Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action. Souderton/Pennsbury photos provided courtesy of Cynthia Hanson. Check back for a gallery of photos. All SOS photo galleries for SOFTBALL can be viewed by clicking HERE.
SOL Patriot/Colonial crossover
PENNSBURY 4, SOUDERTON 3
The Falcons took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth and appeared to be in command. That didn’t turn out to be the case. An unearned run and some free passes set the stage for a dramatic
finish, but the Falcons escaped with the win, keeping their perfect record intact.
Giving the Falcons a lift – and starter Ainsley McClure a break with a doubleheader on the schedule Saturday – was senior Quinn McGonigle who did not allow an earned run through six innings in the circle. McClure collected the game’s final two outs to earn the save.
“She pitched a good game,” Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry said of McGonigle. “She only gave up three hits, and she made three or four plays up the middle on ground balls up the middle. She really played the middle well, so she had a good day, and Ainsley did a nice job.”
Abby Burns was perfect through three innings, striking out seven batters in a row, but in the top of the fourth, Caitlyn Martell broke that string of strikeouts, greeting the Indians’ ace with a solo home run.
In the fifth, the Falcons added a pair of runs. Ava Storlazzi hit a one-out single, and Riley Mahony followed, hitting a shot off the foul pole for a double. Presley Foote’s sacrifice fly plated Storlazzi, and Taylor Askey followed with an RBI bunt that put the Falcons on top 3-0.
The Falcons’ lead grew to 4-0 in the top of the sixth when Quinn McGonigle, who singled to lead off the inning, scored one out later when Quinn McGonigle doubled.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Indians put an unearned run on the scoreboard, benefitting from a Falcon miscue and an RBI single by Kendell Clemmer.
The seventh inning was not without drama. After McGonigle – who rolled through six innings – walked three straight to load the bases, McSherry called on McClure to close it out. A looping single over the infield by Kayley plated a run, and after a huge strikeout for the inning’s second out, Clemmer was hit by a pitch, and suddenly, it was a 4-3 game with the bases still loaded. McClure closed it out with another big strikeout, and the Falcons escaped with the win.
Pennsbury (8-0, 7-0 SOL) will play a pair of games in the Mt. St. Dominic Tournament (NJ) on Saturday. Souderton (8-3, 5-3) will travel to Neshaminy on Tuesday.
Pennsbury 000 121 0 4-6-3
Souderton 000 001 2 3-4-0
NESHAMINY 10, PENNRIDGE 2
Kennedie Ruth has been battling an arm injury.
The Rams might have a hard time believing that after the senior pitcher silenced their bats for the better part of seven innings, allowing just three hits while striking out 12 and walking one. Ruth started strong and finished even stronger, striking out six through the first three innings and then five in the last two.
“I injured my arm recently, so Amanda (Slabicki) took over, and she’s doing a beautiful job at it,” Ruth said. “This was my first game back and actually pitching good.”
The senior pitcher certainly did what she could to prepare for Friday’s start.
“I literally stayed up till 11 o’clock at night – I didn’t get home until 11, hitting and pitching because I wanted to do good today,” Ruth said.
As for her strong finish that included fanning five of the last six batters, Ruth said she was feeling good.
“I drank two Bang energy drinks, so I’m feeling pretty good right now,” Ruth said.
The Redskins – as a team – had plenty of energy that never waned through seven innings.
“That’s just our personality, that’s who we are,” Ruth said. “On the way here, we scream – that’s just how Neshaminy is and I hope it stays that way.”
Neshaminy coach Tim Quense had high praise for his senior pitcher.
“She threw fantastic – she had (12) strikeouts and one walk,” Quense said. “We track every pitch that they throw. We have a pitch count per inning.
“Our goal is to do 15 or less per inning. She did very well with the count today.”
Ruth received plenty of support from her teammates, who put three runs on the board in the fourth inning. Back-to-back singles by Carena Barr and Amanda Slabicki set the stage for Lindsey Gorka who – one pitch of hitting a monster foul that easily cleared the outfield fence – smoked a no-doubt-about-it home run to left center field, spotting the Redskins a 3-0 lead.
“Lindsey is just a big strong kid – she’s got a great swing, she has a great attitude,” Quense said.
Gorka – wearing a red cowboy hat complete with blinking lights – was in good spirits after the win.
“It was the same pitch as the pitch before – I was kind of surprised about it,” she said. “I’ve been in a little bit of a slump. I really wasn’t looking for a home run. I think that was my mentality the last couple of games. I was just thinking – get a hard hit to get the run in, but as soon as I hit it, I knew it had a chance, but I really didn’t think it was going to go over. I was happy it went over. It felt good off the bat.”
