Jarrad Saffren recaps all of Thursday’s SOL baseball action.
By Jarrad Saffren
Weather, weather, weather…weather…weather.
I know. I feel your pain. That is what baseball reporters have sounded like the past two weeks.
Well, I have bad news and good news from Thursday.
The bad news? There was weather (weather, weather, weather) Thursday.
The good news? It did not include rain (Cue clip of people running through the streets, jumping for joy, and tossing umbrellas to the side).
Nine Suburban One League baseball games went seven innings Thursday. Some went longer just for fun (And because the game was tied).
We have reached a crossroads in the 2016 season. A team is most likely out of the district playoffs after its sixth league loss. It becomes a spoiler after its seventh.
Eleven SOL teams have four, five, or six league losses after Thursday. Three suffered that seventh loss.
Rain has forced teams to pack the last two weeks with makeup games. It has also forced coaches to micro-manage pitching staffs. The deepest programs will emerge from the pack.
The results and recaps are below.
SOL National
Pennsbury 9, Harry S. Truman 0
Pennsbury won its fifth straight league game and improved to 7-3 in SOL National play.
Falcons coach Joe Pesci is still talking league title.
“If we win out, we need (Council Rock) North to lose two games,” Pesci said. “Then we can have a share of the league title. That’s what it’s about right now. We can only control what we can control.”
Pennsbury has certainly done that lately, offensively and defensively.
On Thursday, four players—Josh Tesarck, Justin Massielo, Justin Ward, and Ryan McCarty—had two hits each. Massielo and Tesarck both had two RBIs.
Zach Conley started and finished four innings. For the third straight start, Conley settled down after his “typical questionable first inning,” Pesci said. The lefty struck out two straight batters with men on second and third.
He fanned eight in all. Pennsbury led 5-0 after the fourth. Pesci called the lead “comfortable.”
“So we took Conley out,” Pesci added. “That way he can come back Monday or Tuesday for another league game.”
Nick Price pitched the next two innings and Alec Wilson slammed the figurative door in the seventh. Pitching committees piecing together games. You will see this a lot in the next two weeks.
“Everyone has one or two makeup games left. It will come down to pitching,” Pesci said. “We have a lot of kids we feel comfortable with.”
Pennsbury (9-5, 7-3 SOL) plays Bensalem Monday, Neshaminy Tuesday, and Council Rock South Thursday. Conley and Billy Bethel will start Monday and Tuesday in an order to be determined. Pesci is not sure how he will handle the rest of the week.
“We will have to see the game situations,” Pesci said. “The goal is always just to win the game right in front of you.”
Price and Jon Deiss both started and won a league game against Abington.
“We also have a good group of relievers with Wilson and the Wards (Vaughn and Justin),” Pesci said.
Harry S. Truman (3-11, 1-9 SOL) takes on Council Rock North Saturday.
Pennsbury 0-2-3-0-1-2-1 9
Harry S. Truman 0-0-0-0-0-0-0 0
William Tennent 7, Council Rock South 6
William Tennent kept its District One playoff hopes alive. Council Rock South joined the seven-loss club.
The Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Ryan Lucas, Paul McElroy, and Nick Cataldi all ripped singles to the outfield. Cataldi’s liner plated Lucas and McElroy.
The Hawks answered with four runs in the second. Josh Kim walked with the bases loaded. Ryan Vetter slammed an RBI single through the hole into left. Then Cody Kutler smoked a two-run single to right-center.
South led 4-3 going into the home fifth. Nick Gallo rocketed the ball over the left fielder’s head and slid headfirst into third. Kyle Fleming scorched a single up the middle that scored Gallo. Later in the inning, Vetter lifted a sacrifice fly to deep left.
The Hawks’ 6-3 lead seemed safe with Noah Davidson on the bump. Davidson had not allowed an earned run since the first. But with two outs and a man on first in the sixth, Davidson walked two straight batters. Brendon Carter had been warming up down the right field line for two innings.
South coach Ted Kirner walked to the mound and waved him in. Carter threw a wild pitch and hit the next three batters. Tennent scored three runs without putting the ball in play.
In the eighth, Carter walked two batters and threw another wild pitch, moving McElroy to third. Kirner again strolled to the mound and took the ball. This time he gave it to Vetter.
During the break, William Tennent coach Rick Penecale came up with an idea.
“The squeeze play,” Penecale said. “I figured let’s give it a shot.”
But Penecale is a deeper thinker than that. Christian Mendez was at the plate.
“He’s shown in practice he can get the bunts down,” Penecale said. “And I had speed at third base in McElroy.”
Mendez bunted the ball in front of the plate. Vetter charged as McElroy raced home. Vetter looked at home but McElroy was already sliding. So Vetter turned and fired to first for the out.
“I knew he was going to get that bunt down,” McElroy said. “And as soon as that ball hit the bat, I knew I was safe.”
