North Penn advanced to Thursday’s PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals with its 10-0 win over St. Hubert’s. Council Rock North saw its season come to an end at the hands of Nazareth. CR North/Nazareth photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos.
#1-4 NORTH PENN 10, #12-1 ST. HUBERT’S 0 (5 innings)
The Knights’ battery of Amanda Greaney and Mady Volpe proved too much to handle for the Bambies. While Greaney, the Knights’ sophomore catcher, was a one-woman wrecking crew at the plate, driving in five runs, Volpe was working her magic in the circle, tossing a no-hitter in the abbreviated contest. Only a second-inning miscue stood between the freshman hurler and a perfect game. Volpe fanned nine and did not walk a batter.
“Mady pitched really well,” coach Rick Torresani said. “She was hitting her spots again. She’s so far – knock on wood – been pitching really well.
“When we scored some runs, it really helps her out, and that’s what happened today. She was a little nervous at the beginning of the game, but she didn’t walk anybody. That was critical.”
The Knights put four runs on the board in the third to break a scoreless tie. Courtney Neal led off with a single, and Victoria Juckniewitz followed with an RBI single. Emily Groarke singled, setting the stage for a two-run double by Greaney. Elia Namey’s RBI single gave the Knights a 4-0 lead.
They added four more runs in the fourth inning. Paige Paciolla, who led off the inning with a double, scored on a Neal single, and after Juckniewitz singled, Groarke laid down a sacrifice bunt. Greaney singled to drive in a pair, and Jordan Pietrzykoski delivered an RBI single.
For good measure, the Knights tacked on a pair in the fifth. Neal led off with a single and stole second. Juckniewitz brought her home with an RBI single, and after Groarke singled, Greaney followed with an RBi single.
Greaney was 3-for-4 with a double and five RBIs to lead the Knights’ 16-hit attack.
“Amanda’s got a little chip on her shoulder,” Torresani said. “She hit around .333 for the season – she was walked 15 times, seven times intentionally by the coaches in our league, and had 16 RBIs and didn’t make any of the all-league teams.”
Juckniewitz was 3-for-4 with two RBIs while Groarke and Neal both were 3-for-3.
North Penn (20-5, 9-3 SOL) will face District 11 champion Parkland in Thursday’s quarterfinal round.
“They’re a good team,” said Torresani, who watched Parkland defeat District 3 runner-up Central York 5-0 in an opening round game. “It will be a battle.
North Penn 004 42 10-16-1
St. Hubert’s 000 00 0-0-0
#11-2 NAZARETH 4, #1-2 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 3 (9 innings)
Endings are never easy and invariably come much too soon.
That was certainly the case for a Council Rock North squad that saw its season come to an end in Monday’s opening round. There were tears as the players said their farewells, but that disappointment should quickly turn to pride for a squad that defied the odds and was still playing softball on June 4 in the state tournament.
“It’s been so much fun,” senior Riley Sheehy said. “Both years that I’ve been here, we’ve made it to states. Not many teams can say that, so that’s an accomplishment in itself.
“I’ve just met some amazing friends that I know will be lifelong friends, and it’s really sad to know I won’t be playing with them again.”
The Indians found their stride late in the season after a wild 12-11 win over SOL National Conference champion Neshaminy. After a 7-6 start, they won nine of 12 games to close out the season, 9 of 10 before last Thursday’s district title game.
“We definitely had some rough patches, and we were like, ‘This is our season, we’re going to do it, we’re going to have fun with it,’ and that’s when everything started turning around,” Sheehy said. “I remember the Neshaminy game we just walked in and we were having a good time. It just kept going back and forth.
“That was a really fun game. It was a boost for us and showed us how well we can play.”
The Indians – seeded 19th out of 20 teams in the District One 6A Tournament – advanced to the district final before falling to Central Bucks South 1-0 in the title game.
“We were a team that barely got into districts,” coach John Engelhardt said. “We had a conversation prior to our Abington game, and we said, ‘Girls, this is do or die. This is the playoffs for us.’ We weren’t sure we were getting into districts.
“The team came together, played for one another and continued to play with intensity, and we put together a magical run and went to the district championship game. If anyone would have predicted that – you’d be crazy, so we’re extremely proud. We didn’t get as far as we’d liked, but in this particular format, you have to be perfect. They beat us today.”
Nazareth junior hurler Samantha Gorkos proved to be one tough customer, allowing just six hits while fanning 13. The Indians managed only two hits through the first six innings – both by Sheehy, who pointed to Gorkos’ rise ball as her money pitch.
“Her rise ball was sneaky – it was a very good pitch,” Sheehy said. “When we did (hit the ball), they just wouldn’t fall.”
Nazareth used a pair of hits by Daphney Adams (leadoff double) and Maddy McClary (RBI) to put a run on the board in the first inning. The Indians got that back in the bottom of the inning. Sheehy drew her first of two walks in the game to lead off the inning and immediately stole second. It was safe all around when Lauren Begg’s sacrifice bunt was botched. Sheehy raced home from third on a wild pitch, knotting the score.
In both the third and fourth innings, Nazareth plated an unearned run to go on top 3-1. The Indians got one of those back in the sixth when Juliana Shields, who drew a leadoff walk, scored all the way from first when Elena Calibeo’s bunt was misplayed. Trailing by one in the seventh, Sheehy led off with her third straight hit, and Begg followed with a slap single down the third base line. The bases were loaded with no outs after a missed tag on Taylor Briggs’ bunt. Gorkos came up with a strikeout for the inning’s first out, but walked Abby Seiple on five pitches, plating Sheehy with the tying run. The Indians couldn’t push another run across, and the 3-3 tie stood until the ninth when Sky Esterly, who doubled to lead off the inning, scored on Maddy McClary’s sacrifice fly to center.
“We preach to them – don’t be results oriented, just give everything you’ve got, and that’s what they did,” Engelhardt said. “We have some pieces that we did not know about, and I think we’ll be back. This level of play, this level of intensity is the best.”
The Indians’ coach bids farewell to five senior captains – Sheehy, Briggs, Calibeo, Madison Tomlinson and Marissa Haynes.
“I’ve been here for three years, and it’s a group I’ve become very close to,” Engelhardt said. “They’re a great group of kids that lead by example.
“There are five of them and never did I think five captains would work, but it worked. They made it work. They worked together. You can’t replace them.”
Council Rock North (7-5 SOL) closed out its season with a 16-9 mark.
EXTRA INNINGS: Sheehy reached base on all five trips to the plate. In addition to finishing the game 3-for-3, the Indians’ speedy leadoff batter also drew a pair of walks and scored two runs…the Indians pulled off a pair of double plays. The first – in the second – was an unorthodox twin killing when a fully extended Calibeo came up with a dazzling catch in left field but lost the ball when her glove hit the ground. With the runner on first heading back to the bag, Calibeo threw to second for the force, and then got the second out at first. The second double play came in the seventh when Begg speared a wicked line drive and fired to first, doubling the base runner off to end the inning.
Nazareth 101 100 001 4-9-3
Council Rock North 100 001 100 3-6-4
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