Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Friday.
Non-league
SOUDERTON 8, WILLIAM TENNENT 3
The Panthers took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third, but the lead was short-lived as the Indians answered with six runs in the top of fourth on their way to the bounce-back non-league win.
“Everything kind of clicked today,” Souderton coach Liz Parkins said. “We hit well, we had good pitching, and we had good fielding. They really played as a team. It was a good team win.”
Friday’s win came on the heels of an 11-0 loss to North Penn four days earlier.
“I give kudos to North Penn – they do have a great team and a great program,” Parkins said. “It worked out that we had three consecutive days of practice and we could work on the things that went wrong in that game.
“It showed today that practice paid off, and it translated well to our win today.”
In the Panthers’ three run third, Megan Curtis got the ball rolling with a one-out single. Hannah Reimel followed with a double, and Brianna Koonce pushed a run across with a single. An RBI single by Devon Fithian was followed by a fielder’s choice RBI by Jenna Cragin that put the Panthers on top 3-0.
In the top of the fourth, Katie Huber was safe on an error to open the inning, and one out later, Abby Burns singled. Sam Nuneviller’s double plated a run, and another Tennent miscue opened the gate for a big two-out rally. The Indians received RBI singles from Jess Lepore, Sierra Ripka and Huber, and by the time the Panthers collected the third out, Souderton led 6-3. The Indians added single runs in the fifth and seventh.
Nuneviller, a junior transfer from Perk Valley, had a big day for the Indians, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored. Lepre was 2-for-5 with a double and run scored out of the leadoff spot. Ripka and Huber were both 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Jen Klepfer and Burns both finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored. Julia Kistler was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
For the Panthers, leadoff batter Mackenzie Clee was 2-for-4, Koonce was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored, and Fithian was 2-for-2 with a double and RBI.
Burns notched the complete game win, allowing eight hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out four and walking two.
Souderton (1-1, 0-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks West on Tuesday, and William Tennent (1-2, 0-1) will host Bensalem Tuesday.
Souderton 000 610 1 8-15-1
William Tennent 003 000 0 3-8-5
NESHAMINY 11, ABINGTON 5
The Redskins picked up their fourth win in as many games, opening up a 9-2 lead before the visiting Ghosts plated three runs in the fifth inning.
Neshaminy put three runs on the board in the top of the first. A two-run triple by Liana Jones was the big blow. In a three-run second inning that put the Redskins on top 5-0, Asia Barnard doubled and Kennedie Ruth followed with a triple.
The Ghosts pulled to within 5-2, but that’s as close as they would get.
Barnard was 2-for-3 with a double, triple and two RBIs out of the leadoff spot. Liana Jones was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Rachel Kohler had a double.
For the Ghosts, Samantha Marasheski was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Freshman Sydney Steiner was 2-for-4.
Sophomore Kylie Siwek earned the win for the Redskins, who played their fourth game in five days.
“A 4-0 week in five days is hard,” coach Dave Chichilitti said. “Factor in, it’s the first week of the season, and we did really well.”
Neshaminy (4-0, 2-0 SOL) will host Harry S Truman on Thursday, and Abington (1-2, 1-0) will travel to Council Rock North Monday for a non-league game.
Abington 002 030 0 5-7-2
Neshaminy 322 220 x 11-10-0
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 7, LANSDALE CATHOLIC 6
It had been a decidedly rough start for a Golden Hawk squad that opened the season 0-3 and twice saw late leads slip away.
“I think the only word I could say is finally,” coach Frank Marino said. “Did they need this win? Absolutely, they needed it.
“When we left Neshaminy (a 7-5 loss), we felt like we left there a stronger team knowing we took them into the seventh inning with a lead. Truman hurt because we let that one slip away, but I think we realize this is going to be a crazy year. The talent is so widespread that I think there’s going to be a lot of teams with several losses, so hopefully, we’re taking our lumps early. We needed this one bad.”
The Golden Hawks scored two runs in the first and two more in the third to go on top 4-0. LC cut that lead in half with two runs in the fourth but the Golden Hawks answered with a run in the top of the inning. The Crusaders erased that lead with a four-run fifth.
“ We had a three-run lead, and they made a bunch of noise in the fifth inning – a couple of miscues kept their inning alive, and they found a way to score four,” Marino said. “I looked up and found myself down by one.”
But this time the Golden Hawks would not be denied, plating a pair of runs in the sixth to eke out the win. Sophomore pinch hitter Kirsti Mendez started the sixth inning rally with a leadoff single. She advanced to second on a groundout and scored the tying run on an RBI single by Olivia Zoldi. Danielle Walters delivered a single to right to plate Zoldi with a run that turned out to be the game-winner.
Zoldi, the Golden Hawks’ leadoff batter, was 2-for-3 with an RBI, four runs scored and a walk. Shorty Thompson was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Danielle Walters was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, and Ally Kirschner was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Walters earned the complete game win, allowing six hits and three earned runs while walking four and striking out 11.
