Check out all of Thursday's SOL softball results.
National Conference
BENSALEM 8, WILLIAM TENNENT 4
The Owls notched their first win over the Panthers in seven years on Thursday, rallying from a 4-3 deficit to plate five runs in the final two innings to earn the big win.
“Right before the sixth inning, I said to the girls, ‘These teams come in thinking they can beat you because they always beat you in the past. We haven’t beaten them in seven years, but we’re going to win today,’” coach Dan Schram said. “Yesterday (in a win over Cheltenham) we really started coming together as a team.”
The Owls’ comeback was ignited by Jen Campbell’s solo homerun to lead off the sixth that sparked a three-run Bensalem uprising. Campbell finished the day 3-for-4 – which included a home run and a double - with two runs scored and two RBIs.
“She’s a truly talented and special individual,” Schram said.
The Owls added two more runs in the seventh, sparked by a triple from Isabel Hansbury, but perhaps even more impressive was her heads-up play in the bottom of the inning when Hansbury – who plays shortstop – foiled a delayed Panther steal of home.
“I have known Issy since she was 10 years old. I watched the way she picked the players up – got that triple and foiled that delayed steal,” Schram said. “This kid is a force, and she’s not going anywhere.
“Issy and Jen Campbell are two of the best softball players to come into Bensalem. It’s nice to see.”
Hansbury finished the day 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Freshman Jackie Morell picked up her second win in as many days on the mound.
“Jackie Morell is way beyond her years,” Schram said. “She really persevered, and just her pitching mentality carried her through.
“She showed today why she’s not just a ‘good little pitcher.’ She’s an accomplished, confident young lady, and it starts with her.”
The Panthers saw their league record fall to 0-3 (3-4 overall) while the Owls are 1-2 in league play (4-2 overall).
“You go into these games being Bensalem, and they expect to crush you because that’s all they know,” Schram said. “This was a big win for us. We showed we could battle through adversity.”
For the Panthers, Kaitlyn O’Toole was 2-for-4 with a double and stolen base. Amber O’Toole also was 2-for-4 with a triple, RBI and run scored.
“Nikki Alden is the pulse of that team and has great presence,” Schram said of the Panthers’ sophomore pitcher. “They were aggressive and did everything they could. They hit the ball well.
“Erika Lee is a great coach. Tennent was prepared. They’re going to make noise there for many years to come. They have a good style and philosophy. It could have been their game. It just happened to be ours. We were fortunate enough to get by them today."
NESHAMINY 15, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0 (3 innings)
Diana LaPalombara and Lauren Quense combined to toss a perfect game in the abbreviated contest. LaPalombara picked up the win, striking out five in two innings of work.
The Redskins, who pounded out 13 hits, received doubles from LaPolombara, Quense, Laura Altenburger and Julia McGovern.
The Redskins remained perfect (2-0 SOL, 4-0 overall) while the Golden Hawks fell to 1-2 in league play (2-4 overall).
HARRY S TRUMAN 17, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 7 (6 innings)
The Tigers knocked the Indians from the ranks of the undefeated with the decisive win in a contest that was halted after six innings. While the Tigers (3-0 SOL, 4-3 overall) remain undefeated in league play, the Indians are 2-1 in the league (5-1 overall).
PENNSBURY 14, ABINGTON 0 (5 innings)
Continental Conference
HATBORO-HORSHAM 4, SOUDERTON 0
No one is going to catch the Hatters by surprise this season. Both players and coaches know they’re a marked team every time they step onto the diamond. Winning a state championship does that sort of thing.
“We just know there’s a target on our backs,” senior Maggie Shaffer said. “We just go into every game knowing that the other team is going to bring their best game possible and that we always have to be on point.”
Through seven games, Shaffer and the Hatters have been on point. In Thursday’s win, Shaffer was on top of her game, allowing just two hits while fanning nine in a game that was tightly contested for the better part of seven innings.
“It’s nice when you can blow out a team and win by a lot, but it’s a lot more interesting when you’re in a close game,” Shaffer said.
The Hatters actually scored the only run Shaffer would need in the first when Maria Spinosa singled, advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt and then scored on a wild pitch. It was still a 1-0 game after five innings as Souderton’s Meghan Weisel held the Hatters at bay.
