Check out the recaps for SOL baseball teams in action Tuesday.
SOL Patriot/Colonial crossover
SOUDERTON 3, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2
The Indians brought a welcome end to a three-game skid, eking out a hard-fought road win in Tuesday’s crossover battle. A team meeting just might have played a role in the Indians’ change of fortunes.
“After three straight losses, we had a team meeting last Friday and reset some team goals,” Souderton coach Mike Childs said. “Today’s win was big for us to start moving back in the right direction.”
The game couldn’t have started out on a better note for the visiting Indians, who led 1-0 after a solo home run to left field by leadoff batter Chris McKenna. With one out in the first Ethan Warner singled to left and was replaced by courtesy runner Dylan Crietz, who stole second and scored on Joey Crecca’s single to center, spotting Souderton an early 2-0 lead.
Rock North cut that lead in half with a run in the second inning when Jadon Tang, who led off the inning with a single, scored on a Souderton miscue.
In the bottom of the fourth, the host Indians knotted the score when Leor Kedar, who led off with a triple to center field, scored from third on a wild pitch.
Souderton answered with the go-ahead run in the top of the fifth, thanks to consecutive one-out singles by Warner, Tyler Lutz and Crecca (RBI).
Warner (3-for-4, 2B) and Crecca (3-for-3, 2 RBIs) led the Indians’ attack. Lutz was 2-for-4.
“Chris McKenna did a great job kicking off the game with a solo homerun which fueled our 10-hit performance,” Childs said. “Warner and Crecca looked good at the plate each with three hits. Joey has been hot with the bat lately and it continued today adding two RBI’s.
“We are going to need their senior leadership at the plate to set the tone for the rest of the season. Being only a sophomore, Tyler Lutz is doing a nice job developing overall, adding two hits.”
Austin Kreyenhagen earned the win on the mound, allowing only three hits and two runs (one earned) in 6.2 innings. Grayson Norris closed it out with a four-pitch strikeout after Kreyenhagen reached the 100-pitch mark.
“Austin Kreyenhagen looked good today, holding them to two hits and striking out nine,” Childs said.
Souderton (6-6, 5-5 SOL) will host Council Rock South on Wednesday, and Council Rock North (4-8, 3-7) will be on the road at Central Bucks East.
Souderton 200 010 0 3-10-1
Council Rock North 010 100 0 2-3-0
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 3, BENSALEM 1
Owen Wheeler was in complete command on the mound.
The University of Maine commit allowed just two hits and one run while striking out nine and walking four. Wheeler was two outs away from a complete game when he reached his allowed pitch count, and Eric Hofmeister came in and closed it out for the win.
“The outcome is what we wanted – getting out of Bensalem with a victory was the goal, and we accomplished that,” South coach Kevin Bray said. “Owen had a real great day on the mound again, so that’s two outings in a row where he just controlled the strike zone. This was probably as close to a no-hitter as it could be with two hits. He did what he needed to do.
“We were really pleased with the way he controlled the strike zone. He got ahead of hitters early in the count. Ultimately, we were trying to get him through that game. It didn’t work out. We had Eric Hofmeister come in, and he rolled a double play and got us out of there with a W.”
The Owls got on the scoreboard with a run in the first when leadoff batter Yahil Almodovar, who singled, scored on a successful double steal.
In the third, the Titans erupted for three runs. Jordan Chui was safe on a miscue, and he scored one out later when Logan Hinds roped a triple to right field. Jake Yang grounded an RBI single to center, and after back-to-back walks loaded the bases, Yang scored on a balk.
Neither team scored the rest of the way.
Petrich was 3-for-4 with a double out of the leadoff spot for the Titans, who collected seven hits.
“Hunter Petrich was a sparkplug for us today,” Bray said. “He had three hits, he was on base three times and swiped a bag, so having him at the top of the lineup obviously set the tone for us early.