Tennent ace Ryan Lucas took five minutes to retire South in order in the bottom of the eighth. Lucas pitched three scoreless innings in relief.
“Every game counts. We have to take it one game at a time,” Penecale said. “Without this one, tomorrow wasn’t that big a deal.”
“I was excited to come in,” Lucas said. “I was ready to go. Off speed stuff wasn’t really working today. It was mostly fastballs and the cutter.”
William Tennent (6-7, 5-5 SOL) plays Neshaminy Saturday at 3. Council Rock South (4-9, 2-7 SOL) battles Abington Friday at 3:45.
William Tennent 2-0-0-1-0-3-0-1 7
Council Rock South 0-4-0-2-0-0-0-0 6
Abington 6, Bensalem 1
Abington won its second straight league game, improved to 5-5, and is as alive as Willy Tennent in the district playoff race.
Bensalem lost its fourth straight league game and fifth of six. The Owls are still in the playoff portrait but fading.
Abington’s Greg Troyer gave up one run and four hits in seven innings. He threw just 93 pitches. Ghosts’ leadoff man Colin Kelly had two hits, one run scored, one RBI, and one walk.
Abington scored one run in the second, two in the fourth, one in the fifth, and two in the sixth. Bensalem did not score until the top of the seventh.
Six Ghosts players—Kelly, Aidan Coyle, Justin Yerkes, Matt Close, George Jacob, and Josh Pershing—drove in one run each.
Keith Parrish knocked in Bensalem’s run.
Abington (9-5, 5-5 SOL) plays William Tennent Tuesday and Council Rock North next Thursday. Bensalem (9-5, 4-5 SOL) plays four league games in five days next week, starting with Pennsbury on Monday.
Abington 0-1-0-2-1-2-X 6
Bensalem 0-0-0-0-0-0-1 1
SOL Continental
Central Bucks West 1, North Penn 0
Central Bucks West improved to 5-4 in league play and North Penn fell to 4-5. CB West has won five league games by one run.
“We keep on using the term ‘resilient’ for these kids,” Bucks coach Brad Tracy said. “Hanging in, getting the job done when they need to get it done.”
Luke Irons got the job done Thursday. He gave up two hits in eight innings.
“It was the Luke Irons show,” Tracy said. “He was lights out today. He threw a lot of strikes. When he throws his off speed stuff for strikes, he’s really difficult to hit. They only hit one or two balls hard.”
Irons faced 28 batters in eight innings, four above the minimum. His go-to pitch, as always, was his 12-to-6 curveball.
“He hides it very well,” Tracy said.
Irons dominated because he also commanded his 81-82 mile per hour fastball.
“He has much more fastball command than I’ve ever seen him have,” Tracy said.
Irons also throws a knuckle-curve.
“That looks different coming out of his hand. It has more sideways movement,” Tracy said. “It’s just another thing for the hitter to think about, even though they don’t see it a lot.”
CB West pounded 11 hits but could not get a clutch one until the eighth. Thomas Philipps singled and moved to second on a bunt.
Then Frank Amsler singled to right, scoring Philipps. Amsler and Philipps stayed after practice Wednesday to take extra swings in the rain. “
It was really nice to see that pay off,” Tracy said. “We had really good at-bats today. Our team had the best at-bats we’ve had in any game.”
North Penn’s Jared Gorman pitched 6.1 shutout innings.
CB West (5-7, 5-4 SOL) plays Cheltenham Friday and Pennridge Saturday. North Penn (8-6, 4-5 SOL) takes on Quakertown Friday.
Central Bucks West 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-1 1
North Penn 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 0
Quakertown 3, Hatboro-Horsham 2 (11 innings)
Quakertown won its third straight league game and Hatboro-Horsham lost its fourth straight.
Panthers’ starter Cooper Johnson lost his no-hit bid in the bottom of the seventh. Kyle Katz’s one-bagger to right drove in Colin Kennedy, tying the game.
Both teams scored one run in the 10th. But in the top of the 11th, Quakertown’s Viktor Morelock singled to left, scoring Johnny Friscella.
In the bottom of the 11th, Tyler Guidos struck out two and earned the save.
“I put Tyler on the mound and I knew the game was over,” Quakertown coach Jon Pallone said.
Quakertown used its top three pitchers—Johnson, Devyn Bard, and Guidos. Johnson threw 113 pitches.
“I’m not too comfortable with that,” Pallone said. “But one of our strengths is the depth we have in pitching.”
The Panthers only have one game to make up.
“Other teams have three or four,” Pallone said.
Quakertown (6-8, 5-5 SOL) plays North Penn Friday. Pallone said reliever Matt Bukavich will probably start.
“But I’ll sleep on it,” Pallone said. “Possibly Guidos. But he’s a committed college catcher. I don’t want to damage his arm. He caught 10 innings today and came in and threw one too.”
