To view photos of the Abington/Truman game, visit the photo gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
National ConferenceNeshaminy 9, Council Rock 6
The Indians spent the last two days taking batting practice off a pitching machine throwing at top speed from just 33 feet away.
It apparently was very effective.
The Indians pounded out nine hits and scored six runs off the talented duo of senior Sarah McGowan and sophomore Lauren Quense, and while that might be enough to win on most days, it wasn’t quite enough on Wednesday as the Redskins benefitted from a five-run third inning – which included a pair of costly Indian errors – to earn the win in the slugfest.
“I expected something tighter – maybe something like a 2-1 game or a 3-2 game,” Quense said. “Overall, they’re a good team.
“We really battled, and we were all very focused. This was a big win for us.”
The Indians came into the game with a perfect 5-0 record in league play, and they proved it was no fluke.
“We have not been getting much respect from anybody,” Rock North coach Hollie Woodard said. “Now we’re 5-1 in the league, and people are acting like we’re 2-3, but they had to work hard.
“We’re very proud of the fact that this is probably the first time since the split that Neshaminy has needed to show any intensity. One of our goals was to bring Council Rock back to the competitive nature it was before the split, and we’re doing it. We’re bringing it back.”
The Indians served early notice that they meant business, plating a first-inning run when Dom Pinto, who doubled with two outs, scored on a single by Morgan Lewis. Neshaminy had an immediate answer in the bottom of the inning as Quense delivered a two-out, two-run home run to make it a 2-1 game.
“I told my players that if we took anything from today – every single time that they did something where they could have taken the momentum, we came back in with our bats and stole their momentum offensively, and that’s what a good team has to do,” Redskin coach Dave Chichilitti said.
McGowan retired seven in a row after the Indians scored in the first, and when the Redskins plated five runs in the third with the benefit of just three hits – singles by Courtney Clee, Laura Altenburger and McGowan (2 RBIs), it looked as though they might be on their way to an easy win.
The Indians had other ideas.
In the top of the fourth, Lewis lined a leadoff single to center, and one out later, Dianna O’Hara singled. Alyssa Smith followed with a sacrifice fly, and Bailey Bigler’s RBI single made it a 7-3 game.
Neshaminy answered with a single run in the fourth. Clee opened the inning with a single up the middle, and Altenburger collected her third hit of the day – a double to right center. Quense delivered an RBI single to left, and the Redskins led 8-3.
But not for long as Pinto – who led the Indians with three hits – delivered a rocket over the left field fence for a home run that plated a pair and trimmed the Redskins lead to 8-5.
“Dom Pinto is a great player,” Chichilitti said. “She crushed that ball. There was nothing you could do about that.
“They have solid hitters at the top of their lineup, and they’re going to score runs. We can’t give up six – it should have been three, but I knew they were going to come out and play this like a playoff game.”
The Redskins plated an unearned run in the bottom of the inning to stretch their lead to 9-5.
In the sixth, the Indians used singles by Alex Tremetiere and Pinto (RBI) to plate their final run. They could have had more, but Neshaminy centerfielder Diana Lopalombara gunned down a Rock North runner at third on a line drive up the middle, turning a single into nothing more than a fielder’s choice.
“Those are the ones you love,” Quense said. “You love to see that happen.
“Our outfield did great. They were all on their toes.”
Quense threw the final two innings in relief of McGowan to earn the save, and so far this season, it’s been a winning combination for the Redskins.
“It was the first hot day, and Sarah looked a little tired, so we decided to let Lauren come in and close it down,” Chichilitti said. “It was a big spot for her, and she came in and did a great job.”
“We’re both on the same travel team, so we’re used to this,” Quense said. “Either I would start and she would finish or she would start and I would finish.
“We talk all the time – about hitting, pitching, fielding.”
While the Redskins upped their record to 5-0 in league play, the Indians are 5-1.
“Offensively, they did exactly what they were supposed to do and what they have been doing all season,” Woodard said. “For us, it was the defense. We gave up five runs in that one inning and had three errors.
“I feel like Neshaminy had to play their best game against us, and we did not play our best game against them, so I’m excited for our next matchup.”
