Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Friday. PW/Hatboro-Horsham photos courtesy of Kim Supko. Neshaminy/Pennsbury photos courtesy of Darryl Rule of J&D Photography. Check back for galleries: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f860927651
SOL Patriot Division
NESHAMINY 12, PENNSBURY 11
They’ll be talking about this one for a long, long, long time.
How the neighboring rivals – in front of packed stands at Middletown Community Park – turned Friday night’s rivalry game into a home run derby, combining for 11, yes, 11 home runs. How – with two on and two outs in the bottom of the seventh – Olivia Hughes was down to her last strike with her team trailing by two when she smashed the 11th and most dramatic round tripper of the night to give the Redskins the improbable and emotional walk-off win.
As unlikely as it might sound, first-year coach Sarah Martoccio felt remarkably calm.
“I get a little nervous sometimes – it’s more like an excited feeling during these games,” the Neshaminy coach said. “It’s always hard from a coach’s perspective because we only have so much control and especially coming from somebody who did play the game – I can say it feels a whole lot more comfortable to be in the game and be able to have control over something.
“I’ll tell you – I felt so comfortable that last inning, and that is only something I could feel because of the team and the way that they are this year. A few weeks ago, even a week-and-a-half ago, this wouldn’t have been a thing at all. It’s not because the girls aren’t talented, it’s not because they wouldn’t have been able to accomplish something like this. It’s just that they didn’t have the real team strength that they do right now. It’s
something we see as coaches, and we’re in on it as well. It truly has become – not to be corny – one family.”
The Redskins remarkable comeback began before Hughes stepped to the plate with freshmen Kendall McCafferty and Jill Rickards collecting back-to-back singles with one out in the seventh.
“Our two freshmen that last inning getting on base with one out with the big crowd – there were hundreds of people in attendance, and as freshmen in the bottom of the seventh inning down by two, Kendall and Jill getting on base was absolutely huge,” Martoccio said.
McCafferty and Rickards moved up to second and third on a passed ball.
“Liv and I talked, and she knew she just needed something on the line because at that point we’re looking to tie up the game with runners on second and third, and I just had this overwhelming feeling of calm come over me,” Martoccio said. “I just know that this team – they’re fighters, and they 100 percent have each other’s backs and lift each other up.
“It’s really awesome to not have a bottom of the lineup (McCafferty and Rickards bat seventh and eighth). Our entire lineup could go anywhere. It’s unbelievable. It’s a great situation to be put in as a coach.”
The fact that the Redskins were down to their final out and Hughes was down to her final strike didn’t really faze the first-year coach.
“Surprisingly, I never felt like we were one out away from losing,” Martoccio said. “It always felt like we were one hit away from winning.
“Pennsbury is a real scrappy team. They (have) some fantastic players, and Frank McSherry (is an) awesome coach. They kept chipping away inning after inning, and it would have been really, really easy for our girls to just sit there and let it happen. We took our foot off the gas pedal
in the middle of the game, which ended up putting us in the situation we were in, but it never felt like we were done. Not a single girl in there felt like they were down. Every single one of these girls stayed up the entire game.”
Hughes fouled off a pair of two-strike pitches before launching a shot over the center field fence that brought a jubilant end to a wild night for the Redskins, who won their fifth in a row after dropping their first two games of the season.
It was Hughes second home run of the night. Her first – also to center field – came on the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning.
“It was just so fitting that she started and ended the game with a home run,” Martoccio said. “It just felt like the perfect bookend to a movie-like finish to a game. I’m truly honored to be a part of this win and to be a part of this.”
For Hughes, it was her second walk-off game-winner of the season, and perhaps everyone should have known this was going to be a wild one when the Redskins put five runs on the board in the bottom of the first.
It began with Hughes solo shot, and after singles by Lily Mormello and Morgan Volgraf and a walk to Zahmira Coppola-Miller loaded the bases, Alleigh Waskie hit a grand slam to give the ‘Skins a 5-0 lead.
In the top of the third, Presley Foote’s solo home run made it a 5-1 game, but Waskie got that run back when she hit her second round tripper in as many at-bats in the bottom of the inning.
Jaylyn Rodweller’s two-run home run after a Naya Schubel single in the top of the fourth made it a 6-3 game, but the Redskins responded in the fourth by scoring the first run that did not come off a homer on a Volgraf single.
Pennsbury scored two runs in the fifth and another run in the sixth to pull to within one, but Neshaminy answered with back-to-back home runs by Mormello and Volgraf in the bottom of the inning to go on top 9-6, setting the stage for the you-had-to-see-it-to-believe-it seventh.
