Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Wednesday.
Non-league
WILLIAM TENNENT 7, UPPER MORELAND 6
One day removed from a tough loss to Council Rock North, the Panthers looked as though Wednesday’s non-league game against the visiting Golden Bears might be yet another heartbreaking loss.
That didn’t happen, and after giving up four runs and falling behind 6-5 in the top of the seventh, the Panthers answered with a gutsy comeback, plating two runs in the bottom of the inning for the walk-off win.
“Both teams battled,” Tennent coach Rich Clark said. “We almost let the game slip away, but the girls got together – they regrouped, and they came right back out in the bottom of the seventh and scored two runs. It was a very exciting game.”
Brianna Koonce drew a walk to lead off the seventh, and when Devon Fithian followed with a first-pitch double to the fence in right center, the Panthers had runners on second and third with none out. Jenna Cragin stepped to the plate, and on the first pitch, lined a double to right center to plate two runs, giving the Panthers the walk-off win.
“They came back, they were resilient and said never die,” Clark said. “The same with the first inning. Upper Moreland scored twice, and we came right back with three runs of our own.”
In the bottom of the first, Mackenzie Clee got things started with a slap double over the third base bag. Hannah Reimel delivered an RBI single, and RBI groundouts by Koonce and Cragin accounted for the second and third runs.
Cragin’s four RBIs led the Panthers. She was 1-for-3. Clee was 3-for-4 with a double and run scored out of the leadoff spot. Fithian was 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Reimel was 1-for-3 with an RBI and three runs.
Sophomore Megan Curtis allowed five hits and five runs (none earned) in 6.1 innings. She fanned nine and did not walk a batter.
For the Golden Bears, Jackie Martino was 1-for-3 with an RBI double in the four-run seventh. She led the Bears with two RBIs. Jocie Baumeister was 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored out of the leadoff spot. She had a pair of doubles, and her sacrifice fly accounted for the tying run in the seventh. Allie Ludlow singled and scored in the seventh.
“We came up in the seventh chasing three – we obviously hadn’t had anything for five innings,” UM coach Scott Ludlow said. “We didn’t quit. We put some balls in play, which we hadn’t been doing earlier. We forced them to make some plays and never gave up. We got a clutch sacrifice fly, and Jackie’s two-out double to score the run to go ahead was a huge hit.
“That’s what we focused on. We focused on the fact that we battled back, stayed positive and kept working. It was a heartbreaker, but they earned it. The two shots they hit in the bottom of the seventh were line drives to the gap with no chances of being caught. They certainly earned the win in the seventh.”
William Tennent (1-1) will host Souderton in a non-league game on Friday, and Upper Moreland (1-2) will be on the road at Cheltenham on Thursday.
Upper Moreland 200 000 4 6-6-0
William Tennent 301 010 2 7-9-3
BENSALEM 8, LITTLE FLOWER 1
Little Flower took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. It turned out to be their last hurrah. The Owls got that run back in the bottom of the inning and then scored three runs in both the third and fourth innings to seize control of Wednesday’s non-league opener.
Freshman Maggie Formichelli was impressive in her debut, allowing three hits while striking out 10. She allowed only one baserunner over the final four innings.
“We played a real nice team game,” coach Dan Schram said. “Maggie threw a gem, and everyone came through today. We have a great group of kids.”
Jessica Klein was 2-for-3 with four runs scored and two stolen bases. Deja Seilhamer was 3-for-4 with four RBIs, and Maddie Buechner was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Bensalem (1-0) will host Neshaminy in Thursday’s SOL opener.
Little Flower 100 000 0 1
Bensalem 103 301 x 8
Tuesday, March 26
UPPER MORELAND 10, POTTSGROVE 0 (5 innings)
Bean Hughes hit a home run for the second day in a row, delivering a two-run shot in the Golden Bears’ five-run fifth inning in Tuesday’s mercy rule win. One day earlier, she hit a two-run blast in a loss to Neshaminy. The junior slugger’s 3-for-3 effort at the plate included the home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Jocie Baumeister was 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and two runs scored, and Jackie Martino was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run. Brigid Ounan finished the day 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs.
Jenna Sadowski earned the win, allowing four hits while fanning four and walking nine in the five-inning contest.
Pottsgrove 000 00 0
Upper Moreland 305 02 10
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