Check out the recaps for SOL baseball/softball teams in action Saturday.
Baseball (Non-league)
PENNSBURY 4, HOPEWELL VALLEY (N.J.) 0
Four pitchers combined for a four-hit shutout to lead to visiting Falcons to the non-league win. Devin Sweeney started and allowed three hits in four scoreless innings to earn the win.
Freshman Callan Fang made his first varsity appearance a memorable one. The rookie entered the game with two on and none out in the seventh and struck out the first two batters he faced. A walk loaded the bases, but that wasn’t a problem for Fang, who struck out the next batter he faced to close out the game.
The Falcons scored all the runs they would need in the fourth inning. Justin Massielo singled to lead off the inning, and one out later, Justin Fogel singled. A sacrifice fly to right field by Sam Spadea plated a run, and after Sean Doherty singled, Malik Thomas delivered an RBI single to put the Falcons on top 2-0.
Pennsbury tacked on a pair of runs in the seventh. Alex Martin singled, and one out later, Drew Hensor doubled. Neither runner advanced on a groundout, and the bases were loaded after Sam Ruta drew a walk. Massielo stroked a two-run single to give the Falcons their final margin of victory.
Massielo led the Falcons with a 3-for-4 day at the plate that included a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Doherty was 2-for-2.
Pennsbury (11-3, 7-1 SOL) will travel to Bensalem on Tuesday.
Pennsbury 000 200 2 4-9-3
Hopewell Valley 000 000 0 0-4-0
Softball (Non-league)
HARRY S TRUMAN 11, CONWELL-EGAN 3
Teyana Towner ignited the Tigers out of the two hole, finishing the game 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a triple, five RBIs and two runs scored.
“She had a stellar day,” coach Lisamarie Belmonte said. “She did a really good job at the plate with some approaches.”
While Towner stole the spotlight at the plate, Hayley Carter was once again getting the job done in the circle. The Tigers’ senior pitcher allowed eight hits and three runs in the complete game win, striking out five and walking one.
“Hayley Carter coming in just like she’s supposed to and doing her thing today,” Belmonte said. “I’m definitely proud of her.”
The Tigers took care of business early, scoring runs in each of the first four innings and opening up a 10-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, Chrissy Huhn got the ball rolling with a leadoff double to center, and Towner began a productive day with an RBI triple to center. Towner raced home on a groundout by Mara McKeon, and the Tigers led 2-0.
“That’s a momentum changer for the game,” Belmonte said of scoring early. “Having the momentum go in your corner, that’s a key part of the game.”
With one out in the second, Cortney Nau and Huhn delivered back-to-back singles. Both scored when Towner stroked a double to center field. Elle Olivero’s two-out double plated Towner, and the Tigers led 5-0 after two innings.
Towner’s RBI double highlighted a two-run third inning. The Tigers added three more in the fourth, and the inning followed a familiar pattern. Back-to-back one-out singles by Nau and Huhn set the stage for a two-run double by Towner. Olivero’s RBI double gave the Tigers a 10-0 lead.
Huhn (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 runs), Olivero (2-for-4, 2B, RBI), Emily Merrigan (2-for-3, run) and Alexia Devlin (2-for-3, run) also had multiple hit games for the Tigers, who pounded out 13 hits.
Saturday’s win was the third in a row for the Tigers and fourth in their last five games after dropping six straight.
“This is exactly how I thought we should be playing all season long,” Belmonte said. “It’s amazing to see the girls come back together and pick it up and keep the momentum going.
“They want it, but they hit a slump like no other, and now I think we’re finally getting ourselves out of it. It’s awesome to see them continue to come together. I keep telling them – just have fun and do your thing. All the cards will fall how they’re supposed to fall.”
Harry S Truman (6-7, 3-5 SOL) will host Neshaminy on Tuesday.
“It would be nice to steal a win,” Belmonte said. “We’ll see – we’ll just go out and play our game, and whatever happens happens. If we have a good game, that’s all I care about – just playing the way we’re supposed to play.”
Conwell-Egan 000 030 0 3-8-3
Harry S Truman 232 301 x 11-13-1
BENSALEM 13, FAITH CHRISTIAN 3 (5 innings)
Allison Goodman was an impossible out in Saturday’s non-league game, finishing 4-for-4 and just a single shy of the cycle with two doubles, a triple and home run. She drove in four runs and scored twice in a contest that saw the Owls pound out 18 hits.
“Ally Goodman was unstoppable at the plate,” coach Dan Schram said. “Ally, Dani (Sharpe) and Angelia (Micalizzi) showed great execution and leadership as seniors. They are awesome.”
The Owls put a pair of runs on the board in the second. Maggie Fermichelli led off the inning with a double to left, and she scored when Goodman followed with a triple to right field. The visiting Lions scored a run in the top of the third, but the Lions got that back in the bottom of the inning, thanks to Goodman’s RBI double.