“That pitcher was good,” Hatboro coach Joe DiFilippo said. “She pitched great. It’s not very easy to shut this team did, but she did a great job.
“I think the girls are finally realizing whenever they go out on the field, everyone wants to beat them, but they’re handling it well. Every game will be a challenge because we’re going to get every team’s best performance.”
The Hatters' lead grew to 3-0 in the sixth. Jackie DePietro, who singled and moved up to third on a two-base error, scored on a successfully executed suicide squeeze by Chrissy James, who had a pair of RBIs. The Hatters added a pair of runs in the seventh, which included a solo home run to the opposite field by junior Kelsey Koelzer.
DiFilippo is taking no chances with Koelzer this season after watching her develop a sore elbow when she was handling the Hatters’ catching duties. Koelzer is playing left field this season.
“Everyone wants to know why I don’t let her catch,” the Hatters’ coach said. “I’m not getting her elbow sore again. She said if I ever want her to catch, she would go behind the plate, but I have to keep her out there.
“She’s playing today with a pulled hamstring, and she hit to the opposite field.”
While the Indians fell to 1-2 in league play (2-4 overall), the Hatters improved to 3-0 in the league (7-0 overall).
“Obviously, we want to get to states and win,” Shaffer said. “But for now, we’re just taking it game by game, focusing on the team we’re going to play next, and after that, we can go to the next game.”
NORTH PENN 12, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2 (6 innings)
Jess Mower is the only senior in the Maidens’ lineup, but she certainly has made her presence felt. In Thursday’s decisive win, it was Mower’s grand slam that ignited a nine-run uprising in the fifth inning.
Teammate Jenn Halcovage drove in three runs and contributed a double in a contest that was halted after six innings. Michele Holweger, Morgan Wiernusz and Hannah Sheehan each added a pair of hits for the Maidens.
Freshman Jackie Bilotti continued her string of impressive outings on the mound, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out five in 5.1 innings of work.
While the Maidens improved to 3-0 in league play (4-2 overall), the Bucks fell to 1-2 in the league (4-4 overall).
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 18, QUAKERTOWN 1 (3 innings)
The Titans pounded out 15 hits against a shorthanded Panther squad that was minus several key players who were attending a funeral. Ally Horvath delivered a three-run homer for the Titans while Alyssa Virginnio and Alli Waddington each had doubles. Haileigh Stocks – who struck out the six batters she faced in two innings of work – helped her own cause with a triple.
While the Panthers fell to 0-3 in the league (1-6 overall), the Titans improved to 3-0 in the league (5-1 overall).
PENNRIDGE 2, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1
The game started out on a promising enough note for the Patriots, who took a 1-0 lead when Caroline Schoenwald led off with a solo home run. Schoenwald finished the day 2-for-4 while teammate Kerry Schulz also had a pair of hits, but it wasn’t enough to defeat the Rams.
Natalie Babik drove in the first run for the visiting Rams with a bases-loaded single to center. Paige DeCew, who earned the win on the mound, drove in the game-winning run in the fourth inning. Babik finished the day 2-for-2. DeCew and Alicia Phillips each had triples for the Rams.
Sierra Huckfeldt absorbed the loss on the mound.
The Rams (1-2 SOL, 4-5 overall) picked up their first win of the league season while the Patriots continue to search for theirs (0-3 SOL, 2-5 overall).
American Conference
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 3, UPPER DUBLIN 0
Erica Miller tossed a two-hit shutout to propel the Colonials to the win.
“This was a good win,” coach Dana Moyer said. “Erica is always going to be consistent, throw her pitches and get us some ground balls. She did a nice job and helped herself defensively with some good plays.”
Sophomore catcher Susan Janfrancisco contributed a clutch triple.
“She has been fantastic defensively and as a leader on the field,” Moyer said.
Janfrancisco scored when Miller delivered an RBI.
Moyer also lauded the defensive efforts of second baseman Jordan Katz and outfielder Michelle Taunton.
The win was the second in as many SOL games for the Colonials, who opened their season with three straight non-league losses.
“It was almost the exact same thing as last year where our non-league games are tougher,” Moyer said. “We’re playing decent teams non-league to get us ready for our league games.”
