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PHILADELPHIA – Cassie Zanolini had herself quite a day on Monday.Not only did the Central Bucks West junior contribute four hits – including a pair of triples, she also was part of an SOL American-Continental squad that won more games (three) in one day than her high school squad won in its entire league season this spring.
“It was a hard season,” Zanolini said. “We only had one win in our league, and it was encouraging and fun to play with people who wanted to be there and who you knew were good and who had the ability to play the game.”
The West junior wasn’t the only player to come up big as the SOL American-Continental rolled to a perfect 3-0 mark on Monday. North Penn sophomore Michelle Holweger was 5-for-11 with a triple and four RBIs while her teammate – North Penn junior Jess Mower – was 5-for-12.
Wissahickon mound ace Katie Ziegler saw action in all three games, throwing a total of 13 innings and allowing just one earned run in that span as the SOL American-Continental notched wins over Olympic Colonial (4-3 in nine innings), Philadelphia Catholic (5-0) and Tri-Cape (6-5).“It’s awesome,” Ziegler said of her team’s 3-0 start. “It feels really good, and it’s key in this tournament – you have to win early.
“With any tournament, if you win early, you’re sitting in the driver’s seat.”
Ziegler’s competitor during the SOL season – Norristown’s Gwyn Botley – threw three innings of one-hit ball against Philadelphia Catholic to earn the win. Ziegler closed it out with four shutout innings.
“Obviously, I’m a lefty and she’s a righty,” Ziegler said of Botley. “She has a different spin. My ball curves inside and hers curves outside. She really works the outside corner where I work both.
“I really enjoy it. It’s one of those things - during the season, you’re like, ‘Wow, I wish she was on our team,’ and now I she is. It’s an awesome experience.”
“We’re a good combination,” Botley said. “I’m sure (during the high school season) we didn’t want to see each other succeed, but it’s good to be on the same team.”
Ally Horvath – who played in a back-up role for her Central Bucks South squad - threw seven innings, allowing one earned run in that span.
“It’s fun seeing all the different girls,” the South sophomore said. “I know I didn’t experience it in high school because I didn’t play that often, so it’s good to experience playing with them now.”
The day began with high drama as the SOL rallied from a 2-0 deficit to earn the 4-3 win in nine innings against Olympic Colonial.
Olympic Colonial plated a pair of first-inning runs. The SOL got one of those back in the third when Mower, who had singled, scored on an error. In the fifth, the SOL knotted the score. It was Zanolini getting things started with a triple to left center. She scored when Central Bucks East sophomore Allie Chase delivered a clutch two-out RBI single.
In the top of the eighth, Olympic Colonial – with the international tiebreaker in effect - plated a run to go on top 3-2, but the SOL rallied to knot the score in the bottom of the inning when Holweger delivered an RBI single.
Ziegler kept Olympic Colonial off the scoreboard in the ninth, collecting a huge strikeout with one out and a runner on third, and the SOL won it by scoring a run in the bottom of the frame when – with the bases loaded and one out – Chase delivered a sacrifice fly.
“I think that kind of just showed that our team could do anything, and it gave us hope for the rest of the day,” Chase said.
“That was huge,” Zanolini added. “It proved we could play together as a team even though we didn’t know each other that well, and it also proved that if we work at it we can beat anyone.
“That game set the tone and the mood for the rest of the day.”
Things got a whole lot easier when the SOL took on the Philadelphia Catholic League in a winner’s bracket game. The SOL took a 1-0 lead in the first when Chase, who had walked, scored on Holweger’s triple to deep right.That lead grew to 3-0 in the third. Mower delivered a sacrifice fly to center, and Holweger collected an RBI single to shallow center to account for the SOL’s two runs.
For good measure, the SOL tacked on a pair of runs in the seventh. Ziegler got things started with a leadoff single, and she scored one out later when Zanolini ripped a triple to deep left. North Penn’s Jenn Halcovage followed with a single to center that plated Zanolini, and the SOL led 5-0.
Horvath provided the defensive highlight of the game with a diving catch in right field.