The Redskins added a run in the fourth when Zoey Shimp, who legged out a bunt single to open the inning, scored on a two-out error. In the bottom of the inning, Reagan Bauman hit a one-out double to right, and Averi Dockery singled to right and moved up to second on the throw. Bauman scored on Ashleigh Kenworthy’s groundout, and Dockery scored to make it a 4-2 game when Olivia Crognale’s high popup to the infield was misplayed in the lights.
Neshaminy added four runs in the fifth with the benefit of just one hit, but it was a big one – a three-run round tripper to left center by Shimp.
“Zoey is probably one of the hardest workers,” Quense said. “Last year she was one of our courtesy runner. Always supports all of her teammates. She’s just a great kid. She works her butt off.”
“Her shoulder was bothering her a little bit too, and she just passed kidney stones earlier in the week, so that’s why she didn’t play. She said, ‘I’m good to go,’ so I said, ‘All right, you’re starting today.’ She had the opportunity, and she took advantage of it.”
The Redskins added a single run in both the sixth and seventh innings for the 10-2 road win.
All told, the Redskins pounded out 11 hits. Shimp was 3-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored and three RBIs, and Amanda Slabicki was 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Rileigh Bilbery was 2-for-4 with one run scored and two RBIs, and Gorka was 2-for-5 with a home run, run scored and three RBIs.
“We were missing our best hitter today too – she goes to the tech school, so she had her prom tonight,” Quense said. “We actually passed her on the turnpike. She was in her car in her dress, so we were all screaming out the window to her. She’s been a great pickup for us.
“She’s a great player. She leads by example by what she does on the field. She’s been awesome for us. We challenged some of the other girls – you have to step up. She’s got several home runs, she leads the team in RBIs. It was great to see them rally around that.”
Neshaminy (7-3, 5-3 SOL) will host Souderton on Tuesday, and Pennridge (4-3, 3-5) will host Council Rock South on Tuesday.
Neshaminy 10-11-0
Pennridge 2-3-3
BENSALEM 7, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 5
Sparked by the inspired five-RBI performance of Lina Sponheimer, the Owls opened up a 6-0 lead then withstood a rally by the Bucks to earn the win.
“It definitely wasn’t the best game played by Bensalem, but it was enough to secure another win,” Bensalem coach Erin Smith said. “Our team made a lot of mental mistakes today in the field, at bat and base running, but in the gritty fashion we have become used to from this Owls team, they were able to get the win.”
The Owls started the game with a 1-2-3 first inning, and they were able to take the momentum to the plate in the bottom of the inning. Ayva Knowles was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, and Maggie Formichelli battled for a walk. Sponheimer smoked a ball that hit off the top of the fence for a two-run triple.
In the third inning, West loaded the bases on a hit batter, a single and an Owls’ defensive miscue, and Abby Lineman made it hurt, smacking a two-run single to tie the game, but the Owls escaped without any further damage.
In the bottom of the third, Megan Klein singled and stole second. That was followed by a Formichelli single and stolen base, putting runners on second and third. Sponheimer delivered again, this time with a two-run single. Mackenzie Kramer stepped up and ripped a double, putting two more runners in scoring position for Kayla Clarkson, who doubled home a run. Destiny Howard followed and also had an RBI.
The Owls took a 6-2 lead into the fifth when Lineman reached base on an error, advanced to third on two passed balls and scored on Avery Rubenstein’s single. But the Owls answered right back. Maggie Formichelli led off the inning with a triple, and Sponheimer was able to drive in with her fifth RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly to right field.
The Owls had what looked to be a rally started in the 6th with back-to-back hits to start the inning, but a baserunning miscue killed the momentum. West didn’t go down quietly in the seventh inning, scoring a run on a two-out double by Lineman. That was followed by a Rubenstein single and a passed ball, but Formichelli was able to induce a groundout back to the mound to end the game.
“I keep saying every game someone else is taking charge and stepping up,” Smith said. “Today Lina Sponheimer had a great game. Not only did she have two hits and five RBIs, she made two backhanded plays in the three-four hole for outs, and most impressive was a foul fly ball she caught going into the fence.
“Kenzie Kramer was also big for us today/ She has been out since Dec. 22 with a pretty bad concussion and was recently cleared to fully play a week ago. Our plan was to ease her back into it, but our right fielder went down Wednesday in the CB East game, so she stepped up and played big with a double and a great catch down the right field line.
“CB West is a really scrappy team. I don’t think their record defines how good they are. Their four-hole hitter, Abby Lineman, can really hit the ball. She had two singles and a double today, and all three were hard hits.”
