Check out the recaps for SOL baseball teams in action Friday.
SOL National Conference
NESHAMINY 5, HARRY S TRUMAN 1
The Redskins used the winning combination of solid pitching and timely hitting to earn their third conference win of the season – fifth overall – without a loss. Jake Fehrle and Max Temple combined for a four-hitter.
“Jake Fehrle pitched a very good game again, and Max Temple did a great job closing it out,” Neshaminy coach Dan Toner said. “Our pitching staff is off to a nice start.”
The Redskins plated all the runs they would need in a three-run first. Gus Natelli singled to lead off the inning, and one out later, he scored on a groundout by Cory Joyce. Then came a string of back-to-back-to-back doubles by Joe Kaleck, Dalton Turner (RBI) and RJ Christie (RBI), spotting the Redskins an early 3-0 lead.
The Tigers got one of those runs back in the second when Christian Culver delivered an RBI single. The Redskins tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth to seal the Tigers’ fate.
Kaleck was 3-for-3 with a double and run scored while Christie was 2-for-2 with a double, two RBIs and a run.
“RJ Christie, Joe Kaleck, Gus Natalie and Dalton Turner stepped up today to help us on offense,” Toner said. “Each game we have had different and multiple players contribute to the wins. It’s good to see.”
Fehrle notched the win, allowing four hits and one run (unearned) while striking out six and walking two in five innings. Temple threw two scoreless innings in relief to earn the save, striking out three and walking one.
Neshaminy (4-0, 3-0 SOL) will travel to Penn Charter for a non-league game Saturday, and Harry S Truman (1-2, 1-1) will be on the road at La Salle Saturday for a non-league contest.
Harry S Truman 010 000 0 1-4-3
Neshaminy 300 110 x 5-8-2
PENNSBURY 14, BENSALEM 4 (5 innings)
The Falcons scored early and often and put the game away with an eight-run fourth.
In the top of the first, the Owls plated a single run, but the Falcons answered with three in the bottom of the inning. Highlights of the inning included a leadoff double by Shane Marlin, a single by Sam Ruta, and an RBI double by Sam Spadea.
They led 6-4 heading into the bottom of the fourth when they exploded for eight runs. Ruta delivered the big blow – a three-run double. Earlier in the inning, Justin Fogel hit a two-run double, and Justin Massielo also doubled in the inning.
Shayne Ostrowsky earned the win and improved to 3-0 on the young season. He threw three innings, allowing eight hits and four runs while striking out two and walking one. Sean Hochhausler allowed two hits in two scoreless innings in relief.
The Owls held a 10-8 advantage in hits, but seven of the Falcons’ eight hits were for extra bases.
Ruta had a productive day at the plate to lead the Falcons, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, triple, four RBIs and two runs. RJ Huth hit a solo home run to lead off the third. Marlin, Fogel, Massielo and Spadea all had doubles.
The Falcons – who did not commit an error – delivered several defensive gems, according to coach Joe Pesci.
“Massielo robbed a bases-loaded hit, diving and rolling up the middle and flipping the ball to Doherty at second base,” the Falcons’ coach said. “Ruta also made a great running snag in the hole and threw across his body to make a play at first.”
Pennsbury (5-1, 2-0 SOL) will host Archbishop Wood Saturday in a non-league game, and Bensalem (1-2) will host Lincoln in a non-league game Friday.
Bensalem 101 20 4-10-4
Pennsbury 321 8x 14-8-0
SOL Continental
SOUDERTON 2, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 0
In a classic pitcher’s duel between Ryan Rieber and Jordan Morales, it was Morales tossing a complete game two-hit shutout in a battle of the conference’s lone unbeaten squads.
“Jordan did awesome,” Souderton coach Mike Childs said. “Out of his three years, I saw some good performances by him, but I think today was the absolute best by him.
“He usually throws well. His nervous energy turned into positive energy. He was firing the ball, he was placing the ball in spots. It’s early in the season, so the ball looks that much faster, but he was throwing very well speed-wise.”
Morales posted a dazzling line that included 14 strikeouts and no walks in an overpowering effort.
“He struck out the first eight out of nine batters,” Childs said. “To throw a complete game this early in the season – he wanted it and said, ‘Hey coach, I feel good, I feel good.’ He was definitely dominant on the mound today.”
The Indians scored the game's only runs in the bottom of the first. Conlan Wall led off the inning with a single, and the bases were loaded with none out after Luke Taylor singled and Jake Horton was hit by a pitch. Frank Pollack’s single to left on a 2-2 pitch plated a pair. That would be the extent of the scoring for either teams as Rieber settled into a groove of his own.
