Council Rock South clinched the National Conference crown on Wednesday. Check out all of Wednesday’s results.
Scott Huff
Wow!!!
Council Rock South (13-1) won a Suburban One League National Conference championship in a most bizarre manner as the Golden Hawks soared to a 7-6 win over ‘host’ Bensalem (10-3).
The contest began on Monday but was suspended in the third inning due to rain with Rock South holding a 4-0 lead. The game was to be concluded on Wednesday, however, late night rains on Tuesday night made the Bensalem field unplayable. The venue was changed to South with Bensalem still the ‘home’ team in the scorebook.
Bensalem trailed 5-0 but scored six unanswered runs to snatch a 6-5 lead. The Owls scored five times in the fifth inning to take the lead on a pair of two run singles – one by Eric Ruud – and the other by Ryan Smith that tied the score. A bases loaded walk to Anthony Milcalizzi gave Bensalem the lead.
Council Rock South scored a single run in the sixth inning to knot the score, and scored what proved to be the winning run in the seventh on a passed ball.
Then came the funky ending as with two outs Bensalem senior Matt Smith hit a drive to leftfield and slid into third base as the potential tying run. However, an umpire conference ruled that the leftfielder held the ball long enough, and Smith was the third out of the game.
“The base umpire gave the safe sign, and it looked like the ball was in and out of his glove,” said Bensalem head coach Rick Lee. “Then the umpires got together, and the home plate ump decided that he caught the ball. It’s a tough call in that it decided not only a championship, but also a bye in the district playoffs. There is no guarantee that we would have tied the score, but I would like to see us get the chance.
“I don’t know, but I would have liked to have had an explanation,” added Lee. “After the umps called him out they took off for the parking lot.”
The game may have ended unsettled, but the conference standings are just as unsettled. A final game between Bensalem and Neshaminy has not been played – and it won’t be played Thursday. A Senior Class Trip will claim most of the Bensalem roster, and the Owls will not play another game until Monday.
“I don’t know what will happen with the seeding for districts,” said Lee as the District One meeting takes place on Thursday afternoon. “All I know is that we won’t be playing until Monday.”
Council Rock South Golden Hawks 004 101 1 -7 9 1
Bensalem Owls 000 150 0 -6 6 2
Neshaminy (8-5) is in a state of PIAA Quad-A District One limbo after the Redskins defeated visiting Council Rock North (9-5) in a Suburban One League National Conference contest – 4-1.
The state of limbo exists as Neshaminy still has a conference game with Bensalem still to play, however, there is a serious question as to whether when and if that game will be played (see above).
In order to get to that limbo state, the Redskins had to defeat Rock North – and Neshaminy did just that behind a wonderful game played by Justin Andrews. Andrews was the winning pitcher for the Skins with a complete game with eight strikeouts and zero earned runs. Andrews helped his own cause with three hits and two runs scored. Brendon Smith was a perfect 3-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI.
Council Rock North Indians 100 000 0 - 1 4 0
Neshaminy Redskins 202 000 x - 4 11 1
Harry S Truman (4-10) rallied from a 1-0 deficit as the Tigers scored 11 runs over the final four innings to handle host Abington (2-12) – 11-5. It was the Suburban One League National Conference season finale for both teams.
Truman Tigers 000 522 2 -11 13 1
Abington Ghosts 010 130 0 - 5 5 1
Wissahickon (11-7) rallied from a 5-2 deficit as the Trojans scored four runs in the third inning and marched to a 7-5 victory over visiting Upper Merion (4-14). It was the Suburban One League American Conference finale for both teams.
Dan Chou threw four and two-thirds innings of shutout relief to earn the victory for Wissahickon. JT Crits fueled the offense with two hits and three RBI.
Upper Merion Vikings 104 000 0 -5 7 3
Wissahickon Trojans 110 401 x -7 8 2
Upper Dublin (16-4) scored a run in the top of the ninth to earn a 4-3 non-league win over Springfield (Montco). Andrew Yekel and Jesse Kohler led the Flying Cardinals with two hits each.
Upper Dublin 001 101 001 4-10-3
Springfield (Montco) 011 010 000 3-7-1
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