“Winning our first game was big,” the CB South sophomore said. “It helped us stay upbeat, and it was definitely a good motivator for us to win our next game.”
In its winner’s bracket game against Tri-Cape, the SOL once again needed some late-inning heroics to earn the win.
Both teams scored a first-inning run with Tri-Cape taking a 1-0 lead only to watch the SOL – sparked by Zanolini’s leadoff single and Holweger’s sacrifice fly – rally to knot the score in the bottom of the frame.
The second inning was a rerun of the first with both teams plating single runs yet again. This time it was Norristown’s Gina Pellechio, who reached base on an error, scoring the tying run.
Tri-Cape went on to open up a 5-3 lead before the SOL came to life in the seventh – inspired by an inning-ending defensive gem that was ignited by Zanolini in center field. Zanolini came up throwing on a ground single up the middle, hitting second baseman Julia Schoenewald, who fired a strike to catcher Jess Mower for the tag of the runner trying to score from second and an inning-ending out.
“I think that carried us into the next inning,” Zanolini said. “It just gave us some hope and encouraged us to play on.”
Holweger – who was on a bona fide tear – opened the inning with a single, but things looked bleak when the next two batters struck out. Upper Dublin’s Ashleigh Sharp kept the inning alive with a slap single to left, and Schoenewald delivered the big blow – a two-run single to right. That brought Zanolini to the plate, and the West junior came up big yet again, this time with a single to center that plated Schoenewald with the game winner.
“She (Zanolini) is an outstanding player,” said Upper Dublin coach Heather Boyer, the head coach of the SOL. “She’s a great catcher and a heck of an outfielder.
“She has a lot of good tools, and she was on fire today.”
The SOL – with a 3-0 record in the double elimination tournament – is off until Wednesday when it will play a winner’s bracket game against the winner of Tuesday’s action.
“It’s very exciting,” said Boyer. “We have never been in this position before.
“Every year that I’ve done this we’ve had at least one loss the first day, and we have had to work our way through the loser’s bracket. We were talking after the game about how well we played today. We were getting timely hitting, and we played really great defense.
“They’re very cool, calm and collected. I was saying to them, ‘You can get excited about this any time now.’ They’re definitely not stressing out. They’re just very relaxed, going about their business and getting the job done, which is great.”For all of the players, the Carpenter Cup provides an opportunity to join forces with players who they did battle with this spring.
“I knew a lot of people,” Botley said. “We have three people from my high school team, so it wasn’t as awkward.
“It’s a little different, but after the first practice, it was pretty easy.”
“I didn’t know anyone, but it’s actually been so much fun,” Chase said. “We’re always enemies when we play against each other, but playing with each other is really fun. It’s a great opportunity to meet a lot of different people.”
“It’s different playing with different people,” Holweger said. “But it’s fun.
“You’re usually playing against them in travel and school, and it’s fun to play with people from other schools.”
“It’s fun to meet new people,” Zanolini added. “It’s a familiar face, but now you actually get to know them as a person.”
Chase – like her teammates – plays on the travel circuit but values the opportunity the Carpenter Cup provides.
“You’re surrounded by girls that all have the same goals as you,” she said. “You all want to play well, you all want to win games, and you probably all want to play in college, so it’s a great opportunity.”
Ziegler is a veteran of Carpenter Cup play, and she wouldn’t want to miss it.
“It’s an awesome experience,” the Wissahickon junior said. “I really enjoy it. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have come back.
“I really like our coaches – they’re really good, and they know what they’re talking about. During practices, we work hard. We go through fundamental plays, and that helps because it gives us more collaboration on the field. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to play."
For those who think Carpenter Cup softball is just for fun, guess again.
“I’m very competitive, so I always want to win,” Holweger said. “This is fun, but I still want to win.”
The SOL National-Bicentennial did not have enough players to field a team, so the SOL American-Continental is carrying the torch for the SOL this year. So far, it’s been an impressive run.