Hatboro-Horsham (5-8, 3-6 SOL) will finish its game against Central Bucks South Saturday.
Quakertown 0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-1-1 3
Hatboro-Horsham 0-0-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-1-0 2
Pennridge 4, Souderton 0
Pennridge improved to 6-3 in league play, a half game back of first place CB South. Souderton lost its second straight league game.
The Rams scored one run in the third, one in the fifth, and two in the seventh. Joe Robinson knocked in two runs. Dan Long scored two.
Andrew Mayhew, Long, and Nate Coyle combined for the shutout. Mayhew and Long each pitched three innings, Coyle one. Mayhew fanned six and Long seven.
Long was the only Rams hurler to give up a hit.
Souderton’s Gulibon (One-name club) gave up one earned run in five innings. He also struck out 10.
Pennridge (10-5, 6-3 SOL) plays CB South Friday. Souderton (8-6, 6-4 SOL) takes on Christopher Dock Monday.
Pennridge 0-0-1-0-1-0-2 4
Souderton 0-0-0-0-0-0-0 0
SOL American
Upper Moreland 7, Springfield 1
Joey Bates pitched the first two innings, Brandon Kohn the next three, and Tommy Jacob the last two.
Upper Moreland coach Ken Irwin is conserving his arms for next week.
“Taking Joey out was a tough decision. I looked at my assistant and said, ‘What do you think?’” Irwin said. “But the game plan was set. We have to save them for next week.”
Upper Moreland has four games in five days next week. It could have five if Friday’s game is postponed.
Irwin planned to start Bates on Tuesday, senior night at Upper Moreland. But at practice Wednesday, Bates told Irwin he wanted to pitch Monday against Upper Dublin.
Kohn will pitch Wednesday against Cheltenham. Irwin is not sure about Tuesday.
“We believe in our depth,” Irwin said.
Anyway, back to Springfield.
Upper Moreland’s Paul Ciampoli had two RBIs in the win. Connor Casey and Ryan Lowry each had two hits and one RBI. Jon Searles stroked two hits.
Randy Meehl and Nick DeLucas hit just 1-for-8 combined.
“Those two guys have been carrying us,” Irwin said. “Today other guys picked us up. It seems like we score six or seven each game and give up one or none. That’s a good recipe.”
The best.
Upper Moreland (11-2, 8-1 SOL) battles Upper Dublin Friday in the first of two showdowns between the American’s best teams. Springfield (1-7, 1-7 SOL) plays Cheltenham Monday.
Cheltenham 6, Norristown 0
Kieran Versaw-Barnes is a 5-foot-4 freshman with a fastball in the upper 70s.
But he gave up three hits in seven innings Thursday. He also struck out seven and threw just 74 pitches, 60 strikes.
“He kept it in the strike zone,” Cheltenham coach Craig Stein said.
Yeah. He did.
“He’s a real good kid,” Stein said. “He comes out, does his job, and has a great presence.”
Here are the freshman’s 2016 numbers so far: 23 innings pitched, two earned runs (0.60 ERA), three walks, 29 strikeouts.
Also, he is 3-0. How often do you mention a pitcher’s record last?
Consider that his induction into the one-name club. “
His presence out there is so impressive. Not just for a freshman, but for any kid playing varsity,” Stein said. “Nothing bothers him. He has no ego at all.”
Stein heard about Versaw-Barnes (One-name club) from previous Cheltenham coach Frank Decembrino.
“Frank told me he was going to be a player,” Stein said. “But you never know how they will handle varsity until they get up here. The goal this year was to get him some work and hopefully in future years he would blossom. But he took off from the get-go.”
Stein only mentioned one area where Versaw-Barnes can improve: “He’s been struggling at the plate a little bit,” Stein said. Yeah, kid, improve your hitting.
The rest of the Panthers are taking care of that. Joel White (two) and Jawan West (three) combined for five hits Thursday.
Cheltenham has scored 21 runs during its three-game league winning streak.
“We are starting to hit the ball a lot better,” Stein said.
Cheltenham (4-7, 3-5 SOL) battles Springfield Monday. Norristown (3-8, 2-7 SOL) takes on Wissahickon Tuesday.
Cheltenham 0-0-0-2-0-4-0 6
Norristown 0-0-0-0-0-0-0 0
Wissahickon 2, Upper Merion 1
Wissahickon’s Logan Willans gave up one run and three hits in seven innings.
Mike Steitz, in his first varsity start, drove home the game-winning run with two outs in the fifth.
Matt Shilling had two doubles and Alex Tappen had one. Blake Rapoport stole two bases.
Wissahickon (7-6, 7-3 SOL) plays Plymouth Whitemarsh Friday. Upper Merion (4-10, 4-6 SOL) hosts Upper Dublin Tuesday.
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