Check out the results for SOL softball teams in action Wednesday.
National Conference
PENNSBURY 10, ABINGTON 0 (5 innings)
Alyssa Heilman did it all for the Falcons in Wednesday’s abbreviated contest, tossing a nifty two-hit shutout and continuing her string of innings without a walk to 40.
The junior hurler also had a huge day at the plate, picking up three hits in four at-bats.
“We have been hitting for her,” coach Frank McSherry said. “Our first baseman is down, our shortstop is down, and we were without our third baseman (Mia Pitt), so Heilman had to hit for herself, and she went 3-for-4.”
All told, the Falcons pounded out 15 hits. They scored two runs in the first and added two more in the second. They blew the game wide open with a five-run fifth.
Sophomore Allison Rose had another big day at the plate, finishing 2-for-2 with a double and four RBIs. Arden Rabiger was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Sydney Jackimowicz was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and Carly Parsons was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Olivia Mauro was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI.
Abington has been a nemesis to the Falcons in recent years, defeating the Falcons once last season and twice the year before that.
“They’re a good team – they have some really good players,” McSherry said. “They’ve kind of had our number.”
Pennsbury (5-1, 2-0 SOL) will travel to Conwell Egan for a non-league contest on Saturday. Abington (2-3, 0-3) will travel to Council Rock North on Tuesday.
Abington 000 00 0
Pennsbury 220 51 10
Non-league
PENNRIDGE 5, HARRY S TRUMAN 3
The Tigers opened up a 3-0 lead in the fourth, but the Rams responded with five runs of their own to earn their first win of the young season. Kailyn Bell and Meghan Bauer combined for the win in the circle, allowing just three hits.
Bauer, who notched the win, closed out the game with three shutout innings, allowing just one hit while fanning four and walking one.
“Our key today was our pitching,” Pennridge coach Carol Atkinson said. “Kailyn had three unhittable innings. They didn’t get their first hit until the fourth inning.”
Vanessa Tancini broke up Bell’s no-hitter with a bunt single, and Steph Wolf followed with a two-run home run. The Tigers, who were coming off a win over Bensalem one day earlier, added another run to go on top 3-0. Kaileah Heston doubled in the inning, and Elle Olivero accounted for Truman’s third RBI.
The Rams scored two runs in the bottom of the inning and added two more in the fifth to take a lead they would not lose en route to their first win.
“We needed it,” Atkinson said. “It was a big confidence booster today.
“Every loss is tough for anybody, but they’ve been trying to find their mesh to play together, and today they found it. We have three games next week, and leading into those games, this was huge.”
For the Rams, Krista Yerk had a big day at the plate, contributing a pair of doubles, two RBIs and a run scored. Skylar Hengeveld was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Samantha Hart was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Kylie Watson was 1-for-2 with an RBI and run scored, and Allie Motts was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
“Our bats finally opened up today,” Atkinson said.
Pennridge (1-4, 0-2 SOL) will host Souderton on Tuesday, and Harry S Truman (1-5, 1-3) will travel to Conwell Egan on Tuesday for a non-league contest.
Harry S Truman 000 300 0 3-4-0
Pennridge 000 221 x 5-11-0
NORTH PENN 15, QUAKERTOWN 6
They hadn’t forgotten, and the Knights got a measure of redemption for last year’s opening round District One 2-1 upset at the hands of the Panthers. On paper, the number five seed (Quakertown) defeating the 21 seed (North Penn) would never be considered an upset, but the fact that the Panthers were minus their entire senior class (senior trip) with the exception of Spenser Gray made the Knights prohibitive favorites.
Gray, however, proved to be enough, elevating the Panthers to unexpected heights, and the Knights went home for the season.
“There was a little bit of a revenge factor today after what happened to us last year in the playoffs with them,” coach Rick Torresani said. “We had 15 hits in that game and left 11 runners on base. We had the bases loaded three times with nobody out, and Spenser (Gray) was catching everything. She basically won the game for them last year.
“The kids wanted to let everybody know that we’re here and we’re here to compete, and they came out from the first inning.”
Last year’s season-ending loss left a bad taste for the entire offseason.
“All summer, all winter, all fall,” Torresani said. “That was one of our goals through our workouts in the winter. We owe them one.
