The SOL American/Continental fell to Burlington County 3-1 in Monday’s Carpenter Cup final at Citizens Bank Park. To view action photos, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By Scott Huff
Philadelphia – There is no consolation prize in the Carpenter Cup.
The Suburban One League American/Continental Conference team – which lost a well-played 3-1 contest to Burlington County - agonizingly watched the newly crowned 2012 champions receive individual watches and a chance to hoist the team championship trophy.
Thanks for the memories.
“Really, this is like a dream come true,” said North Penn junior Bryce Mengel, who had a terrific Carpenter Cup tournament with seven shutout innings in his three appearances. “I was eager to pitch, and once I got on the mound it was awesome to see the size of the stadium.
“We didn’t make it this far last season,” added Mengel who also pitched in the tournament as a sophomore. “Hopefully we can come back to this game again next season and win it.”
Mengel threw the final two innings of the game and kept the SOL A/C in contention by keeping the powerful Burlington County bats off the scoreboard. Mengel struck out three hitters over the final two innings and was able to execute a perfect pickoff play with Hatboro-Horsham shortstop Chris Hens.
Central Bucks West senior Marty Martens started the game for the SOL A/C and fired three shutout innings. Martens permitted just one hit and issued just one walk during his stint on the mound.
“This whole experience has been crazy, I couldn’t ask for anything better,” said Martens who was impressive over the course of the tournament with a 1-0 record a 2.25 earned run average. “The players on all the teams have great players and great hitters. It was a real challenge.”
The pitching at the back end of the game – and the pitching at the front end of the game - for the SOL A/C did not allow Burlington County to score a single run. BC did scratch out three runs in the middle three innings to secure the win. BC scored all three runs in the sixth inning with the rally highlighted by a two-run homerun by Chris Burns.
“Any time that you give up three runs in a game at the Carpenter Cup level, you should have a chance to win the game,” said Upper Moreland head coach Ernie Rehr. “Our pitching staff did not lose this game.
“If you told me before the tournament that we would get to the final game and lose 3-1, I would take that,” added Rehr. “We took 22 kids that have never played together before and played as a team.”
“We hit the ball hard today,” said Upper Dublin head coach Ed Wall. “We had some opportunities late in the game, but things didn’t happen the way we needed them to happen.”
The SOL A/C scored its only run of the game in the seventh inning.
Grant Opalisky (Hatboro-Horsham) legged out an infield hit to start the inning. With one out, Matt Myers (Cheltenham) singled and moved Opalisky to third base. Hens lined a single to leftfield to score Opalisky and moved Myers to second. However, a double play followed and the promising inning came to a close.
The SOL A/C – trailing 3-1 – put the tying runs on base and the lead run at the plate in the eighth inning.
Eddie Posavec (North Penn) doubled down the left field line to open the inning. With two outs, Robert Knox (Upper Moreland) was hit by a pitch to put the tying runs on base. However, a strikeout ended the eighth inning, and the SOL A/C would go quietly in the ninth inning.
“Our goal all along was to come out here and play hard,” said Rehr. “And to remember to have some fun.”
And those wonderful memories will have to suffice.
There is no consolation prize in the Carpenter Cup.
2012 Carpenter Cup Notebook
Burlington County also won the Cup in 2009 and 2006.
Lehigh Valley – the defending 2011 champion – lost in the 2012 semifinals to BC by a 5-3 score.
The Suburban One League National/Bicentennial League won the Cup in 2008 – the SOL National won the Cup in 1999 – the SOL National won the Cup in 1993 – and the SOL National won the Cup in 1988.
The roster for the 2012 Suburban One League American/Continental Conference roster included 11 SOL schools.
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters [Casey Saverio, Grant Opalisky, Casey O’Donnell, Chris Hens, Connor Crookham (injured), and Zach Prendergast; Central Bucks East Patriots [Ryan Clow, Ben Hauser, and Blair Killough]; Central Bucks South Titans [Ricky Dennis, Jon Mullin, and Will Foy]; North Penn Knights [Alex Lashkevic, Bryce Mengel, and Eddie Posavec]; Upper Dublin Flying Cardinals [Luke Felix and Jesse Kohler]; Souderton Indians [Corey Capaldi]; Upper Moreland Golden Bears [Robert Konx]; Central Bucks West Bucks [Marty Martens]; Cheltenham Panthers [Matt Myers]; and Wissahickon Trojans [JT Crits].
BURLINGTON COUNTY 3, SOL AMERICAN/CONTINENTAL 1
SOL American/Continental (1) – Will Foy cf 2 0 1 0; Casey Saverio cf 2 0 0 0; Jon Mullin rf 2 0 0 0; Robert Knox rf 1 0 0 0; Ben Hauser 2b 1 0 0 0; Grant Opalisky ph/2b 2 1 1 0; Tyler Kirkpatrick lf 1 0 0 0; Corey Capaldi ph/lf 3 0 0 0; Blair Killough 3b 1 0 0 0; Matt Meyers ph/3b 3 0 1 0; Trip Hagner ss 1 0 0 0; Chris Hens ph/ss 3 0 1 1; Jesse Kohler 1b 2 0 1 0; JT Crits 1b 1 0 0 0; Clayton Harwick c 1 0 0 0; Eddie Posavec ph/c 2 0 1 0; Luke Felix dh 1 0 0 0; Ryan Clow dh 2 0 0 0; Marty Martens p 0 0 0 0; Zach Prendergast p 0 0 0 0; Casey O’Donnell p 0 0 0 0; Bryce Mengel p 0 0 0 0. TOTALS 31 1 6 1.
Burlington County (3) – Jordan Glover cf 3 0 1 0; Anthony Coniglio 2b 1 0 0 0; Shane Garrett ss 3 0 0 0; Reid Anderson rf 1 0 0 0; John Adryan 3b 1 0 0 0; Heath Fillmyer ss 2 1 2 0; Brian Lawler rf 2 0 0 0; Nick Cieri 3b 2 1 1 0; Joe Frey dh 2 0 1 0; Robert Isopi dh 0 0 0 1; Connor Arsenault 1b 2 0 0 0; Chris Burns c 2 1 1 2; Jose Martinez c 2 0 0 0; Cameron Bahr 1b 1 0 0 0; Michael DeAnni 2b 2 0 1 0; Andrew Onorato cf 2 0 0 0; Chance Embler lf 0 0 0 0; Dave Viselli lf 3 0 2 0; Pedro Perez p 0 0 0 0; Dan Schurer p 0 0 0 0; Jonathan Mackie p 0 0 0 0. TOTALS 31 3 9 3.
SOL American/Continental000 000 100 – 1-6-1
Burlington County 000 003 00x – 3-9-0
E-SOL American/Continental 1. DP-SOL American/Continental 1, Burlington County 1. LOB-SOL American/Continental 5, Burlington County 10. 2B-Eddie Posavec, Heath Fillmyer. HR-Chris Burns. SF-Isopi. SB-Fillmyer.
SOL American/ContinentalIP H R ER BB SO
Marty Martens 3.0 1 0 0 1 2
Zach Prendergast (L) 2.0 4 2 2 0 2
Casey O’Donnell 1.0 2 1 1 2 1
Bryce Mengel 2.0 2 0 0 1 3
Burlington County IP H R ER BB SO
Pedro Perez 3.0 0 0 0 0 5
Dan Schurer (W) 3.0 2 0 0 1 2
Jonathan Mackie 3.0 4 1 1 0 2
HBP-Martens (Embler), Mackie (Knox).
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