBIs, 3R), Michael Judge (2-for-4, 3RBIs) and Nate Harley (2-for-3, 3R).

Four Abington pitchers saw action with Logan Moss notching the win, allowing two hits and one run while striking out two and walking one in one-and-a-third innings to close out the game. The Rams used three pitchers.

Abington (1-3, 0-2 SOL) will travel to Upper Dublin next Tuesday, April 11, and Pennridge (0-6, 0-2) will travel to Central Bucks East next Tuesday, April 11.