The rematch will be on May 17 at Rock North.
Bensalem 14, Council Rock South 8
The game started out on shaky note for the Owls, who scored three runs in the top of the first only to watch the Golden Hawks score seven in the bottom of the inning.
“Council Rock South had a series of walks in the first inning and loaded the bases,” Bensalem coach Dan Schram said. “Our pitcher – Amy Jarosz – got a little rattled in the first, but she really battled through.
“For the remainder of the game, Amy was lights out. She turned it around and didn’t give up another run until the seventh inning.”
By that time, the Owls were in command.
Freshman shortstop Isabel Hansbury had a monster performance for the Owls, finishing the day 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, two RBIs and two stolen bases. She also scored four runs.
“She’s an absolute force offensively and defensively,” Schram said.
In addition to winning the game on the mound, Jarosz was 2-for-4 with a double. Kelly Nolan was 3-for-4 with a double, Jenny Campbell was 2-for-4 with a double, and Christine Cueto scored three runs hitting out of the two hole.
Most impressive about the win was the way the Owls responded to being down 7-3 after one inning.
“This Bensalem team – when you play them, for another team it must be tough because our spirit on the bench is second to none,” Schram said. “The girls battle through.
“I have seen games where all the runs were stacked against us, and these girls never, ever quit. I think perhaps because they’re so young, they’re kind of numb to what’s happening, and it’s a good thing. They gave up those runs, but in the same respect, you just had that feeling – these kids wanted it.”
Schram had a meeting with his players on Tuesday.
“I kind of called them out – it was a heart-to-heart, a gut check,” the first-year coach said. “I said that the number one priority of a varsity sport is execution. I told them, ‘You have to execute to stay in your position, and you have to execute to stay in the lineup,’ and they all really, really responded.
“They battled and got the victory.”
The Owls are 2-4 in league play (3-6 overall)
Pennsbury 4, William Tennent 0
Sophomore Val Buehler tossed an impressive four-hit shutout on the mound, fanning 13 and walking just three.
“She had a good day against a good hitting team,” Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry said. “They can hit the heck out of the ball. She had a really good performance.”
Seniors D’Anna Devine and Kelsi Bunda both turned in 3-for-4 efforts at the plate. Devine scored three runs for the Falcons while Bunda had a pair of RBIs.
“Bunda and Devine really carried things,” McSherry said.
The Falcons – who improved to 5-0 in league play - scored one run in the first, two in the third inning and plated their final run in the fifth.
They share the top spot in the National Conference standings with Neshaminy. Both teams have identical 5-0 records in league play.
Harry S. Truman 9, Abington 8 (9 innings)
The Ghosts appeared to be on their way to their first win of the season when they jumped out to a 6-0 lead, sparked by a two-run home run by Raechel Holden in the first and a two-run single by Hannah Bratzler in the fifth.
The Tigers plated five runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth to knot the score. The Ghosts scored a pair in the top of the seventh, and the Tigers answered with two in the bottom of the inning.
After a scoreless eighth inning, the Tigers scored the game winner in the bottom of the ninth.
“We couldn’t finish, but we competed,” Abington coach Ellie White said. “They work so hard, and they play hard, but we just can’t finish.”
Continental Conference
North Penn 2, Hatboro-Horsham 1 (8 innings)
The Maidens certainly have done their part to ensure that the race for the top spot in the Continental Conference will remain a fascinating one for the duration of the season, eking out a dramatic win over the previously undefeated Hatters.
In a span of less than a week, the Maidens have knocked off the defending district champions and – on Wednesday – the defending district runner-up Hatters.
“This is huge, especially considering that everyone thought we would be in the bottom third of the league,” Maiden coach Rick Torresani said. “You look at our infield – a freshman first baseman, a sophomore second baseman, a sophomore shortstop. We have a freshman in right field.
“Considering the type of games we’ve had to play and the pressure against two outstanding teams, and these kids haven’t wilted. They just keep coming up and making great plays. These kids have bought into what we’re preaching. They don’t ever give up, and they don’t let mistakes affect them.”
Freshman Erin Maher led the Maidens with a near-perfect 3-for-4 day at the plate while senior Taylor Marchozzie was 2-for-4.