After a walk to Anna Evanchik to lead off the inning, Sammy Raub hit a two-run shot that was followed by back-to-back home runs by Schubel and pinch hitter Jenna Thompson. The Falcons added an unearned run and took an 11-9 lead that turned out to be anything but secure.
The two teams combined for 28 hits – 14 each.
For the Redskins, Hughes was 3-for-5 with two home runs, four RBIs and three runs scored out of the leadoff spot, and Volgraf was 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs. Also contributing multi-hit games were Mormello (2-for-4, HR, RBI, 2R), Waskie (2-for-4, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 2R), McCafferty (2-for-3, R) and Rickards (2-for-4, R).
Leadoff batter Ava Storlazzi led the Falcons with a 4-for-5 day that included one RBI and one run. Rodweller was 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and a run scored while Schubel was 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Neshaminy (5-2, 4-2 SOL) will travel to Souderton on Monday for a crossover game, but before then, according to Martoccio, the players have big plans.
“You’d think after four games in a week and five days together they would be so sick of each other,” the first-year coach said. “The entire team not only has a sleepover together tonight, they also are doing it again tomorrow night – two nights in a row entire team sleepovers.
“They can’t be away from each other, and with girls, it’s hard because there are so many different personalities. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. It’s the coolest thing. It’s a really fun team.”
Pennsbury (5-3, 4-2) will be on the road at Central Bucks West for a crossover game Wednesday.
Pennsbury 001 221 5 11-14-0
Neshaminy 501 102 3 12-14-5
SOL Patriot/Colonial Division crossovers
Council Rock South 14, Central Bucks East 0 (5 innings)
Julia Scannapieco made her first start in the circle a memorable one, tossing a two-hit shutout in Friday’s abbreviated crossover game.
“Julia dominated the game,” Rock South coach Scott Molle said. “We knew Julia needed to get some time on the mound and she delivered, hitting all her spots throughout the game.
“Julia is an exceptional player who excels in all aspects of the game, whether it’s at first base, on the mound, or at the plate. We are so proud of her and the milestone she achieved today.”
The Golden Hawks scored early and often, putting enough runs on the board in the first inning to win it. Gabby Bloom laced a one-out triple to left field, and Grace Stepp drew a walk. Scannapieco helped her own cause, clearing the bases with a home run to center field that gave the Hawks an early 3-0 lead. Avery Tumolo followed and drew a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Shannon Williams for a 4-0 advantage.
In the second, Bloom led off with a double, and Stepp delivered her team’s second home run of the game, this one to left field to put the Hawks on top 6-0. By the time the inning was over, they led 9-0 on their way to the mercy rule win.
“Grace Stepp and Julia Scannapieco had impressive at-bats,” Molle said. “Other notable performances include Gabby Bloom, Avery Tumolo, Shannon Williams, and freshman Katie Aamland, who had her first varsity start and had an impressive three RBIs.
“Katie has worked tirelessly, and her efforts paid off in today’s game. This win is especially meaningful since it was a game we lost last year, and we emphasized the importance of playing our game and working together as a team to achieve success. We are thrilled with our team’s performance today and are eager to face our rivals, CR North, tomorrow.”
Contributing multi-hit games for the Hawks were Bloom (2-for-3, 2B, 3B, 2R), Stepp (2-for-2, HR, 2 RBIs, R), Scannapieco (2-for-2, HR, 2B, 3 RBIs, R), Tumolo (2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, 2R) and Williams (2-for-2, 2B, 2 RBIs, 2R).
Council Rock South (7-0, 5-0 SOL) will host Council Rock North on Saturday at 12 noon. Central Bucks East (2-6, 0-6) will travel to Souderton on Saturday for an 11 a.m. contest.
Central Bucks East 000 00 0-2-4
Council Rock South 455 0x 14-13-1
SOL Liberty Division
Plymouth Whitemarsh 8, Hatboro-Horsham 0
Rian Reed was in complete command in the circle, tossing an impressive complete game one-hit shutout, and as wins go, this was a big one for the Colonials in a marquee divisional contest.
“Playing Hatboro Horsham and facing Alyssa Tooley in the circle is always tough,” PW coach Mike Perez said. “Our girls came in ready to play and I’m so proud of their effort.”
“Rian Reed takes a perfect game into the fifth inning, ultimately throwing a one-hit complete game shutout gem. She was so good in the circle today. We knew coming in that they had a tough lineup, but Rian did a great job of moving the ball around, and the defense played great behind her.”
