Harry S Truman & North Penn picked up league wins in Monday’s season openers. Check out the recaps for all the SOL softball teams in action.
SOL National Conference
HARRY S TRUMAN 7, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 5
The Tigers opened their season with a big win, upending the defending district runner-up Indians in the SOL opener for both squads on a rainy Monday.
“This was huge,” coach Lisamarie Belmonte said. “Council Rock North is a great team. We just played really well today. We put everything together, and it’s nice to see that at the beginning of the year.”
The Indians took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning when the Tigers erupted for three runs. Chrissy Huhn drew a leadoff walk and immediately stole second and third. She scored when Ellie Olivero singled. Grace Pool was hit by a pitch, and one out later, Emily Kovultic singled to plate the tying run. The go-ahead run crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Jalecia Blackston.
The Tigers tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.
A key moment in the game came came in the top of the sixth inning when Belmonte made a gutsy call.
“Unintentionally, we walked the first batter and then I walked batters two and three (Rachel Lorence and Lauren Begg), who were absolutely destroying us all day long, to load the bases with two outs and their number four batter coming up who’s a phenomenal player,” Belmonte said. “I took a gamble based upon just today’s statistics, and Jalecia (Blackston) struck out the girl, and it ended up working out in our favor.”
Olivera, who tripled, was the lone Tiger with two hits. Huhn was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks, two RBIs and a run scored. Alexia Devlin also had one hit and one RBI. Vanessa Tancini doubled and scored a run.
Hayley Carter, who earned the win, started in the circle. Blackston allowed one hit in 2.1 scoreless innings in relief. She fanned two and walked four.
“Jalecia came in and just dominated, and then Hayley Carter came in at the end and finished the game, absolutely just shut them down,” Belmonte said.
For the Indians Lorence was 2-for-3 with three runs scored, and Begg was 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored. Abby Seiple was 2-for-2 in a contest that saw the Indians hold a 10-7 advantage in hits.
Harry S Truman (1-0) will travel to Council Rock South on Thursday, and Council Rock North (0-1) will host William Tennent on Tuesday.
Council Rock North 101 120 0 5-10-4
Harry S Truman 110 131 x 7-7-1
SOL Continental Conference
NORTH PENN 11, SOUDERTON 0 (5 innings)
North Penn wasted absolutely no time seizing control of Monday’s SOL opener against its neighboring rival. It turns out the Knights had a little score to settle with the Indians.
“They beat us twice last year, and that caused us to have to share the title,” said coach Rick Torresani of his team’s SOL Continental co-championship with CB South. “The girls were excited. They’ve been excited since September because they got a taste of the state playoffs. They have a lot of high expectations. They’ve worked really hard.”
Jordan Pietrzykoski’s two-run home run highlighted a five-run first and effectively set the tone for the abbreviated contest. Amanda Greaney and Elia Namey followed with back-to-back singles, and both runners scored when Jamie Beer’s bunt was misplayed. The Knights led 5-0 after Maddy Volpe lofted a sacrifice fly to the outfield.
In the second inning, it was Namey’s turn to go yard, delivering a three-run blast after Pietrzykoski walked and Greaney singled to put the Knights on top 8-0. In a three-run fourth, Pietrzykoski tripled, and Greaney delivered a two-run home run.
Namey – who doubled and homered – was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored, and Greaney also was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Pietrzykoski was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Carley DiGiuseppe was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Volpe earned the shutout win in the circle, allowing three hits while striking out eight and walking one.
The players presented Monday’s game ball to Ellie White, Abington’s long-time head coach who is now an assistant at North Penn.
“They grabbed the ball and they all were signing it, and then when we got in our huddle, I said, ‘Captains, do you have anything to say?’” Torresani said. “Elia (Namey) said, ‘We want to give our game ball to coach White. We want to make sure she knows we want her to be a part of this.’
“She’s been such a big help and is so excited about coaching with these girls. She deserves it.”
For the Indians, Jen Klepfer and Riley York each had a double. Jess Lepore accounted for the team’s third hit.
Abby Burns absorbed the loss in the circle.
North Penn (1-0) will leave for a five-day stay in Orlando, Fla., with a doubleheader against Dallas on Saturday at the ESPN Disney Complex. Souderton (0-1) will travel to William Tennent for a non-league game Friday.
Souderton 000 00 0
North Penn 530 3x 11
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 7, WISSAHICKON 6
The Bucks – who trailed 6-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning – benefitted from a two-out error to plate a pair of runs, earning the walk-off win in Monday’s non-league opener.
