North Penn was a winner in SOL softball action Saturday.
SOL Colonial Division
NORTH PENN 6, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 5
The Knights rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the visiting Titans in Saturday’s SOL opener for both squads.
Tallie Smink’s three-run home run to center field in the third inning gave the Knights a lead they would not lose.
“She’s one of the returning players from last year’s state team, and she came through,” NP coach Rick Torresani said. “It was a shot.”
Brandi Groarke – the team’s starting shortstop – was pressed into duty in the circle and earned the complete game win.
“We played good defense, and it was a gutsy pitching effort by Brandi Groarke,” Torresani said. “Our number one has been hurt, so Brandi – who occasionally pitches – said, ‘I can do it coach.’ I said, ‘Go ahead.’ She just gutted it out today.”
The Titans held a 10-4 advantage in hits, but the Knights held an advantage on the scoreboard.
By the numbers: North Penn: Tallie Smink (1-for-2, HR, 3 RBI, R), A Veal (1-for-2, 2 RBI, 2R)
Brandi Groarke (7.0 IP, 10H 5R, 5ER, 4BB, 4K)
Central Bucks South: Maddie McClintock (3-for-3, 2B, 2RBI), Ella Wheeler (2-for-3, HR, RBI, 2R), Maddie Motley (2-for-4, 1RBI, R)
By the innings: Top of first: Ella Wheeler leadoff single, advanced to second on sac bunt by Maura Fleming, moved up to third on wild pitch and scored on Maddie Motley single. Cam Lee double plated Motley. (2-0)
Bottom of first: Alyssa Veal leadoff walk, sac bunt by Cailin Halfpeny, Smink walked and Mady Archer sac fly (2-1)
Top of third: Cam Lee two-out walk, and McClintok singled to center. Lee scored on the throw. (3-1)
Bottom of third: Back-to-back walks set the stage for 3-run blast by Tallie Smink (4-3).
Bottom of fourth: Gabriella Battavio leadoff double, Gianna Howard bunt single, and Veal double drove in two runs. (6-3)
Top of fifth: Ella Wheeler solo home run to lead off inning. Back-to-back singles by Fleming and Motley, and one-out RBI single by McClintock. (6-5)
North Penn coach Rick Torresani on the win: “It was a win we needed. It was a win the girls really worked hard to get.”
–Wearing the mantle of defending state champs: “There’s a lot of pressure on the girls. We lost eight seniors, but they know the tradition, and they know they have to step up, and they have to follow that tradition. I’m so proud of them to be able to do what they’ve done. Even in the two losses – they’ve worked so hard and continue to work hard. If I don’t get in the way of them, they’ll be a good team.”
Next up: North Penn (2-2, 1-0 SOL) will be on the road at Central Bucks West on Tuesday, and Central Bucks South (2-2, 0-1) will travel to Central Bucks East on Tuesday.
Central Bucks South 201 020 0 5-10-0
North Penn 103 200 x 6-4-0
COATESVILLE 14, PENNSBURY 4
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