After Reed mowed the Hatters down in order in the top of the first, the Colonials scored two in the bottom of the innings. Marissa Perez led off with a single, and Caelin Kosvitch drew a walk. Both runners advanced on a passed ball, and both scored on Madison Moran’s single to right field.
In the second inning, Kalina Childers hit a one-out double to left field, and Emily Dobrowolski legged out a bunt single. Both players scored when Marissa Perez ripped a triple to left field. Sam Skivo’s single plated Perez to put the Colonials on top 5-0.
That score stood until the bottom of the sixth when – after back-to-back walks to Joslyn Perez and Reed – Childers smashed a three-run home run to center field for the 8-0 final.
“Marissa did a great job getting us going in the bottom of the first to take the lead and had a huge triple to knock in two runs in the second,” Perez said. “Kalina had a great day at the plate with a huge double to start the second inning and a huge two-run home run in the sixth.
Marissa Perez (2-for-4, 3B, 2 RBIs, 2R) and Childers (2-for-3, HR, 2 RBIS, 2R) led the offense.
In the complete game win, Reed struck out seven and walked one. She needed just 79 pitches – 54 were strikes – and faced only 23 batters.
Bella Karpovich collected the Hatters’ lone hit – a one-out single in the fifth inning.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (8-2, 7-1 SOL) will be on the road at Springfield Twp for Monday’s crossover game, and Hatboro-Horsham (6-3, 6-2) will travel to William Tennent for a crossover game Monday.
Hatboro-Horsham 000 000 0 0-1-0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 230 003 x 8-7-0
Quakertown 17, Wissahickon 0 (3 innings)
The Panthers scored a pair of runs in the first and then added 10 in the second on their way to the abbreviated mercy rule win.
Skyler Williams led the Panthers’ hit parade with a 4-for-4 game that included a double, four RBIs and two runs scored. Ava Beal was 3-for-4 with a triple, three RBIs and three runs scored. Also contributing multi-hit games were Ava Eatherton (2-for-3, 2RBIs, 2R) and Abbey Wagner (2-for-2, 2B, 2 RBIs, 2R).
In the circle, Wagner allowed one hit in two shutout innings, and Beal closed it out with a shutout inning in relief.
Quakertown (10-0, 8-0 SOL) will travel to Upper Moreland for Monday’s crossover game, and Wissahickon (4-8, 2-6) will host New Hope-Solebury in a crossover game Monday.
Quakertown 2-10-4 17-15-0
Wissahickon 0-0-0 0-1-6
Non-league
Upper Dublin 4, Mount St. Joseph 2 (8 innings)
Kyla Garrison gave Upper Dublin a chance … Bella Fiore made the most of hers.
Garrison pitched eight strong innings, striking out 10 and scattering four hits while allowing two runs (one earned). But the Cardinals couldn’t manage to push a run across on nonleague opponent Mount St. Joseph on Friday and trailed 1-0 heading into the seventh inning.
In the top of the seventh, Maddie Small drew a two-out walk and Kate Brannigan hit a single. Jolie Sheppard’s single scored Small with the tying run, but Brannigan was thrown out at the plate on a close call to end the inning. Garrison pitched her way out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh. With Mount runners on first and third, the sophomore pitcher recorded two strikeouts and an infield pop-up.
In the eighth, Garrison reached base on an error with one out and that was followed by a walk to Kaitlyn Zacharia, setting the stage for Fiore, who crushed a 2-out, 2-strike, 3-run home run as the Cardinals rallied for a 4-2 victory over the Mount.
Garrison, after pitching her way out of a jam in the seventh inning, did the same in the bottom of the eighth after giving up a leadoff home run that cut the lead to 4-2. Garrison struck out the next batter then coaxed a flyout to left field. The next two batters reached base, but Garrison closed out the game by getting the final batter to ground out to second base.
The Cardinals (6-5, 3-5 SOL) will host Cheltenham on Monday at 3:45 pm.
Upper Dublin 000 000 13 4-6-1
Mount St. Joseph 000 100 01 2-4-1
William Tennent 10, Villa Joseph Marie 4
A nine-run fourth inning erased a 4-1 deficit, and the visiting Panthers went on to defeat the Jems in Friday’s non-league game.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the second when Sydney Teufel, who doubled to lead off the inning, scored on Lexi Weidner’s groundout.