“It was raining and cold,” West coach Geoff Thompson said. “We’re relieved we got a win out of it. We were very lucky.”
Abby Lineman was 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored to lead the Bucks. Lauren Molenari tripled and scored two runs.
Kayla Gallagher threw the first three innings, allowing four hits and one run while striking out four and walking five.
“Kayla was having a hard time gripping the ball,” Thompson said.
Sara Yoder worked the final four innings and earned the win. The sophomore hurler struck out six and walked one, allowing seven hits and five runs.
“I was pretty impressed with Wissahickon,” Thompson said. “They had 11 hits, and Sara is a good pitcher.
“They actually should have won the game. They had a few errors. If they wouldn’t have had the errors, they would have won.”
Leading the Trojans’ attack were Ashley Radell, Macey Segal and Bella Harris with two hits each.
Central Bucks West (1-0) will host Central Bucks East in Thursday’s SOL opener, and Wissahickon (0-1) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh for Thursday’s league opener.
Wissahickon 010 022 1 6
Central Bucks West 011 120 2 7
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 18, NORRISTOWN 3
The visiting Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. It turned out to be short-lived as the Colonials answered with nine runs in the bottom of the inning and four more in the second. A five-run third brought an early end to the non-league contest.
The Colonials got a ton of production out of the top of the order. Leadoff batter Kamryn Kropinski was 3-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Jennifer Byrne, who hits out of the number two hole, was 1-for-1 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. Hannah Suh also had a productive day, finishing the contest 2-for-3 with a triple, four RBIs and two runs scored. Brooke Balkiewicz, Lauryn Kane and Carly Rosenberger each had one RBI. Josee Tassoni and Emma Carney each scored three times. Rosenberger scored twice.
Winning pitcher Kayla Yeager allowed one hit and one earned run in three innings. She walked four.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (1-0) will host Wissahickon in Thursday’s SOL opener.
Norristown 102 3-1-4
Plymouth Whitemarsh 9-4-5 18-6-2
NESHAMINY 17, UPPER MORELAND 5 (6 innings)
On a wet and soggy afternoon, freshman Amanda Slablicki picked up her first varsity win, allowing just one earned run in five innings in the circle.
The Redskins scored four runs in the top of the first, but a two-run blast to center by UM’s Bean Hughes made it a 4-2 game after one inning. The Golden Bears pulled to within one, 5-4, after a Jackie Martino double in the third. The Redskins upped that lead to 8-4 in the fifth and then brought an early end to the game with a nine-run sixth.
“The score is not any indication of the team Upper Moreland has,” Neshaminy coach Dave Chichilitti said. “They have a very solid team.”
Neshaminy (1-0) will host Council Rock South in Tuesday’s SOL opener, and Upper Moreland (0-1) will host Pottsgrove in a non-league game Tuesday.
UPPER PERKIOMEN 7, QUAKERTOWN 5
The Indians opened up a 4-0 lead before the Panthers got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Upper Perk answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to go on top 7-2.
The Panthers rallied in the top of the seventh, sparked by RBI singles from Abby Schwartz, Sarah Stofik and Syd Andrews.
Brianna Lefkoski led the Panthers’ 10-hit attack, finishing the day 3-for-4 with two runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Schwartz (2-for-4, 2 RBIs, run) and Morgan Thrush (2-for-4, 2B, run) also had multi-hit days for the Panthers.
Tori Caputo absorbed the loss in the circle.
Quakertown (0-1) will travel to Central Bucks South for Thursday’s SOL opener.
Quakertown 000 020 3 5-10-3
Upper Perkiomen 110 230 x 7-13-1
OWEN J ROBERTS 7, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 2
The visiting Wildcats scored three unearned runs in the top of the second inning to go on top 3-1, benefitting from a costly two-out error. The Titans trimmed that lead to 3-2 with a run in the fifth, but the Wildcats – sparked by a three-run home run – put the game out of reach with four runs in the sixth.
Alexa Ortman and Maddie Rowley both had two hits to lead the Titans with Rowley contributing a double.
Kylie Kenney absorbed the loss, allowing one hit and no earned runs in five innings.
Owen J. Roberts 030 004 0 7
Central Bucks South 100 010 0 2
UPPER DUBLIN/UPPER MERION (Suspended)
Monday’s game was suspended in the top of the second inning due to weather. Pending field conditions, the game will resume Tuesday at 3:45 p.m.
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