GAME 1
Olympic Colonial SOL American-Continental
Justine Reed sf | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Jessica Mower c | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Taylor Nichols 2b | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Katie Ziegler p | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Sydney Ponto 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ally Horvath p | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Stephanie Vuono p | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Allie Chase cf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Hunter Urban p | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Michelle Holweger 2b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Ryan Hynds 3b | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Julia Schoenwald 1b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Amanda Gardner c | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Gina Pellechio lf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kristen DiGugielmo c | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Tori Barattucci 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sarah Urban rf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Samantha Kidd 3b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Madison Tieman ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Jenn Halcovage sf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Stephanie Wolfrom lf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Corinne Watson ss | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Alyssa Garcia 1b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Erica Miller lf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Desiree Martinez 1b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Stephanie DiNolfi 2b | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Barb Barron cf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ashleigh Sharp rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- | - | - | - | - | Cassie Zanolini rf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
TOTALS | 35 | 3 | 9 | 1 | TOTALS | 33 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
Olympic Colonial | 200 000 010 3-9-3 | ||||||||
SOL | 001 010 011 4-8-1 | ||||||||
E-SOL 1, Olympic Colonial 3. 3B-Zanolini | |||||||||
Olympic Colonial | |||||||||
Stephanie Vuono | 3.2 3 2 0 1 3 | ||||||||
Hunter Urban | 5.0 5 2 1 2 2 | ||||||||
SOL | |||||||||
Katie Ziegler | 5.0 5 2 0 2 4 | ||||||||
Ally Horvath | 4.0 4 1 0 1 1 | ||||||||
GAME 2
Philadelphia Catholic League SOL American-Continental
| Keifer 2b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Zanolini c | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Grzywna 2b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Chase cf | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward cf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Halcovage cf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| DiMattero cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Mower ss,c | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Stricker 3b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Holweger 2b | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Needles 3b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Schoenewald 1b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ragazzonen p | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Horvath rf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Faillace lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Kidd 3b | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cedrone lf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Barattucci 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stipa ss | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Pellechio lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeLeo ss | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Ganderton lf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeFusco c | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Botley p | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cauley c | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ziegler p | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| McDonough 1b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Sharp rf | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Lackette 1b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | DiNolfi rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fortescue rf | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bolli rf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - |
| TOTALS | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | TOTALS | 28 | 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Philadelphia Catholic | 000 000 0 0-3-1 | ||||||||
| SOL | 102 000 2 5-8-0 | ||||||||
| E-SOL 0, Philadelphia Catholic 1. 2B-Fortescue, Cauley. 3B-Holweger, Zanolini | |||||||||
| Philadelphia Catholic | |||||||||
| Ragazzone (L) | 7.0 8 5 3 1 5 | ||||||||
| SOL | |||||||||
| Botley (W) | 3.0 1 0 0 2 0 | ||||||||
| Ziegler | 4.0 2 0 0 2 0 | ||||||||
GAME 3
Tri-Cape SOL American-Continental
| Snead cf | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Zanolini c,cf | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Trout cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Chase cf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fair rf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Halcovage cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Parra cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Mower ss | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Sanabria lf | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Holweger 1b | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Dominik 3b | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Watson lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scott p | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Miller lf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gavigan 3b | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Kidd 3b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mackey ss | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Barattucci 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tilton ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Pellechio rf | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dickson c | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Sharp rf | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Como 1b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ziegler p | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Lupton 1b | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Horvath p | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Worrell 2b | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Schoenewald 2b | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Etzholz 2b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | DiNolfi 2b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTALS | 30 | 5 | 8 | 3 | TOTALS | 33 | 6 | 9 | 5 |
| Tri-Cape | 112 010 0 5-8-3 | ||||||||
| SOL | 110 100 3 6-9-3 | ||||||||
| E-SOL 3, Tri-Cape 2. 2B-Worrell, Sanabria. HR-Dominik | |||||||||
| Tri-Cape | |||||||||
| Scott p | 4.0 2 2 0 3 4 | ||||||||
| Dominik (L) | 2.2 7 3 3 1 4 | ||||||||
| SOL | |||||||||
| Horvath | 3.0 4 4 1 1 3 | ||||||||
| Ziegler (W) | 4.0 4 1 1 1 5 | ||||||||
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