North Penn won a pair of non-league games Friday on the team’s spring training trip to the University of Alabama. Check out the recaps.
Non-league
NORTH PENN 5, AMERICAN CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (Ala.) 4
Things didn’t look all that promising when the Knights found themselves in a 4-0 hole after two innings of the team’s second game of the day Friday. Down but not out, they battled back to knot the score in the fifth and won it with a run in the top of the seventh.
It looked as though ACA was going to get out of the seventh with relative ease when the first two batters were retired, but Liv Stevens kept the inning alive with a single to center. That set the stage for Felicia Connolly, who lined an RBI double to left field that turned out to be the game-winner.
Casey Sokol – who entered the game in relief in the bottom of the second – retired ACA in the bottom of the inning to seal the win.
ACA boasts a tradition of excellence, winning state championships at the 2/3A level in three of the last four years. The Patriots certainly appeared to be in complete command after scoring four runs in the bottom of the second.
The Knights, however, began their comeback with a run in the top of the third when Sokol, who lined a one-out double to right, scored on an ACA miscue.
In the top of the fifth, the Knights rallied to knot the score. Gabby Battavio drew a leadoff walk, and Gianna Cimino followed with a double to center. Sokol’s single plated a run, and Connolly’s single to center drove in a pair. Neither team scored again until the Knights scored the game-winner in the top of the seventh.
Connolly started for the Knights but was relieved by Sokol, who allowed three hits in 5.1 shutout innings in a standout effort, striking out eight and walking one.
Sokol also was 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and run scored. Connolly was 2-for-4 with three RBIs in a productive night at the plate.
North Penn (3-1, 1-1 SOL) will face Bibb High School on Friday at 8 a.m.
North Penn 001 030 1 5-6-1
ACA 040 000 0 4-8-4
NORTH PENN 8, HILLCREST HS (Ala.) 5
The Knights took an early 2-1 lead and added four runs in the fifth on their way to the non-league win over the defending Alabama 6A state champions. It was the first of two games played Friday at the University of Alabama’s Rhoads Stadium as part of the team’s spring training trip.
In the top of the second, the Knights set the tone for the game with a pair of runs. Tallie Smink’s one-out double drove in the first run, and with two outs, Lexi Nyce and Gabby Battavio hit back-to-back singles with Battavio’s driving in a run to put the Knights on top 2-0.
Hillcrest got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning, but the four-run fifth gave the Knights some breathing room. Casey Sokol led off the inning with a single to left, and Bella Nunn drew a walk. Stevens followed with a line double to right field, plating the inning’s first run. Felicia Connolly’s RBI single put the Knights on top 4-1. A Hillcrest error and sacrifice fly by Izzy Tubertini gave the Knights a 6-1 lead.
Hillcrest scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 6-4 game, but the Knights responded with two runs in the top of the seventh before Hillcrest scored one in the bottom of the inning for the 8-5 final.
Sokol’s 3-for-4 day at the plate with a run scored led the Knights’ 11-hit attack. Smink was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Nunn notched the complete game win, allowing five hits and five runs (four earned) while striking out six and walking three.
North Penn 020 040 2 8-11-1
Hillcrest (Ala.) 010 003 1 5-5-4
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