Bensalem (6-3, 5-2 SOL) will travel to North Penn on Tuesday, and Central Bucks West (2-7, 1-6) will host Council Rock North on Tuesday.
Central Bucks West 002 110 1 5-5-0
Bensalem 204 010 x 7-10-3
SOL Liberty/Freedom crossover
QUAKERTOWN 6, WILLIAM TENNENT 1
Sydney Andrews tossed another gem for the visiting Panthers.
The senior ace allowed just two hits and one run while striking out 13 and walking none. She retired nine straight to open the game and set down 11 in order to close out the game. Of her team’s eight putouts, Andrews accounted for four, underscoring her dominance in the circle.
Quakertown scored a run in the first when Katie Muller, who doubled to left with one out, scored on Maya Hellyer’s line single to left. That 1-0 lead stood until the top of the fourth when the Panthers added a pair of runs – both unearned, thanks to a two-out rally.
Mary Wilson reached base on an error, and Emma Hilton followed with a single. Ava Beal’s double to center plated both runners and gave Quakertown a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Tennent pushed a run across when Morgan Kocher, who led off the inning with a bunt single, scored on Gigi DeMito’s double to left field.
A pair of Tennent miscues in the top of the fifth opened the door for another two-run rally by the visitors. Skyler Williams hit a double to center field to plate a run, and then it was Grace Baker’s bunt pushing another run across for a 5-1 Quakertown advantage.
For good measure, the visiting Panthers tacked on another run in the seventh. Hellyer led off the inning with a line single to left, and her courtesy runner, C Lewis, stole second and then moved up to third on a groundout. Lewis scored when Trinity Lucas lined a single to right field.
Williams led the visiting Panthers’ nine-hit attack, finishing the game 3-for-4 with a double, run scored and one RBI. Hellyer was 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Quakertown (7-0, 6-0 SOL) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Monday, and William Tennent (5-2, 5-1) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Tuesday.
Quakertown 100 220 1 6-9-0
William Tennent 000 100 0 1-2-5
ABINGTON 4, NEW HOPE-SOLBURY 3
The visiting Lions gave the Ghosts all they could handle, but they eked out the hard-earned win.
“New Hope played us so tough today – credit to them for playing very well,” Abington coach Bob Baginski said.
With two outs in the bottom of the first and no one on base, Leanna Schenk created excitement when the legged out an inside-the-park home run to spot the Ghosts a 1-0 lead. In the third inning, leadoff batter Natalie Broskley followed her teammate’s lead and hit an inside-the-park home run of her own, giving the Ghosts a 2-0 advantage.
The visiting Lions cut that lead in half with a run in the top of the sixth, but the Ghosts answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Schenk hit a one-out double to left field and scored when Lauren Everitt single to center. The Ghosts led 4-1 when Sydney Steiner collected an RBI single to center.
That lead turned out to be anything but secure as the Lions came roaring back, benefitting from back-to-back singles and a costly two-out miscue by the Ghosts. With New Hope runners on first and third, Sam Wenhold coaxed a harmless ground ball to second for the game’s final out.
Wenhold notched the complete game win, allowing nine hits and three runs (one earned) while striking out 10 and walking one.
Shenk (1-for-3, 2B, HR, 2 runs, RBI) and Steiner (2-for-3, 2B, RBI) had multi-hit efforts for the Ghosts, who collected eight hits. Hailey Hernadez was 1-for-3 with a double.
“We had solid hitting performances by Natalie Broskley and Leanna Schenk today,” Baginski said. “Sydney Steiner returned last week after being out for two years with two separate knee injuries that shut down her sophomore and junior seasons. She got her first two hits of the season today, including the game-winning RBI.
“The coaching staff is so proud of our junior catcher Lauren Everitt. She leads us behind the plate and was outstanding today supporting our pitcher Sam Wenhold, catching a runner stealing and turning a bang-bang bunt double play as well. Her RBI single in the sixth was critical for us today.”
Abington (4-3, 3-3 SOL) will host Wissahickon on Monday, and New Hope-Solebury (2-7, 2-6) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Tuesday.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 12, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 6
The visiting Colonials found themselves staring at a 6-3 deficit after three innings and the short end of a 6-5 score after five innings, but thanks to a late rally, they escaped with the hard-fought win.
“That was an exciting come-from-behind TEAM win,” PW coach Mike Perez said. “With multiple players out due to injuries and illness, many girls were out of position. Everyone was very unselfish and did what was best for the team. I can’t be more proud of their effort.”