“These guys have been battling all year so far,” Childs said. “It doesn’t matter who it is – these guys have been getting two-strike hits. They’re battling with two strikes on them and coming up big in clutch situations.
“We probably could have scored more runs if we executed a little bit better, but it’s still early in the year and we’ll take it behind Jordan’s pitching performance. We played good defense and had some good defensive plays against a very good CB South team.”
Wall led the Indians with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate. He scored one run. Moses Clemens was 2-for-3 with a double.
“What was nice we came out of the gate and batted (Rieber) around a little bit, but we let him settle in, and he felt comfortable the rest of the game,” Childs said. “We had scoring opportunities but didn’t finish them off. It’s something we have to work on. What’s nice is it’s definitely a team atmosphere the 14 seniors are building with the group. These guys are playing well, they’re playing together, and that’s what you want as a coach.”
Jake Trachtenberg accounted for both of South’s hits off Morales.
Rieber allowed six hits in five innings while fanning seven and walking none. Joe Martino threw a scoreless inning in relief.
Souderton (4-1, 2-0 SOL) will host North Penn Friday.
“You can’t sleep on anybody in our league, especially North Penn,” Childs said. “They have some injuries, but they always reload, and Kevin (Manero) does a good job of putting the right people in the right spots.”
Central Bucks South (3-1, 2-1) will host Pennridge on Tuesday.
Central Bucks South 000 000 0 0-2-1
Souderton 200 000 x 2-7-0
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 5, PENNRIDGE 3
Thursday's game was more than just a conference game for the host Bucks.
CB West held its annual Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer game, extending a tradition that began in 2016. In the Bucks' last home game of the 2016 season, they welcomed Dominic Liples, a young resident of Doylestown battling brain cancer, to throw out the first pitch.
Liples passed away a few months later in December of that year, but he left a lasting impact on the program.
As its done the last three years, West hosted Dominic's younger brother Ciarlo to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Thursday, and it helped spark a great start behind senior pitcher Brian Gilvary.
“It’s really special for us, it’s been special for West baseball the past couple years,” Gilvary said. “We really look forward to having Ciarlo and his family out here. Us having him out here is a tradition and we love him, and any time he comes by, we’re a little more hyped up.”
The senior right-hander went six innings, allowing two runs while striking out six batters. Gilvary retired the first nine hitters of the game and retired the Rams in order four of the first five innings.
“Brian is like conducting the world’s greatest orchestra in that you call a pitch and he hits it,” CB West coach Brian Weaver said. “He can dance all over. Today, there were several innings where he was between eight to 12 pitches, just boom, boom, boom."
CB West also didn't take long to get on the scoreboard.
Ryan Rudek worked a leadoff walk, then stole second and moved to third on a single by Rhys Nicholas. Rudek then scored when a throw trying to get Nicholas stealing second was off the mark. Gilvary aided his own cause with a sacrifice fly to left and Matt McCarthy's RBI single made it 3-0.
The Bucks added two more runs on a pair of wild pitches in the second inning for a 5-0 lead. In two innings of work, the Bucks tagged Rams’ starting pitcher Jimmy Petrik for four hits and three walks and took advantage when needed.
"That was the biggest thing, the pitches he was leaving over the plate – we were hitting," Weaver said. "The pitches he left off the plate, we were able to lay off and we worked into some really good at-bats. Our base-running was pretty sharp in those innings too and we were able to take advantage of the situation."
CB West would have to make the five runs hold up as Rams’ reliever Jon Nase came in and shut the door the next four innings. Nase allowed just one runner while ringing up six batters and kept the window open for his team to get back in the game.
Gilvary got into a little trouble in the fourth, walking two batters that allowed Nick Christ to bring one home on an RBI single. The righty slipped out of the spot without further damage, but two Bucks errors in the sixth inning allowed another Pennridge run to score before Gilvary escaped a bases-loaded jam on a ground ball to short.
“Getting out of those innings is always big and it helps get everyone hyped up,” Gilvary said. “I was in a grind, but I felt comfortable. I felt good the whole game.”
Julian Murray picked up the save for CB West, shaking off a tough start to the seventh to do so. After three straight runners reached on two-strike counts, with Paul Croyle delivering an RBI single to make it a two-run game, Murray came back with three strikeouts in a row to seal the win.
“We’d had five games in five school days so yesterday was a good day to fundamentally work on the things we needed to work on,” Weaver said. “The combination of being able to zero in again and the fact we had the fundraiser today, whenever Ciarlo is here, the guys get really amped up and it showed the first couple of innings.”