Council Rock South (1-3, 0-2 SOL) – because of its senior trip – is off until Monday, April 8, when the Golden Hawks will travel to Souderton for a non-league game.
“We have a good week at just getting back to practice and working on some things and then get back at it,” Marino said.
Lansdale Catholic 000 240 0 6
Council Rock South 202 102 x 7
UPPER DUBLIN 10, RADNOR 6
When the Red Raiders put five runs on the board in the bottom of the first, things did not look promising for the Flying Cardinals. They still trailed 6-4 heading into the top of the seventh when they exploded for six runs to earn the dramatic come-from-behind win.
“It was a little scary,” UD coach Heather Boyer said. “Our defense settled down. We have a freshman on the mound (Chloe Foster), who is also settling into her role.
“In Wednesday’s game (a win over Dock Mennonite), we had two key starters go out with injuries, and they’re not going to be back for a while. All winter we’ve been training with a particular lineup in mind, and that’s the way the girls have practiced. You get into the second game of the season, and that is disrupted. We have some younger kids that really have had to step up in really big roles.”
Friday’s win came on the heels of a 14-1 setback at the hands of Hatboro-Horsham.
“It’s tough when you’re not going in full strength against a very good team,” Boyer said. “Then today having the confidence to settle in and do your job, and by the end of the game, they transitioned to trusting each other to get the job done, so that was helpful.”
In the top of the seventh, Bela Soriano singled and stole second to ignite UD’s rally. Gretchen Wolpert followed with an RBI double to pull the Cardinals to within one. Lauren Carboni’s double plated Wolpert with the tying run. A third run scored on a passed ball, and Radnor miscues allowed the Cardinals to tack on three more runs.
The Red Raiders put their first two runners on board in the bottom of the seventh, but the Cardinals’ defense held, retiring the next three batters.
The Cardinals pounded out 15 hits. Taylor Avery was 3-for-5 with an RBI. Ellie Kelcy was 3-for-5 with a run scored. Wolpert was 1-for-3 with an RBI double. Carboni was 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. Brianna Kesslick was 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Ally McDaid was 3-for-4 with a run scored.
“Ally McDaid is one of the kids that has had to step up defensively to fill a role that was vacated,” Boyer said. “She did a nice job settling in defensively and also at the plate too.”
Foster earned the complete game win, allowing nine hits and two earned runs while striking out four and walking five.
“We have some really young kids that are stepping into their varsity roles pretty well,” Boyer said. “We have two freshmen starting. One of them is Chloe Foster on the mound who is getting stronger every game, getting a little bit more confidence every game. Although she’s given some walks up here and there, she’s spreading them out. We’re more often than not making plays behind her. She’s got good presence and really seems to manage the demands of that position well for being such a young player.
“Our left fielder, Brianna Kesslick, has hit safely in three out of four games, and in some big spots, she’s come up with some RBIs, which is key for a freshman. Sometimes you forget they’re only 14 years old. I actually pulled them aside today and told them how good of a job they’re doing as such young athletes stepping in and having an impact at such an early age and in clutch spots.”
Upper Dublin (3-1, 0-1 SOL) – which has been on the road five straight days this week – will host Cheltenham on Tuesday.
Upper Dublin 003 100 6 10
Radnor 500 100 – 6
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 10, PALISADES 0 (6 innings)
Kayla Gallagher and Sara Yoder combined for a six-inning no-hitter. Gallagher earned the win, striking out seven and walking one in three strong innings to open the game. Yoder struck out five and walked one in three innings.
The Bucks scored all the runs they would need in a two-run second. Junior Ebani Welsh’s two-out single drove in a pair. They took a 3-0 lead into the fifth when they erupted for five runs. Anna Rodenbaugh’s three-run home run highlighted the inning.
Welsh had a productive day at the plate to lead the Bucks, finishing 3-for-4 with a double and six RBIs. In addition to her two-run single in the second, Welsh had an RBI single in the fourth, a two-run double in the fifth and then drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth to push a run across.
Maddie Leatherbarrow was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Abby Lineman contributed a double.
Central Bucks West (3-0, 1-0 SOL) will travel to Souderton on Tuesday.
Palisades 000 000 0
Central Bucks West 020 152 10
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 28, CHELTENHAM 0
Josee Tassoni’s 4-for-4 day at the plate – which included a double, triple, four RBIs and four runs scored – led the hit parade for the Colonials. Emma Carney was 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs while Lauryn Kane was 3-for-5 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs. Kamryn Kropinski was 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs, and Brooke Balkieweicz was 2-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Allison Beausoleil was 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs, and Carly Rosenberger was 2-for-2 with a double, two RBIs and three runs. Emily Caffrey had a pair of RBIs.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (3-0, 2-0 SOL) will host Upper Merion in a non-league game on Monday, and Cheltenham (0-3, 0-2) will be on the road at Upper Dublin on Tuesday.
Cheltenham 000 0-0-7
Plymouth Whitemarsh 820x 28-18-0
About the Author