Moyer was looking for a strong start with all except one starter back from last season but suffered a setback when Rachel Konowal, PW’s leadoff hitter and starting centerfielder, broke her collarbone. Senior third baseman Tori Baratucci has also been battling a shoulder injury.
“We had to move some girls around, some girls who had never played the position or don’t know our system,” Moyer said. “It kind of went from really high to – ‘Okay, let’s just play it game by game and see how things go.’
“I’m happy with where we are, but I struggle with the expectations of where I know we can be.”
While the Colonials improved to 2-0 in league play (2-3 overall), the Flying Cardinals fell to 1-2 in the league and 2-4 overall.
NORRISTOWN 6, UPPER MORELAND 2
Two days after suffering a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to conference leader Wissahickon, the Eagles rebounded to earn their first win of the league season.
“There have been games where we have outhit our opponent and lost by one,” coach Jim McCarthy said. “The girls are learning.
“We played a strong defensive game against Wissahickon, which is a very tough team. We had more hits than them, but we didn’t string the hits where we needed them, and (Katie) Ziegler is tough, but we’re growing and learning every day. The back end of the season will work itself out, and we’ll be more productive than we were at the front end.”
The Eagles have just three returning players in the same positions as last year – second baseman Steph DiNolfi, catcher Taylor Copestick and centerfielder Sammi Kidd.
“From that point on, we are trying to reload,” McCarthy said. “There were other kids that had played in games but not in one steady position, so we’re really trying to solidify the defense, so the kids can get into a cycle and work from there.”
The Eagles took a 3-0 lead in the first and never looked back, adding single runs in the second, third and sixth. The Golden Bears scored single runs in the first and fifth innings.
DiNolfi led the Eagles with two hits – including a triple. She also scored a run and contributed one RBI. Gina Pellechio also had a triple and scored a pair of runs while Copestick had one hit and three RBIs.
“Today we were able to get the timely hits, and they were hitting the balls right at us,” McCarthy said.
Sarah Rosetti notched the win on the mound, allowing four hits and two runs (zero earned) while fanning four and walking two.
Lindsay Walder had the Golden Bears’ only extra base hit – a triple.
While the Golden Bears fell to 0-2 in the league (0-8 overall), the Eagles improved to 1-2 in the league (2-6 overall).
CHELTENHAM 10, UPPER MERION 4
Lesenia Santiago did it all for the Lady Panthers on Thursday. The senior hurler not only earned the win on the mound, scattering six hits and striking out five, she also delivered the game’s big blow – a three-run home run in a four-run second. She finished the day with four RBIs.
All told, the Lady Panthers pounded out 18 hits. They were led by the three-hit efforts of Rita Laychock, Nikki Maurer, Erica Winter and Sabrina Casseus. Alexis Street and Nina Jackson each contributed a double.
The Vikings plated three runs in the fourth to make it a 5-3 game, but the Lady Panthers answered with a pair in the bottom of the inning, sparked by Street’s double.
“We ran the bases well,” coach Ron Perlstein said. “We played well. We came out and played defense right away. We had a big second inning.”
The win halted a three-game losing streak for the Lady Panthers, who improved to 1-1 in the league (3-4 overall) while the Vikings fell to 2-1 in the league (3-2 overall).
BENSALEM 14, CHELTENHAM 1 (6 innings) (4-11-12)
The Owls rebounded from a 5-1 loss to Truman one day earlier to earn the decisive non-league win over the Lady Panthers on Wednesday.
“We all came out and hit,” coach Dan Schram said. “The one thing that was striking about today was that Cheltenham had 10 hits.
“Cheltenham can hit the ball. They’re athletic, and they’re a good, young group of kids, and they’re going to knock some teams off.
“With 10 hits – every time they got a hit we were able to stifle it and get out of it, and that’s a sign of maturity that we haven’t had, but that was present today.”
Freshman Jackie Morell notched the win on the mound for the Owls.
“My girls are learning to become ladies,” Schram said. “That’s what I keep talking about with them. It’s the little things – like how you prepare for your day. Just talking more about the mental game and the life lessons they’re learning by playing softball and being competitive athletes.
“They’re learning those things, and when they do, they’re going to be a really good softball team, but they have to learn those little things. As talented as we are, we’re still 14 and 15-years old.”
With the win, the young Owls improved to 3-2 while the Lady Panthers fell to 2-4.
- Log in to post comments