Central Bucks West (3-2, 2-1 SOL) will be on the road at Emmaus Monday for a non-league game, and Pennridge (1-3, 0-2) will travel to Central Bucks South Tuesday.
Pennridge 000 101 1 3-2-2
Central Bucks West 320 000 x 5-5-3
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 10, NORTH PENN 3
The Patriots notched a big win over the defending conference champion Knights, and it was Nick Bitsko stealing the spotlight for the winners at the plate and on the mound.
“Any win is a good win in the conference,” coach Kyle Dennis said. “Nick Bitsko put us on his back early in the game.
“He goes out – it’s his first start of the year and gets a one-two-three inning, which we haven’t had a lot of defensively this year. He’s our leadoff hitter as well, and he leads off the game with a home run to give us an early lead. That was a really nice start to the game.”
Bitsko – who homered to right field to lead off the first and also had a solo shot in the fourth – was 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs and two RBIs.
“Nick’s been unbelievable this year offensively,” Dennis said. “He’s been fantastic. At the top of the lineup to have a guy like that, especially a guy who’s got a little bit of pop – he’s got three home runs on the season already. He has eight hits – three are home runs and two are doubles on top of the six walks. He’s doing some phenomenal things right now at the plate.”
Bitsko also earned the win on the mound, allowing one hit and two runs (one earned) in 2.2 innings. He struck out four and walked three.
“He’s been lined up to close a couple of games this year, and we haven’t been in a situation where we needed him to close,” Dennis said. “It’s early in the season, and we’re being careful with all of our pitchers.
“He was up between 50 and 60 pitches, and we’re always being very careful with all of our guys this early in the season. We really haven’t extended anyone much beyond that.”
Balke Ravkin scattered three hits over the final 4.1 innings, allowing just one run (unearned) while striking out six and walking two.
“Blake Ravkin has been itching to get out there a little bit,” Dennis said. “He had an opportunity today, and he cashed in on it. He did a great job.
“He was on our staff last year as a sophomore, mostly in a relief role, and he was chomping at the bit to get some action. He’s the kind of kid that asks you every day, ‘Am I pitching today? Am I pitching today?’ He wants to pitch, and he wants to show what he can do. He cashed in on an opportunity today and did a great job for us.”
The Knights briefly knotted the score 1-1 with an unearned run in the second, but the Patriots plated two in the bottom of the inning. The Patriots benefitted from a single by David Bloom, a Knight miscue and an RBI single by Bitsko. They scored runs in each of the first four innings and led from wire to wire.
Bloom (2-for-3, RBI, run) and Andrew Whinney (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) also finished the game with multiple hits for the Patriots. Colin Weber singled and drove in a run. James Pello and Cole Allen also each contributed an RBI.
Chris McLean accounted for two of the Knights’ four hits, finishing the day 2-for-3 with a run score.
Central Bucks East (2-2, 1-2 SOL) will host Council Rock South in a non-league contest Monday, and North Penn (2-3, 0-1) will travel to Souderton Friday.
North Penn 011 001 0 3-4-3
Central Bucks East 122 302 x 10-10-2
SOL American Conference
WISSAHICKON 1, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 0
Quinn Rovner – outdueling Springfield’s Ethan Hamilton in a classic battle – turned in a two-hit masterpiece to lead the Trojans to their first win in conference play.
“Quinn was outstanding,” coach Andy Noga said. “I think he was at 60 pitches going into the seventh inning.
“He just challenged the Springfield hitters, and our pitching coach, Andrew Huebner, did a fantastic job calling pitches and working with our pitchers all year, so credit to Quinn because it was a big game early in our season. He wanted the ball, and he was outstanding today in a big-time spot for us early in the season.”
The Trojans scored the only run Rovner would need in the third inning. Jackson Tappan reached base on an error and moved up to second on a sacrifice by JT Culp. He scored on Brian Mendardt’s line single to left field.
“Their pitcher made a good pitch and kind of jammed him a little bit, but Brian was able to stay inside the ball, put a good swing on it and it dropped in there,” Noga said.
Rovner – who struck out seven and walked only one – made that 1-0 lead stand.
“Quinn can throw three pitches for strikes, and he had them all going today, and he just filled it up,” Noga said. “Him and our pitching coach were on the same page, and they just dominated.”
Noga acknowledged the importance of the conference win.
“Obviously, 0-2 is not how we wanted to start the season,” the Trojans’ coach said. “We knew we were going against two of the better teams in the league to start our league season, and they were tight games. A couple different plays, a bounce a different way, we make the play, we get a clutch hit, and they could be two different games. We could be 2-0 or 1-1.
“We really came back. The guys knew we needed a win, and they responded today, albeit in a tight game, and we came out on top.”
