The Neshaminy and Central Bucks East softball teams advanced to Thursday’s District One Class AAAA quarterfinal round with opening round wins on Tuesday.
[1-2] NESHAMINY 1, [12-1] ST. HUBERT’S 0
Diana LaPalombara spotted teammate Lauren Quense carrying her team’s large water cooler out of the dugout after Tuesday’s game.
“Super hero,” LaPalombara shouted.
It was an appropriate nickname for the senior pitcher, who not only threw an impressive three-hit shutout but also drove in the game-winning run.
Quense and her counterpart, Erica Ragazzone, set the early tone for Tuesday’s game.
Ragazzone needed just nine pitches to mow down the Redskins in order in the top of the first. Quense returned the favor in the bottom of the inning, using 11 pitches and striking out a pair. One fact was clear – this game belonged to the respective pitchers.
Ragazzone broke up Quense’s perfect game with two outs in the fourth when she singled off the second baseman. The senior hurler responded by striking out the next batter she faced.
The Redskins were struggling to generate offense off of Ragazzone. With two outs in the third, Diana LaPalombara collected the ‘Skins first hit when she singled to left. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases, and only a highlight reel running catch of Sara Snider-Leonhauser’s fly ball to center kept the Redskins off the scored.
In the top of the fifth, LaPalombara once again got things started with a two-out single, and this time the Redskins hit pay dirt when Quense followed with a single off the center field scoreboard that plated LaPalombara all the way from first. The Redskins had the only run Quense would need.
“I definitely think this showed that we weren’t done,” LaPalombara said. “We weren’t ready to put our cleats up and say, ‘Hey, this is it.’
“With eight seniors, we’re not going to give up. It’s not going to be an easy road, and we already know that from this tough game right here.”
Things did get interesting in the bottom of the seventh when Ragazzone led off the inning with a double, but clean-up batter Gabrielle DeLeo lined a one-two change-up back to Quense, who calmly snared the ball and threw to second for the big double play.
“That was a big pitch at that point in the game,” coach Dave Chichilitti said. “That could go either way, and she snared that and made an excellent play at second.
“That really collapsed any chance they had. You have to give credit to their kid (Ragazzone), a senior pitcher, a Division One player who was down to her last at bat, and she smacked the ball like that in the gap. You take your hat off to that kid.”
A win was in the books when second baseman Anna Luff hauled in a popup for the game’s final out.
Both teams managed just three hits – LaPalombara led the ‘Skins with two hits, and Ragazzone had two hits for the Bambies.
Quense fanned nine and walked none while Ragazzone, who absorbed the loss, struck out six and walked two.
The Redskins (21-2, 14-0 SOL) will face District 3 runner-up Daniel Boone in a quarterfinal contest on Thursday at Spring-Ford High School (5:30 p.m.). Tuesday’s win helped ease the sting of the ‘Skins loss to Central Bucks East in Friday’s district title game.
“When we lost that game, yes, we were upset, but we’re still in the state tournament, and we’re just looking at that,” Quense said. “That (loss) is in our past, and we learned from the mistakes we made that game. We’re using them to succeed in this game and games coming up.”
[1-1] CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 10, [12-2] GIRLS HIGH 0 (6 innings)
The outcome is rarely a foregone conclusion when state tournament play begins, but if there is one certainty, it is the fact that the District 12’s second place squad, the Philadelphia Public League champion, will struggle against the District One powers. It took two innings for the Patriots to get on the scoreboard, but they plated a single run in the second, two more in the third and then added six in the fourth to take control of the game. The Patriots finished off the game with a single run in the sixth.
“Our kids bunted a lot because the pitcher was so slow,” coach Erin Scott said. “They couldn’t adjust. It was tough, but I don’t want them to adjust to that speed because on Thursday they’re going to face North Penn who has another good pitcher.
“I was happy we still scored 10 runs.”
Allie Chase had a big day at the plate for the Patriots, delivering a triple and home run while picking up four RBIs. Appropriately, it was her RBI triple that brought an early end to the game. Kerry Schulz also had a pair of hits.
Theresa Haug threw five scoreless innings to earn the win. Jayme Ziegler pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
“I’m glad we got the win,” Scott said. “Now it’s time to get ready for Thursday.”
The Patriots (19-4, 10-4 SOL) will face Continental Conference rival North Penn in a quarterfinal contest at Spring-Ford High School at 3:30 p.m.
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