“Logan Hinds came up with a big RBI triple, which was huge, and Jake Yang continued that inning with a single up the middle that scored Logan. We put a crooked number up, and that’s always a good thing for us.”
For the Owls, James McGinty threw two scoreless innings in relief, allowing two hits while striking out two and walking one.
Central Bucks South (6-5, 5-4 SOL) will be on the road at Pennsbury on Wednesday, and Bensalem (4-9, 2-8) will host Pennridge on Wednesday.
Central Bucks South 003 000 0 3-7-0
Bensalem 100 000 0 1-2-2
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 9, PENNSBURY 7
The Bucks staged a late-game rally, scoring six runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined to erase a 6-3 deficit and earn the gutsy come-from-behind win. West was the home team in a game played at Pennsbury since its own fields were unplayable.
“It’s not in the scorebook, but Joe (Pesci), our athletic directors, and their assistants were huge making sure we could get this one in,” West coach Brian Weaver said. “He’s such a good coach, but especially in the things you don’t see in a game story. Getting his field ready so guys could play ball takes a lot of personal time and effort. Our ADs and their staffs have to scramble so much this time of year, and they find a way to do it every time.”
The game itself included peaks and valleys for both sides. With ace Kayden Faulcon on the mound and the Falcons holding a 6-3 lead, the Bucks knew they faced a daunting task, but they capitalized on several free passes – three walks and a hit batter – as well as a costly Falcon miscue to plate four runs in the fifth with the benefit of just one hit, but it was a big one, a two-out, two-run single by Alex Valdes that put the Bucks on top 7-6.
Aidan Kenney relieved Faulcon with two outs and the bases loaded.
“We knew with Faulcon we would have to be incredibly disciplined, especially when they hung so many crooked numbers on us to start things off,” Weaver said. “The guys did a great job staying within themselves, not doing a lot of chasing. Every hitter in the lineup reached base, and guys did a tremendous job of picking them up.”
An RBI double by Pennsbury’s Jordan Czerniak knotted the score in the top of the sixth, but the Bucks weren’t finished yet, going on top 9-7 after a two-run single by Quinn Illig in the bottom of the sixth.
Alex Jenkinson, who relieved Cayden Werz with two outs in the fourth, threw a 1-2-3 seventh to close out the game.
“On the mound, Cayden Wertz gutted out 3.2 innings,” Weaver said. “Pennsbury has one of the most dangerous lineups in the area, and he navigated around some trouble that could have been much worse.
“Alex Jenkinson was scheduled for relief, and we know he’s a guy who can give us an inning on the back end or a few innings to stretch out a game. He’s unflappable, the kind of guy who embodies just throwing one pitch at a time and focusing on what’s in front of him. Cayden is the same, so in a big game against one of the best teams in the area, we ran out two pitchers who were unfazed by the spotlight. Alex found a way through their lineup inning after inning, limiting damage and giving our guys a chance.”
Jenkinson earned the win, allowing three hits and one run (unearned) while striking out three and walking one.
At the plate, Will Hogenauer was 2-for-4 with three runs scored to lead the Bucks.
“No one guy stood out today because everything happened thanks to multiple guys,” Weaver said. “Max McGlone was on all four times and really catalyzed things, Sam Greer walked three times.
“Then you get Will Hogenauer moving guys around, Alex Valdes punching a ball through the second base bag to give us our first lead in the fifth, and Quinn Illig getting just enough of one to drive in the winners in the bottom of the sixth. But Quinn doesn’t have that chance if Colin McKenna, in as a courtesy runner, doesn’t make a phenomenal read and go first to third on a single to set him up. It was a great team win for the guys in a really back-and-forth game.”
For the Falcons, Czerniak led the way with a 3-for-4 effort that included two doubles and four RBIs. Jackson Freeman was 2-for-4.
“Pennsbury scored a bunch of different ways, and in the early innings, they took advantage of every walk, every error,” Weaver said. “Czerniak was especially outstanding at the plate today.