Villa put four runs on the board in the third, but the Panthers had an answer in the fourth. Victoria Colagreco led off the inning with a walk, and Teufel and Rylie O’Toole followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases. A fielder’s choice and a pair of Villa errors opened the floodgates.
Sammi Wood delivered a two-run single, Colagreco singled and both runners scored on Teufel’s line drive double to center field. O’Toole’s RBI single put the Panthers on top 10-4, and that score stood the rest of the way.
Teufel’s 3-for-4 game included two doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored. O’Toole was 2-for-4 with one RBI and a run scored.
Katie LaPlaunt earned the complete game win, allowing six hits and four runs while striking out 13 and walking two.
William Tennent (6-3, 4-3 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham in a crossover game Monday.
William Tennent 010 900 0 10-8-1
Villa Joseph Marie 004 000 0 4-6-2
Springfield Twp 4, Dock Mennonite Academy 3
The Spartans won a tightly contested game over the visiting Pioneers, scoring a run in the bottom of the sixth to break a 3-3 tie and then holding on for the win.
“I am extremely proud of the girls to get this win,” Springfield coach Heather Gelhaus said. “We did the little things as a team, and it paid off.
“Ashley Schulz pitched a great game with a strong defense behind her. Keira Brandon, Juju Cooney, and Norah Conlin came up with some big game-saving plays.”
It was Cooney, a freshman, delivering a run that turned out to be the game-winner in the bottom of the sixth after the Pioneers evened the score in the top of the inning. Norah Conlin drew a leadoff walk, and two outs later looked like she might be stranded on second, but Cooney roped a triple to center field that plated Conlin for a 4-3 lead.
Schulz did the rest, retiring Dock in order in the top of the seventh, putting an exclamation point on the win with a strikeout for the game’s final out.
Earlier in the game, Spartans scored two runs in the fourth to go on top 2-1 with Keira Brandon delivering the inning’s big hit – a two-run double.
The Pioneers evened the score in the fifth, but the Spartans answered in the bottom of the inning when Schulz hit a two-out single to plate McKayla McKeever, who singled to lead off the inning.
Schulz allowed five hits and three runs in the complete game win, striking out seven and walking four. She also led the offense with a 2-for-2 effort at the plate with one RBI and one run score.
Springfield Twp (3-6, 2-6 SOL) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh in a crossover game on Monday.
Dock Mennonite 000 111 0 3-5-0
Springfield Twp 000 211 x 4-6-0
Bristol 8, Bensalem 5
The Owls took an early lead but could not hold on as the Warriors rallied for the non-league win.
In the top of the first, Abbie Krevolin singled and Lina Sponheimer reached on a fielder’s choice. Aubrey Merz smacked a two-out two-RBI single to give Bensalem an early 2-0 lead.
Unfortunately for the Owls, Bristol was able to immediately tie it up in the bottom on the inning. Bristol tacked on five runs in the second, capitalizing on three Bensalem miscues.
The Owls were able to fight back, scoring two runs in the fifth. Megan Klein singled and scored on Krevolin’s triple, and Krevolin scored on a wild pitch. Sponheimer stepped up and hit a single to left field to record her 100th career hit.
The Owls added one more in the sixth when Kayla Clarkson singled, Gina Oliverio walked and Megan Klein singled to load the bases. Krevolin stepped up and recorded her third hit of day, but that’s where the rally ended.
“Bristol is a really young team that is loaded with talented they are gonna be really good the next few years,” Bensalem coach Erin Smith said. “I have to credit freshman Dana Oliverio, who came in to pitch four innings in relief. She was moving the ball well and changing speeds. She kept the lineup in check, allowing only four hits and one unearned run. She moved the ball well and changed speeds a lot.”
Abbie Krevolin led the Owls, going 3-for-4 with a triple and RBI. Megan Klein and Kayla Clarkson both were 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Bensalem (2-6, 2-5 SOL) will travel to Archbishop Ryan for a non-league game Saturday at 1 p.m.
Bensalem 200 021 0 5-10-1
Bristol 250 001 0 8-12-2
Gwynedd Mercy 3, Lower Moreland 2
Lower Moreland scored a pair of runs in the top of the first, but the Monarchs staged a late rally to eke out the non-league win.
In the two-run first, Izzy O’Brien led off with a single and scored one out later when Maddie Menchhofer tripled to left field. A sacrifice fly in Jordyn MacPhee plated Menchhofer for a 2-0 lead that was erased late in the game.
Lower Moreland (1-8, 1-6 SOL) will travel to Abington on Tuesday for a crossover game.
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