Hamilton was impressive in the loss, scattering four hits and allowing just one run (unearned) while striking out four and walking none.
“Credit to the Springfield pitcher,” Noga said. “He battled. He was pitch for pitch with Quinn, and he very well could have came out on top, but lucky for us, Quinn worked out of a big-time jam in the top of the seventh inning.”
The Spartans – thanks to a single, double and walk – loaded the bases with none out. After a force-out at home plate for the inning’s first out, Rovner struck out the next two batters he faced to put an exclamation point on the win.
Wissahickon (2-3, 1-2 SOL) will host Cheltenham on Tuesday, and Springfield Township (1-2) will host Esperanza Academy Friday in a non-league game.
Springfield Township 000 000 0 0-2-2
Wissahickon 001 000 x 1-4-1
UPPER DUBLIN 2, ABINGTON 1
Elijah Peck delivered a one-out RBI single in the seventh to propel the Flying Cardinals to the dramatic walk-off win.
“I know this Abington team is a tough one and has a lot of seniors and upperclassmen,” coach Ed Wall said. “It was a hard-fought win.”
Carter Pestrak led off the seventh with a single up the middle. John Kohlbrenner came in to pinch run and stole second. He moved up to third on a passed ball, setting the stage for Peck’s heroics.
“With two strikes – it was lefty on lefty, and Elijah just went with it and hit a line drive through the six hole down the left side,” Wall said. “That was clutch.
“We had a couple of two-out hits that were really big. Elijah obviously with the biggest on there at the end.”
Jared Lamberg turned in a strong outing on the mound for the Cardinals, allowing three hits and one run while striking out three and walking three in five-and-a-third innings. Wall had nothing but good things to say about his senior starter.
“In the second inning, he faced four batters, the fifth inning he faced four batters, and the sixth inning when he ran into trouble a little bit – he started the inning with a strikeout,” Wall said. “The other innings it was one-two-three. He did a fantastic job.
“I was really, really excited to see him do as well as he did. Knowing he was going to be needed this year as a reliable pitcher, he logged a lot of innings on the jayvee level for us last year just to get that experience. He doesn’t play a ton outside of school, so we knew he needed to get that experience. We wanted him to feel success and be able to work on some things, so we kept him down there. This year he’s really coming on, he’s getting better every outing that we’ve had. It’s a lot of fun to watch.”
Sean Curran, who earned the win, did not allow a hit or run and struck out one in an inning-and-two-thirds of relief.
The Cardinals put a run on the board in the second when Jarrod Matz, who singled, scored on Kyle Rizzo’s groundout. The Ghosts got that run back in the sixth when Cam Marrow delivered an RBI double.
Abington’s Justin Cuonnane scattered six hits and allowed just two runs in six solid innings, striking out three and walking two.
Upper Dublin (4-1, 3-0 SOL) will have a rematch at Abington Friday,.
Abington 000 001 0 1-3-2
Upper Dublin 010 000 1 2-6-1
HATBORO-HORSHAM 4, UPPER MORELAND 2
Junior RHP Benny Wilson led the Hatters with his arm and his bat in a 4-2 win over the host Upper Moreland Bears. Wilson earned the win with five innings pitched, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out 11. At the plate, he had a two-run single that gave the Hatters a 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth with two outs.
The Hatters had tied the game earlier in the four-run inning when junior second baseman Eric Thron hit a two-out RBI single to knot the game at 1-1. Bradan Mallon gave the Hatters more insurance with a pinch hit RBI single.
Sophomore closer, Jimmy Tooley, earned the save for the Hatters, striking out three in his two innings of work while allowing one run on no hits.
Tooley was 2-for-4 at the plate, while also making a great running catch in right centerfield while playing CF. Junior shortstop Jake Bianchini was also 2-for-4 at the plate. Tooley and Bianchini bat one-two for the Hatters and both had some hard hit outs.
HH senior outfielder Ryley Robinson made a highlight reel full extension diving grab of a line drive in centerfield.
For the Golden Bears, Ryan Gibbs was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Jack Dombrowski scored both runs.
Colin Bates absorbed the loss.
The win moved the Hatters to 5-1 overall on the year and 2-1 in the SOL American. The Hatters are scheduled to play at 4 PM on Friday in a nonleague game at Father Judge. Junior LHP Jackson Treski will get the ball for the Hatters. Upper Moreland (1-3, 0-3) – its seniors on a class trip – is off until Thursday when the Golden Bears will travel to Springfield Township.
Hatboro-Horsham 000 004 0 4-8-2
Upper Moreland 000 010 1 2-4-3
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