SOL PIAA Softball Preview (Quarterfinals)

06/06/13 1:24am Posted by editor

Four SOL softball teams will see action on Thursday in the PIAA Class AAAA Tournament.

Eight teams remain in the PIAA Class AAAA Tournament, and four of those teams not only represent District One but also the Suburban One League with two each from the National and Continental Conferences.

At least one SOL team will be sent home on Thursday since District One champion Central Bucks East will be facing North Penn in a showdown of Continental Conference foes. That game has interesting implications, especially if Neshaminy can pull off its half of the bargain and defeat a Daniel Boone team that is making its first state tournament appearance in three years and its first ever at the Class AAAA level.

If Central Bucks East and Neshaminy both win, Monday’s state semifinal would be a rematch of the district final. If North Penn and Neshaminy both win, Monday’s semifinal would be a rematch of the district semifinal. A Neshaminy win would not only set up another all-SOL showdown in Monday’s state semifinal but would also guarantee the SOL a berth in the state final.

Pennsbury finds itself the lone District One team in the western part of the bracket where there are plenty of unknowns. In Thursday’s quarterfinal round, the Falcons will do battle with a Cumberland Valley squad that entered the District 3 Tournament as the top seed but was upset by Central Dauphin in the district semifinals.  

In the lone quarterfinal contest without an SOL squad, District 7 champion Canon McMillan will take on District 7 runner-up North Allegheny in a rematch of the district title game. Canon McMillan won that one by a 5-2 score, sparked by a grand slam from junior slugger Giorgiani Zeremenko.

[1-1] CENTRAL BUCKS EAST vs [1-4] NORTH PENN at Spring-Ford (3 p.m.)
Central Bucks East

  • 19-4 overall, 10-4 SOL
  • Tied for second with Central Bucks South in the SOL Continental Conference
  • Highlights of the regular season included a pair of wins over both 12th-seeded Pennridge and 13th-seeded North Penn
  • Rode the arms of freshman pitchers Theresa Haug and Kayla Ventura to the district title.
  • Veteran starting lineup features seniors Jess Haug, Kerry Schulz, Allie Chase (Boston College signee), Julia Schoenewald (Brown), Carla Ruscio and Sierra Huckfeldt as well as junior Caroline Shoenewald.
  • Defeated North Penn twice during the regular season - 11-3 on April 5 and 2-1 on April 30.

The road to the quarterfinals:  The Patriots survived a minefield to earn the district title, earning wins over 10th-seeded Methacton (1-0, eight innings), second-seeded Hatboro-Horsham (3-2, 10 innings), third-seeded Pennsbury (4-2) and – in last Friday’s district title game - top-seeded Neshaminy (4-2). Junior Caroline Schoenewald drove in a first inning run with a two-out single. Highlights of the Patriots’ three-run sixth included a bases-loaded walk to Carla Ruscio and a two-run single by senior Sierra Huckfeldt. In Monday’s opening round state playoff game, the Patriots defeated District 12 runner-up Girls High 10-0 in a game that was halted in the sixth inning. Senior Allie Chase had a triple and home run with four RBIs, and Kerry Schulz also had a pair of hits. Theresa Haug earned the win on the mound, throwing five scoreless innings. Jayme Ziegler threw a scoreless sixth.

North Penn

  • 17-9 overall, 7-7 overall
  • Fifth place team in SOL Continental Conference
  • Highlights of regular season included wins over fourth-seeded Central Bucks South and 12th-seeded Pennridge and a pair of wins over 19th-seeded Souderton
  • Won five of six games to close out regular season after upset loss at hands of Quakertown.
  • Led by senior Lock Haven signee Michelle Holweger.
  • Dropped both regular season games to Central Bucks East.

Road to quarterfinals:  The 2012 District One AAAA champions advanced to the district semifinals with wins over 20th-seeded Garnet Valley (7-4), fourth-seeded Central Bucks South (14-3) and 12th-seeded Pennridge (2-0). In the semifinals, the Maidens lost to Neshaminy 2-0 and then fell to third-seeded Pennsbury 5-0 in last Friday’s third place game. They managed just three hits in their last two games combined. In Monday’s opening round state game against Northampton, the Maidens made the most of their only hit – an RBI single by Vicky Tumasz in the fourth inning – to earn a 1-0 win over the Konkrete Kids. Sophomore Jackie Bilotti threw a one-hit shutout, facing just 23 batters in the complete game win.

