Abington and Cheltenham were winners on conference play. Check out the recaps for SOL baseball teams in action Monday.
SOL National Conference
ABINGTON 3, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 2 (10 innings)
The Ghosts won for the second time in as many games, scoring three runs in the bottom of the 10th after the Golden Hawks plated a pair of runs in the top of the frame to earn the walk-off win.
“These guys don’t quit,” coach Jon Morrissette said. “The season hasn’t been going our way. We haven’t been healthy, and they just never quit. I’m extremely proud of them.”
Trailing 3-1, the Ghosts’ comeback was ignited by several juniors.
“Angelo Pearson has been hitting the ball extremely well for the last four or five games but right at people,” Morrissette said. “He started the rally with a nice single up the middle.”
With a pair of runners on board, Joey DiMaria, a junior captain, delivered a two-run triple to knot the score. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases, setting the stage for Griffin Wittenberg’s walk that brought home the game winner.
“He gave us a great at-bat,” Morrissette said. “A new pitcher came in and was really firing the ball in there, and Griffin fouled a couple off and was able to work a walk to win the game.”
JP Nolan wasn’t involved in the decision, but he gave the Ghosts eight strong innings before reaching his pitch count, allowing eight hits and one run while striking out 11 and walking two. Justin Cunnane threw two innings in relief and earned the win, allowing two hits and two runs (both unearned) while striking out one and walking one.
“JP Nolan and Justin Cunnane both did an outstanding job pitching for us,” Morrissette said. “JP was sick in the beginning of the season, and he’s finally gotten healthy and pitched the way we had hoped for him to pitch all year.
“He gave us a great effort against Neshaminy. To come out against Rock South and pitch the way he did, he was outstanding.
“Justin Cunnane is a sophomore, and he came in and kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win, so I can’t say enough about the pitching performances of both of them.”
Jake Ward (2-for-3, run) and Stephen Vogl (2-for-4, 3B) led the Ghosts’ seven-hit attack. Matt Smith was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs out of the leadoff spot, and Christian Lavalle doubled and drove in a run.
For the Golden Hawks, Evan Fisher had a big day, finishing 3-for-4 with a double. Shane Walter was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Nick Gallo doubled and drove in a run.
Monday’s conference win came on the heels of Abington’s Senior Night win over Upper Dublin on Friday.
“We had a number of seniors who stepped up and played very well for us in that game,” Morrissette said. “Some of them don’t get to play a lot.
“Will Breslin came in and got the save. He also had a key hit and a great play at third base, so that was nice to see. Jake Ward threw a guy out at the plate, and he also had a couple of hits in the game.”
Abington (4-13, 1-10 SOL) will host Harry S Truman Tuesday, and Council Rock South (3-6, 5-9) will be on the road at Bensalem Tuesday.
Council Rock South 000 010 000 2 3-10-0
Abington 010 000 003 4-6-1
SOL American Conference
CHELTENHAM 4, UPPER DUBLIN 2
Trailing by two and down to their last out, the never-say-die Panthers scored four runs in the top of the seventh to notch the gutsy win.
“They’ve been overmatched at times this season, but they haven’t been lacking in heart,” coach Craig Stein said. “We’ve had a couple of tough close losses, a couple of losses we gave things away.
“Today we had opportunities early in the game, but we couldn’t quite come up with the big hit, but when it counted, they came up with some big hits.”
The comeback began when Chad Johnson – who was hit by a pitch and stole second – scored from third base on a hustle play when, on a dropped third strike, the catcher threw to first base. Leadoff batter Ben Kaplan drew a walk and stole second. Alex Bugg delivered a double that plated the tying run. Lukas Nakkula kept the inning alive with a single, and with runners on second and third, Garrett Schmidt doubled to right center, plating a pair and giving the Panthers a 4-0 lead.
Bugg – who earned the complete game win – allowed a pair of two-out singles in the bottom of the seventh but retired the next two batters he faced to close out the game. He needed just 86 pitches – 58 of them for strikes – and allowed only five hits and two runs (both unearned). He struck out four and walked one.
“He’s been a bright spot,” Stein said. “We haven’t played some of our best against some people, but Alex has been battling the whole season. He has pitched well all season long.”
In the third inning, the Flying Cardinals plated a pair of runs, benefitting from a leadoff single by Jacob Womelsdorf, a costly error, a walk and a two-out RBI single by Brian McPeak. That 2-0 lead stood until the seventh.
Schmidt led the Panthers with a 2-for-3 day that included a double and two RBIs. Kaplan and Bugg also had doubles.
For the Cardinals, Womelsdorf was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Sean Curran, who gave the Cardinals six strong shutout innings, was lifted with one out in the seventh. He allowed four hits and one run with two strikeouts and two walks.
Cheltenham (5-9, 2-7 SOL) will host Wissahickon on Tuesday, and Upper Dublin (3-9, 2-7) will travel to Springfield Township on Tuesday.
Cheltenham 000 000 4 4-8-1
Upper Dublin 002 000 0 2-5-0
Non-league
UPPER MORELAND 4, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 3 (10 innings)
Cole Kitchen delivered an RBI single in the top of the 10th to plate a run that turned out to be the game winner, giving the Golden Bears the hard-earned non-league win.
Tyler Arnold gave the Golden Bears four scoreless innings in relief to earn the win, allowing three hits and walking one. He was the third UM pitcher to see action.
Kevin Walder was 2-for-4 with an RBI single in the two-run first inning. Ben Paul was 2-for-3 with one RBI, and Ryan Gibbs doubled and scored a run. Connor O’Donnell also had an RBI for the Golden Bears.
For the Bucks, Matt Cooper had himself a day, delivering a solo home run in the fifth and finishing the day 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Tyler Dalzell was 2-for-4 with a double. The rest of the team managed just two hits combined.
Upper Moreland (5-8, 3-7 SOL) will travel to Quakertown on Tuesday, and Central Bucks West (2-13, 2-8) will host Pennridge Tuesday.
Upper Moreland 200 100 001 4-8-1
Central Bucks West 100 020 000 3-8-2
QUAKERTOWN 7, WILLIAM TENNENT 4
The visiting Panthers led from wire to wire, opening up a 6-0 lead after three innings on their way to the non-league win.
Samuel Rice, who also earned the win on the mound, drove in a pair of runs and was 1-for-2 with a double to lead Quakertown. Nathaniel Barnes singled and scored three runs. JJ Paul and Justin Guidos both drove in a run.
For Tennent, Greg Delgado was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Tommy Plunkett was 2-for-4 with a double. Patrick McCauley tripled and drove in a pair.
Richard Baine threw two scoreless innings in relief, allowing two hits while striking out two and walking two. Griffin Kelley closed it out with a scoreless inning, allowing one hit and striking out one.Quakertown (12-3 10-1 SOL) will host Upper Moreland on Tuesday, and William Tennent (6-8, 3-6) will be on the road at Neshaminy for a non-league game Tuesday.
Quakertown 123 000 1 7-8-2
William Tennent 000 400 0 4-7-2
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