A 9-run fourth put the game completely out of reach, and the Owls brought an early end to the game with a run in the fifth when Goodman, who collected a one-out double, scored.
Also coming up big for the Owls were Jessica Klein (3-for-4, 3B, RBI 2 runs), Fermichelli (3-for-4, 2 2B, RBI, 3 runs) and Deja Seilhamer (3-for-3, 3B, RBI, 2 runs).
Fermichelli notched the win, striking out seven and allowing just one earned run in three innings. Sharpe closed it out.
Bensalem (9-4, 3-4 SOL) will travel to Pennsbury on Monday.
Faith Christian 001 20 3
Bensalem 021 91 13
SOL National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 4, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 3 (9 innings)
The Golden Hawks staged a seventh inning comeback and then won a thriller in nine innings over their neighboring rival in Saturday night’s ALS benefit game at Northampton Civic Center.
“First and foremost, the rivalry part is awesome,” South coach Frank Marino said. “Hats off to North and John (Engelhardt). That game could have gone either way. It was one hit or one miscue away. We just caught a break. They could very well have walked off with the win.
“As far as the win in the conference, we’re 4-7 with nine games left. I’ve been saying it all season – it still seems like a lot of softball to me. We have a light week next week with two non-conference games. If we can win most of those nine games, we’ll see what happens. Regardless of what happens, this game was probably the pinnacle of our season.”
The Golden Hawks trailed 3-1 heading into the seventh. Alex Hopko was safe on an error to open the inning, and the Hawks had a pair on board when Shorty Thompson was hit by a pitch. Karly Despirito’s infield single loaded the bases. Keri Despirito followed with a single to left that scored Hopko, and Ally Kirschner’s sacrifice fly to right field allowed the tying run to cross the plate. The bases were loaded yet again when Kirsti Mendez laid down a bunt, but the Indians escaped further damage when they turned an unorthodox pitcher-to-home-to-third double play.
“My runners never advanced almost as though it wasn’t a force,” Marino said.
In the bottom of the seventh, a two-base error put Begg on second with one out. With a base open, Marino elected to walk Julianna Shields.
“I’ve seen her name much too much, and I know she’s a phenomenal player,” Marino said of Shields. “It was no disrespect to the next player up.
“Danielle (Walters) was getting stronger as the game went on, and maybe we steal an out.”
Walters came up with a huge strikeout and the Golden Hawks saw their way out of the inning with the score tied.
“Once we got that (final) out to get out of that inning, I guess the best way to describe it – it was like a pack of wild animals but in a good way,” Marino said. “We came off the field, and we were in the team huddle for about 40 or 45 seconds. It was like a pack of wild dogs.
“Everybody unleashed what I felt was a season-long of emotion and energy. It was crazy. It was cool to be in the middle of it. Every girl was just losing their mind and screaming, realizing we just weathered a story. I think they realized in their mind they can go and win it.”
Neither team scored in the eighth.
“In the top of the ninth, Karly Despirito led off – she struggled in her first two at-bats, although she did leg out an infield single,” Marino said. “I pulled her aside and flat out told her – ‘You’re a senior, a four-year starter. Go show everybody that’s watching the game that’s who you are,’ and she smashed a double over the rightfielder’s head, which set the stage for Keri (Despirito).
“She’s a scrappy lefty who all season long has been able to get her bat on the ball in big moments. She hit a hard ground ball down the first baseline and scored Karly from second but not without a really strong throw from their rightfielder that almost got her.”
In the bottom of the inning, the Indians put a runner on base with one out, but Patricelli gunned her down attempting to steal second. A fly ball to shortstop ended the game.
“All around it was a strong game,” Marino said. “Danielle pitched well.”
Walters earned the complete game win, allowing three hits and three runs in nine innings while striking out eight.
Earlier, the Golden Hawks went on top 1-0 when Kayla Patricelli, who bunted and stole second, scored on a single by Hopko. The Indians answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning with Abby Seiple plating one of those runs with an RBI single. The Indians added a run in the fifth and that 3-1 lead stood until the seventh.
“Lauren Begg did what she normally does – she controlled the game and frustrated our girls,” Marino said. “At some point, I thought of pinch hitting a few players, but I just kept saying – let them go a second or third time through and keep seeing her.”
For the Golden Hawks, Hopko was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Karly Despirito was 2-for-4 with a double while Keri Despirito was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Mendez was 2-for-4.
Council Rock South (6-7, 3-5 SOL) will travel to Conwell-Egan on Wednesday for a non-league game, and Council Rock North (4-7, 1-6) will be on the road at William Tennent on Tuesday.
Council Rock South 100 000 201 4
Council Rock North 200 010 000 3
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