 [1-2] NESHAMINY vs [3-2] DANIEL BOONE at Spring-Ford (5:30 p.m.)
Neshaminy

  • 21-2 overall, 14-0 SOL
  • SOL National Conference champions
  • Highlights of regular season included sweep of third-seeded Pennsbury
  • Only regular season loss came in a non-league game against Nazareth Academy
  • Loss to CB East in district title game snapped a 17-game winning streak.
  • Led by Division One signees Lauren Quense (Fordham), Diana LaPalombara (St. Francis) and Julia McGovern (Quinnipiac)

The road to the quarterfinals:  Neshaminy, the district’s top-seeded team, defeated 16th-seeded Boyertown 3-1 in a second round district game and then downed eighth-seeded Downingtown East 7-0. A 2-0 win over 13th-seeded North Penn in the semifinals vaulted the Redskins into the district title game where they fell to seventh-seeded Central Bucks East 4-2. In Monday’s opening round state playoff game, the Redskins earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over St. Hubert’s. Lauren Quense allowed just three hits while fanning nine and walking none. She also drove in the game’s only run in the fifth inning with a single off the center field fence that plated senior Diana LaPalombara, who had two of Neshaminy’s three hits.

Daniel Boone

  • 20-7 overall
  • First trip to the state tournament as a Class AAAA team
  • Led by Franklin Pierce-bound senior Mikaela Ballmer

Road to quarterfinals:  Daniel Boone entered the District 3 Tournament as the 11th-seeded team but promptly knocked off sixth-seeded Chambersburg (3-2) and then went on to down 14th-seeded Warwick (4-2) and second-seeded Hempfield (3-1) before falling to fourth-seeded Central Dauphin 6-3 in the district title game. In Monday’s state opener against District 2 champion Hazleton, the Trailblazers earned a 4-1 win. Sophomore lefty Bekah Slattery tossed a four-hitter while fanning nine. She also hit a two-run home run. Mikaela Ballmer also had a two-run blast.

 [1-3] PENNSBURY vs [3-2] CUMBERLAND VALLEY at Lyons Field (4 p.m.)

Pennsbury

  • 20-4 overall, 12-2 SOL
  • Finished second to Neshaminy in National Conference standings
  • Highlights of regular season included a 5-2 win over New Jersey power Mount St. Dominic
  • Roster includes six seniors who have signed to play at the Division I level – Christina Bascara (La Salle), Taylor Boltersdorf (Georgian Court), Val Buehler (La Salle), Jess Greenwald (Mount St. Mary’s), Mackenzie Obert (Hartford) and Suzanne Swanicke (La Salle).

The road to the quarterfinals:  Pennsbury, the third-seeded team in districts, defeated 14th-seeded Upper Darby 3-1 in a second round district game and followed that with an 8-3 win over sixth-seeded West Chester Henderson before falling to Central Bucks East 4-2 in the district semifinals. In Friday’s third place game, senior Val Buehler tossed a one-hit shutout to lead the Falcons to a 5-0 win over North Penn. In Monday’s opening round state tournament game, the Falcons scored early and often on their way to a 13-1 win over District 3 champion Central Dauphin. Senior Suzanne Swanicke led the Falcons with three hits, including a double and triple (three RBIs). Dani Litwin, who had two hits out of the cleanup spot, delivered a three-run home run and finished with a game high five RBIs. Seniors Mackenzie Obert and Christina Bascara each had a pair of hits.

Cumberland Valley

  • 24-3 overall
  • .428 team batting average (through May 15)
  • Led by sophomore Taylor Krow (.567), junior Rachael Mumma (.424), sophomore Summer Keefer (.410), senior Danielle Coles (.400), sophomore Alexa Erney (.381), sophomore Zoe St. Cyr (.353) and senior Kayla Sullenberger (.344).

Road to quarterfinals:  Cumberland Valley entered the District 3 Tournament as the top-seeded team and earned wins over 16th-seeded Spring Grove (10-0) and ninth-seeded Lower Dauphin (9-2) before falling to fourth-seeded Central Dauphin in the semifinals 2-1. Cumberland Valley rebounded to defeat second-seeded Hempfield 3-2 in the third place game to earn a berth in the state tournament. In Monday’s opening round state tournament game, Cumberland Valley defeated District 6 champion Mifflin County 9-1. Senior pitcher Kayla Sullenberger earned the win, allowing six hits while striking out three and walking none. She also led her team at the plate with a 3-for-4 day, accounting for three of her team’s eight hits.

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