It was Marchozzi who got things started in the eighth with a two-out double to the fence, and she scored what turned out to be the game winner on an errant Hatter throw on Vicky Tumasz’s hard hit grounder to third.
Kellianna Bradstreet closed out the game with a scoreless eighth that was not without drama. The Hatters had the tying run on second base with one out, but Bradstreet coaxed harmless pop-ups out of the next two batters she faced – the game’s final out on a pop-up to catcher Jess Mower on a 2-2 change-up.
Bradstreet scattered eight hits, walked five and fanned three to earn her eighth win without a loss.
“She was just awesome,” Torresani said. “Every time they would put up a rally, she would bear down. We both had bases loaded and couldn’t score, and we both had second and third and couldn’t score.
“Both pitchers – when it came to needing an out, they got the out. Kellianna was around the plate. She didn’t give anything to anyone. She was just on, and she’s been on.”
Lost in the shuffle of the big win was a game-saving defensive play by Jenn Halcovage in the bottom of the seventh. One play after making a two-out error that allowed the Hatters to load the bases and keep the inning alive, the sophomore shortstop fielded a ball and – realizing she had no play at any base – alertly turned around and tug the girl heading to third for the inning’s final out.
“It was the only out she could have had,” Torresani said of Halcovage. “For her as a sophomore – after making an error – to regain her composure was just unbelievable.”
Earlier, the Maidens took a 1-0 lead in the third, benefitting from a double from Maher and Marchozzi’s RBI single.
The Hatters rallied to knot the score in the sixth after back-to-back doubles by Val Sadowl and Kelsey Koelzer (RBI).
Junior Maggie Shaffer absorbed the loss on the mound, allowing seven hits and just one earned run while striking out four and walking two.
Julie Wambold led the Hatters with a 2-for-4 day at the plate.
Central Bucks South 8, Central Bucks West 0
Francesca Carrullo found her groove in Wednesday’s win, allowing just two hits while fanning nine and walking three in a strong outing. The senior mound ace took a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
“She really looked to me to be the Fran I’m used to,” coach Jennifer Robinson said. “She was ahead in her counts.
“I know West is in a rebuilding year, but I really feel this was a great opportunity for Fran to get back on the mound. It’s not like she was doing anything wrong, but her pitch counts were up a little high, she was getting behind in the counts, and this was more the type of pitcher I know her to be. It was really nice to see her get back out and do her thing.”
The Titans pounded out 14 hits. Lauren Klepchick was 2-for-3, which included an RBI triple. Michelle Gessner was 2-for-4 with a double, and a new face in the Titans’ number two hole – Carley Dudek – was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Kelly Culp, Ally Horvath and Hallie Bilker each also turned in 2-for-2 performances at the plate.
Souderton 2, Central Bucks East 1
The Patriots took a 1-0 lead in the third inning but watched that disappear in the sixth inning. Brittany Beebe delivered a two-out single to left to get the ball rolling, and Lauren Urbanski stepped to the plate and delivered the big blow of the game, a home run to deep left that put the Indians on top 2-1.
“We knew their strength coming in was that they would be good hitters,” coach Courtney Hughes said. “We knew we would need to hit to compete with them, and we were struggling a little bit.
“We stuck with it and got the hits when it counted.”
Liz Parkins – who started at first in the absence of Souderton’s regular first baseman - did not allow a hit in two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win. Beebe tossed the first five innings, allowing four hits and one run.
“East came out swinging right out of the gate, and I kind of knew it might be a good option to throw Liz in there to change up things after a couple of innings, especially if we kept it close,” Hughes said. “They work together well.
“Brit got through five innings and kept them from going crazy with their hitting, and then Liz came in and finished it off. They really do have some good hitters, and to be able to hold them in check the way we did – that was exciting.”
Caroline Schoenewald had two of East’s four hits, including a double. The Indians managed just four hits off East pitcher Sierra Huckfeldt.
Pennridge 7, Quakertown 4 (8 innings)
The Rams won a thriller on Wednesday, rallying from three runs down in the top of the seventh to knot the game 4-4 and then winning it in the top of the eighth.