Central Bucks West (11-2, 8-2 SOL) will travel to Neshaminy on Wednesday, and Pennsbury (10-3, 7-3) will host Central Bucks South Wednesday.
Pennsbury 202 201 0 7-8-2
Central Bucks West 102 042 x 9-7-2
SOL Liberty/Freedom crossover
ABINGTON 4, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSIHP 2
Calvin Judge notched the complete game win in Tuesday’s crossover game, and Mike Judge led the Ghosts’ attack with a three-hit day at the plate.
“Calvin Judge has been really good for us this year,” Bill Degen said. “Today he threw a complete game. He scattered nine hits and struck out seven and gave up two earned runs.”
The Ghosts put a run on the board in the top of the first when Mike Judge, who singled with one out, scored on a line drive double to left field by Alex Dardaris.
In the bottom of the inning, the Spartans evened the score when Ryan Marcino lined a single to left that plated Jim Halligan, who led off the inning with a single.
The Ghosts took a lead they would not lose with two runs in the top of the third. With one out, Mike Judge singled, and Dardaris followed with his second double of the game. Both runners scored when Logan Moss lined a single to center field to put the Ghosts on top 3-1.
That lead grew to 4-1 in the fourth when Matt Worek’s double to center scored Chase Goodson, who singled and stole second.
The Spartans loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth, thanks to a walk and back-to-back singles by Brett Smith and Marcino, but Judge came up with a huge strikeout. A run scored on a groundout, but with runners on second and third, Judge ended the threat with a fly ball to right field.
The Spartans managed just one baserunner the rest of the way as Judge finished strong.
Mike Judge’s 3-for-4 game with two runs scored led the Ghosts. Dardaris was 2-for-3 with two doubles, and one RBI, and Moss was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
For the Spartans, Marcino was 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Smith was 2-for-4.
Abington (7-5, 6-3 SOL) will host William Tennent on Wednesday, and Springfield Township (4-8, 4-6) will travel to Wissahickon on Wednesday.
Abington 102 100 0 4-9-0
Springfield Twp 100 010 0 2-9-1
UPPER DUBLIN 12, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 0
Austin Dahl allowed one hit in six shutout innings in an impressive outing, and Billy Hart closed it out with a scoreless seventh while their teammates pounded out double-digit hits and runs.
For UD coach Ed Wall, there was a whole lot to like about the Cardinals’ performance in Tuesday’s crossover win.
“This was a great team win, belting out 16 hits by 13 different players but, the highlight of the game was Austin’s pitching,” Wall said. “He mixed his pitches really well, keeping the Lions batters off balance and getting a lot of weak contact.
“He worked out of a sixth inning jam, that included the first and only hit and allowed him to maintain the shutout and hand it off to Billy Hart for the seventh.”
Dahl struck out five and walked four – two of his walks came in the sixth when Nathan Klossner opened the inning with a single, the Lions only hit of the game.
A sac fly by Eric Berman put the Cardinals on the board in the top of the third, and an RBI single by Paul Stoffel in the fourth gave UD a 2-0 lead. A two-run fifth was highlighted by an RBI double from Austin Dahl.
The Cardinals added eight runs over the final two innings on their way to the big win.
For the Cardinals, Jared Levis was 2-for-3 with three runs scored out of the leadoff spot, and Berman was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Dahl was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
“Dahl, Berman and Jared Levis had a day at the plate – each with multiple hits and a pile of RBIs and runs scored,” Wall said of his one, two and four hitters who combined for six hits, five RBIs and five runs scored. “We’re excited for our Senior Day tomorrow home vs Lower Moreland.”
Upper Dublin (9-3, 9-1 SOL) will host Lower Moreland on Wednesday, and New Hope-Solebury (3-9, 2-8) will play Quakertown at DeSales University on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Upper Dublin 001 123 5 12-16-1
New Hope-Solebury 000 000 0 0-1-2
About the Author