“I said, ‘Wait a minute, we have five games before Quakertown.’”
The Knights – who pounded out 18 hits – opened up a 13-2 lead before the Panthers plated four runs in the sixth. They put two runs on the scoreboard in the first, thanks to a two-run blast by pitcher Bri Battavio. They added four more in the fourth, and they were just getting started..
“We just hit the ball,” Torresani said.
Second baseman Jordan Pietrzykoski led the Knights’ hit parade with a perfect 4-for-4 effort that included four doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Battavio helped her own cause with a 2-for-4 performance that included a double, home run, five RBIs and two runs scored. Elie Namey was 3-for-3 with a run scored, and Kariam Bou was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Jamie Beer finished 2-for-2 with one RBI and two runs scored.
Battavio earned the complete game win in the circle, allowing four hits and six runs (four earned). She struck out one and walked two.
For the Panthers, Tara Baglivo was 2-for-3 with three runs.
North Penn (3-2, 1-0 SOL) will host Central Bucks West on Thursday, and Quakertown (3-1, 2-0) will travel to Upper Perk for a non-league game on Thursday.
North Penn 200 434 2 15
Quakertown 101 004 0 6
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1, PALISADES 0
Angelina Sherba and Kayla Gallagher combined for the shutout, leading the Panthers to their first win. Sherba tossed the first four innings to earn the win while Gallagher threw the final three innings. The duo combined for 12 strikeouts with Sherba accounting for eight of those. They issued just one walk.
“They did very well,” coach Geoff Thompson said. “The team has been working so hard, and it just seemed like it hasn’t come together yet.”
The Bucks plated the only run they would need in the third inning. Shannon Stewart scored from third base on a sacrifice fly by Sam Trafford. Stewart drew a free pass, moved up to second on a sacrifice and advanced to third on a passed ball.
Sherba and Gallagher made that run stand.
Scoring runs has been a struggle for the Bucks, who have not plated more than two runs in any of their games.
“This game was the same way,” Thompson said. “We were actually hitting the ball pretty well, but we were hitting it right at them.
Kelly Cyliax led the Bucks with a pair of hits.
Central Bucks West (1-3, 0-2 SOL) will travel to North Penn on Wednesday.
Palisades 000 000 0 0
Central Bucks West 001 000 x 1
SOUDERTON 8, LANSDALE CATHOLIC 3
The Indians exploded for four runs in the first inning and never looked back, bringing to a welcome end a two-game losing streak.
“This was a huge team win for us,” coach Liz Parkins said. “Everyone played really good softball, offensively and defensively. It was a great way to bounce back from the losses to East and Pennsbury and to get us ready for a busy/tough schedule next week.”
In the four-run first, Bri Neely led off with a single, and after back-to-back walks, Alex Scheeler singled to center, plating a pair. A second run crossed the plate on a groundout, and Scheeler scored the fourth on a passed ball.
The Indians tacked on three more runs in the third to go on top 7-0. The inning was highlighted by singles from Jordyn Allen, Naila Neely and Bri Neely (RBI). The Crusaders answered with three runs in the fifth, but the Indians added a single run in the sixth for the 8-3 final.
Naila Neely and Bri Neely were both 2-for-3. Allen was 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Sheeler was 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
Scheeler notched the win in the circle, allowing seven hits while striking out eight and walking three.
Souderton (2-2, 0-1 SOL) will travel to Pennridge on Tuesday for a 6:30 p.m. game.
Souderton 403 001 0 8-7-1
Lansdale Catholic 000 030 0 3-7-2
ARCHBISHOP WOOD 5, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 4
The Titans held a lopsided 12-4 advantage in hits, but the Vikings had the edge the only place that mattered – the scoreboard.
Taylor Marinelli’s two-run home run in the fifth gave the Titans a 4-3 lead, but the Vikings tied it it up with one run in the bottom of the inning. They scored the game winner in the sixth.
Marinelli finished the day 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Maddi Bieber was a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two stolen bases. Alexis McConomy was 3-for-4.
Central Bucks South (3-4, 3-0 SOL) will host William Tennent on Tuesday.
Central Bucks South 101 020 0 4-12-3
Archbishop Wood 003 011 x 5-4-2
About the Author