Paige DeCew notched the win, throwing four innings of no-hit softball in relief while striking out three and issuing only one walk. DeCew also helped herself offensively at the plate, driving in a pair of runs in the top of the eighth with a double.
Haley Taylor had a key hit in the top of the seventh to ignite the two-out rally, singling to right to score Brooke Labs from second. With two outs, Karlie McCreary delivered a single into shallow right to plate two more runs and knot the score 4-4.
In the top of the eighth, Alicia Phillips singled with one out, and Labs drew a walk, setting up a double steal for the Rams. With two outs, Emily Mayhew singled to right to drive in a run, and then came DeCew’s clutch double.
DeCew put the finishing touches on a big performance on the mound by notching a strikeout for the game’s final out.
Taylor collected a pair of hits to lead the Rams, who finished the game with seven hits.
American Conference
Upper Merion 9, Upper Moreland 8 (8 innings)
Viking coach John Whitney used the word ‘crazy’ when discussing his team’s win over the Golden Bears. That might be as good a word as any to describe a game that had a little bit of everything, including some controversial calls.
It started out innocently enough with the Vikings plating a pair in the first and two more in the second to go on top 4-0, but then came a fifth inning that saw the Golden Bears score five to go on top 5-4.
“We had some problems – they scored scored five runs on about three hits,” Whitney said. “We had trouble fielding some bunts.
“We had five errors today – not all in one inning, but we were very sloppy. We struggled.”
The Golden Bears went on top 6-4 after four innings, but the Vikings scored two in the sixth to knot the score and then plated a pair in the seventh to go on top 8-6 only to watch the Golden Bears knot the score in the bottom of the seventh.
Molly Priest singled in the winning run in the top of the eighth inning, and pitcher Nikki Ross retired the Golden Bears in the bottom of the inning to earn the win.
“I started my other ninth grade pitcher (Sierrah Slaughter), and I felt bad for her – they scored five runs on three hits, and I don’t know if a ball left the infield,” Whitney said. “It was a back and forth game. Scott (Ludlow’s) team played well – their centerfielder made two nice catches. I think they played better than we did. We were just very sloppy today. I told the kids we were lucky to win today.
“Coming home I felt like we lost. It just wasn’t a good day.”
Priest finished the day with a pair of hits while teammate Maddalana Ghanayem was 2-for-2 with a double, three RBIs and three walks. The Vikings held a 14-8 advantage in hits.
Norristown 5, Plymouth Whitemarsh 2
The Eagles remained just one game in the loss column behind conference leader Wissahickon, thanks to their big win over the Colonials.
“It was a good win for the girls,” coach Jon Kandrick said. “A lot of girls were talking about not getting into the swing of things with the rainouts, and they can’t get into the rhythm of softball.
“This was big. We weren’t in school all week, so I had the girls come a little earlier today, and we got a good amount of hitting in at our field before we got on the bus, and I think that played a major role. We had 11 hits today, and they were good hits.”
Gabbie Berry – who contributed a double and triple - and Julia Santoro led the Eagles with three hits each.
“Gabbie was a home run away from the cycle,” Kandrick said. “She had really solid hits, and Julia Santora had three hits again – the kid is just hitting singles left and right, and that’s what we need from her. I need her to get on base and that’s what she does.
“Sammi Kidd had a big double today, and Gina Pellechio had a nice single that brought in a run. It was a nice win. PW has a new coach, and she’s doing a really good job there.”
Gwyn Botley earned the win on the mound, allowing eight hits while striking out five and walking one.
“She did a good job with the middle of their order,” Kandrick said. “The girls played well. They really wanted to get this win, and now we have to see how things play out.”
Kandrick credited the defensive efforts of Berry and Kidd in the win.
Alexa Borkowski led the Colonials with a 2-for-4 day at the plate.
Wissahickon 2, Cheltenham 0
Katie Ziegler tossed a four-hit shutout, fanning 12 and walking none in another standout performance. She also contributed one of four hits for the Trojans, who also received singles from Karen Laksh, Kellie Gilman and Rachel Philbin.
Holly Powell had two of the Panthers four hits.
- Log in to post comments
0