The Spartans served early notice that they would not go down quietly, opening up a 2-0 lead in the top of the first without the benefit of a hit. In the top of the second, the Colonials put three runs on the board. Haylie Lindley hit a one-out single, and Marissa Perez followed with a double. Both players scored when Rian Reed tripled to right field. A Spartan miscue allowed another error to cross the plate.
The Colonials’ 3-2 lead was short-lived as the Spartans answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to go on top 5-3. That lead grew to 6-3 in the third, but the Colonials had an answer of their own in the fourth. Reed single to center to open the inning, and Grace Carney followed with a single. One out later, Molly Moore delivered a single that plated a run, and Moore scored on Lauryn Kane’s double to left, pulling the Colonials to within one, 6-5.
In the top of the sixth, PW knotted the score when Kalina Childers, who doubled, scored on a wild pitch.
In the top of the seventh, the Colonials exploded for six runs. Kane led off with a ground single to center. The Colonials – who benefitted from several Spartan errors – received singles from Sam Skivo, Haylie Lindley (2 RBIs), Perez (RBI), Reed and Lindsay Baradziej (RBI).
Freshman Madison Moran entered the game in relief in the third and notched her first varsity win. In five innings, she allowed four hits and one run while striking out nine. Reed, also a freshman, pitched the first two innings and had five strikeouts.
Kane and Reed led the offensive attack with three hits each. Adding two hits were Lindley and Perez.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (4-3, 4-2 SOL) will be on the road at Quakertown on Monday, and Springfield Township (0-6, 0-5) will travel to Lower Moreland on Monday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 030 201 6 12-16-2
Springfield Township 231 000 0 6-5-7
HATBORO-HORSHAM 17, CHELTENHAM 0 (3 innings)
The Hatters erupted for 14 runs in the bottom of the first, going on to earn the mercy rule win.
Highlights of the first inning included a two-run triple to left by Abby Waeltz and a two-run double by Amya Lundy.
Lundy was the lone player with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-2 with a double, two runs scored and three RBIs. Waeltz was 1-for-1 with a triple, two runs and three RBIs. Maddie Karpovich was 1-for-2 with a run scored and three RBIs. Tess Kearney was 1-for-1 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Collecting one RBI each were Alyssa Tooley, Marissa Rapino, Olivia Baltzer, Taylor Hagenkotter and Megan Mills.
Tooley earned the win, allowing one hit in three shutout innings. She struck out six and did not walk a batter.
Hatboro-Horsham (5-3, 5-1 SOL) will host Upper Moreland on Monday, and Cheltenham (0-5) will travel to Wissahickon on Tuesday.
Cheltenham 0 0 0 0-1-4
Hatboro-Horsham 14 3 x 17-10-0
WISSAHICKON 10, LOWER MORELAND 0 (5 innings)
The Trojans took care of business, scoring in every inning and bringing an early end to Friday’s crossover contest.
Danielle Ciliberto allowed just one hit while striking out eight and walking none in four shutout innings. Emma Dutill closed it out with a scoreless frame, striking out a pair.
Ciliberto also had a big day at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Grace Franczyk was 2-for-3 with a double, home run, two runs scored and four RBIs. Julie Roth was 1-for-3 with a home run, run scored and RBI, and Dutill was 2-for-3.
Wissahickon (5-3, 5-1 SOL) will be on the road at Abington on Monday, and Lower Moreland (4-3, 1-3) will host Springfield Township on Monday.
Wissahickon 114 31 10
Lower Moreland 000 00 0
Non-league
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 9, VILLA MARIA ACADEMY 3
Hits were not in short supply for either side in Friday’s non-league game that saw the two teams combine for 26 hits with the Patriots collecting 15.
Villa took a 2-1 lead in the third inning, but the Patriots scored four runs in the fifth to take a lead they would not lose. With one out, C Urankar singled to center, and one out later after stealing second, she scored when M Funston singled. Sarah Camposano followed with an RBI triple to left field and scored on a wild pitch. Amelia Funston singled, and Ava Catron followed with an RBI single that put the Patriots on top 5-2.
Elise Waddington (3-for-3, 2 runs, RBI), Amelia Funston (3-for-4, 2 RBIs), Kayla Mitchell (2-for-4, RBI) and Urankar (2-for-4, 2 runs, RBI) all had multi-hit games for the Patriots.
Mitchell threw the first four innings, allowing five hits and two runs, striking out five and walking one. Waddington closed it out, allowing six hits and one run (unearned) while striking out two in three innings.
Central Bucks East (5-3, 2-3 SOL) will host Central Bucks South on Monday.
Central Bucks East 100 043 1 9-15-1
Villa Maria Academy 002 001 0 3-11-0
About the Author
