CR South and Pennridge advanced to Wednesday’s second round of the District One 6A Tournament. Pennsbury and Central Bucks East saw their seasons come to an end.
#19 PENNRIDGE 5, #14 PENNSBURY 1
Kailyn Bell did it all in the visiting Rams’ upset of the Falcons, smashing a grand slam and also earning the complete game win in the circle.
“Kailyn Bell had a phenomenal game,” coach Carol Atkinson said. “This (win) was definitely huge.
“We went in as the underdog. Going in as the 19th seed, everybody probably thought we’d get knocked off today. Our girls didn’t give up. They came out ready to play.”
Bell’s grand slam broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth. Grace McGinley got things started with a one-out single, and with two outs, Kiley Watson and Samantha Harty hit back-to-back singles to load the bases, setting the stage for Bell’s big blast into the trees in deep left.
“We knew as soon as it left her bat,” Atkinson said.
The Rams weren’t finished yet. Skylar Hengeveld followed Watson’s home run with a solo shot of her own over the left field fence to give the Rams a 5-0 lead. That was more than enough for Bell, who allowed six hits and walked six while striking out two.
“They rely on a lot of slapping, but we shut them down,” Atkinson said. “Kailyn has something on her ball that keeps those slappers down.”
The Rams committed three errors behind Bell, but when it mattered most, the defense pulled together.
“Our defense has come around,” Atkinson said. “They’re picking each other up. There’s no negativity, they’re bouncing back. If there’s an error, somebody is there to pick them up.”
Atkinson lauded the play of her outfielders.
“Sara Sztenderowicz made three unbelievable catches in right field,” the Rams’ coach said. “She had one that she kind of misjudged, but it didn’t hurt us. She turned around and made three unbelievable catches.
“Mary Kate Levush, our center fielder, is like a vacuum cleaner out there. Everybody stepped it up.”
Pennridge (12-9, 6-6 SOL) will travel to Coatesville on Wednesday to face the third-seeded Red Raiders. Pennsbury (8-4 SOL) closed out its season with a 12-9 record.
Pennridge 000 050 0 5-9-3
Pennsbury 000 010 0 1-6-1
#15 COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 4, #18 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3
Late-inning comebacks are nothing new to the Golden Hawks, especially when CB East is their opponent. Twenty-two days after scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Central Bucks East in a non-league contest, the Golden Hawks were back at it again, this time rallying from a 3-1 deficit with three runs over the final two innings.
Sabrina Dobron delivered a clutch two-out RBI single to plate the game winner in the bottom of the seventh.
The win was the first district playoff win for the program since 2003.
“The big thing was they stayed together,” coach Greg Heydet said. “We were on the ropes for a while, but the defense and Danielle (Walters) hung together.
“Now we move on. They played awesome.”
Early on, the Golden Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Steph Andreoli, singled, moved up to second on a bunt by Kylie Woloshyn and then third on a Phylicia Wilkov sacrifice. Melanie Wilkinson’s successful suicide squeeze pushed the game’s first run across.
That 1-0 lead stood until the fifth when the Patriots plated a pair. They led 3-1 after tacking on a run in the top of the sixth on Audrey Labouliere’s solo home run, but the Golden Hawks had an answer. With one out, Sabrina Dobron singled, and Emily Freed reached base on an error. Karley DeSpirito and Woloshyn delivered back-to-back RBI single to knot the score 3-3.
In the seventh, Danielle Walters singled and stole second. She raced home for the walk-off win when – with two outs – Dobron singled to right
Walters also earned the win in the circle, fanning six. She hit a pair but didn’t walk a batter.
“Four innings in a row, they had two on with one out, and the defense and Danielle buckled down and stayed together, and we got out of it,” Heydet said. “We were in trouble the second, third and fourth innings, and in the fifth inning they got two. You love close games – those are great games, but man…”
Woloshyn, Walters and Dobron led the Hawks at the plate with 2-for-4 efforts.
For the Patriots, Tara Harper had a huge day, finishing 3-for-4 with a run scored. Sam Beagleman was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Hailey Aspinwall doubled and scored. Giuliana Ruscio absorbed the loss.
Council Rock South (14-7, 6-6 SOL) will travel to #2 Neshaminy for a second round game on Wednesday.
“I have confidence,” Heydet said. “It’s going to be who wants it. You have to beat the best to go on. We might as well do it right away.”
Central Bucks East (8-4 SOL) closed out its season with an 11-9 record.
Central Bucks East 000 021 0 3-10-2
Council Rock South 100 002 1 4-11-0
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