Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Tuesday.
SOL Patriot Division
NESHAMINY 12, HARRY S TRUMAN 0
The Redskins broke a scoreless tie with a run in the fourth and then erupted for six runs in the fifth and five more in the seventh on their way to the decisive division win. Molly Ambrosius tossed a complete game two-hit shutout, striking out 13 and walking one.
Both pitchers spent the first three innings mowing batters down. Ambrosius retired all nine batters she faced while Truman’s Devin Becker allowed just a two-out single to Morgan Leonhauser, retiring nine of the first 10 she faced.
In the top of the fourth, Morgan Volgraf lined a one-out double to center, stole third and scored on an error to give the Redskins a 1-0 lead.
Truman collected its first hit of the game off Ambrosius in the bottom of the fifth when Jordyn Loy broke up her string of retiring 13 batters in a row.
Then came Neshaminy’s explosive fifth inning. Leonhauser opened the inning with her second hit of the game, stole second and moved up to third on a groundout. She scored on Jillian Rickards successful suicide squeeze, and the Redskins were just getting started.
Erica Dalton lined a single to left, and Olivia Hughes doubled to right field, putting a pair on board for Lily Mormello, who lined a single to left field that plated a pair. An error kept the inning alive for Zahmira Coppola-Miller, who ripped a home run to left field that put the ‘Skins on top 7-0.
A five-run seventh put the finishing touches on the big win.
Collecting multi-hit games for the ‘Skins, who pounded out 13 hits, were Volgraf (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, 3R), Coppola-Miller (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs, 2R) and Leonhauser (2-for-4, 2R).
Neshaminy (6-3, 5-3 SOL) will host Central Bucks East in a crossover game on Wednesday, and Harry S Truman (4-7, 2-6) will be on the road at Central Bucks South for a crossover game Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Neshaminy 000 160 5 12-13-0
Harry S Truman 000 000 0 0-2-4
SOL Colonial Division
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 7, PENNRIDGE 6 (8 innings)
It’s been a tough season for a young Patriot squad, but twice they rallied from deficits to earn their first league win of the season.
“This was something we needed,” East coach Karl Knapp said. “If I’m being honest, I didn’t think it was going to be possible, but we found out from their coach that (ace pitcher) Averi Dockery has a broken finger.
“We didn’t give up when we were down, we didn’t give up when Pennridge tied it up. They showed a lot of good character. This was probably the most complete team win I’ve seen all year. Everybody hit.”
It took eight innings to get it done with Kaylee Masterson delivering the game-winning hit when she singled to left field, plating Maggie Funston, who doubled to lead off the eighth.
Interestingly, Masterson’s game-winner came after she fouled off two attempts to lay down a sacrifice bunt.
“Kaylee has been struggling,” Knapp said. “She came back from a sprained ankle. She missed several weeks and came back. I actually bunted her twice, and she was down two strikes, so I let her hit away, and she hit the winning shot. It was really good.”
Early on, the Lady Rams took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Ryleigh Lilly hit a one-out single to center, and she scored when Gabby Hamburger lined a double to center. Payton Keyser’s double plated Hamburger.
The Patriots cut that lead in half when Sara Camposano, who doubled, scored on Funston’s single to right field.
Pennridge answered with a run in the top of the third to go on top 3-1 when Hamburger delivered an RBI single.
The Patriots rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the third. Anna Devine and Elena Bhatt led off with back-to-back singles. Devine stole home on a double steal, and Bhatt scored on an error. Camposano singled, and Mae Mahony hit an RBI double to give East a 4-3 lead.
East added an unearned run in the fifth only to watch the Rams score three in the top of the seventh. Jadyn Gulbinski and Meghan Holberg hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, and Lilly followed with a single that plated Gulbinski. Holberg scored on a groundout and Keyser’s RBI single gave the Rams a 6-5 lead.
East rallied to knot the score in the bottom of the seventh, setting the stage for extra innings.
Devine (2-for-4, 2B, R), Camposano (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, 2R), and Funston (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R) led the Patriots 10-hit attack.
For the Lady Rams, Hamburger was 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored to lead the way. Keyser (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs) and Lilly (2-for-3, RBI, 2R) both had two-hit games.
In the circle, Sarah Zmuda threw 6.1 innings for the Patriots, allowing six runs (five earned) while striking out 10 and walking two. Lyla Becker closed it out with 1.2 shutout innings to earn the win.
“Our freshman pitcher did a good job – she went six innings and threw (133) pitches,” Knapp said. “Lyla Becker came in in relief and did a nice job.”
The Patriots saw their catcher, Mae Mahony, add her name to the injury list.
“She sprained her ankle going into second base, so we lost her,” Knapp said. “We don’t know for how long – she’s getting x-rayed tomorrow. We’ve had an injury-riddled season – three concussions and two sprained ankles. We’re kind of snake bitten, all the more reason it was nice to get a win.”
Central Bucks East (3-7, 1-7 SOL) will be on the road at Neshaminy for a crossover game Wednesday, and Pennridge (3-6, 2-5) will travel to Council Rock South for a crossover game Wednesday.
Pennridge 201 000 30 6-10-2
Central Bucks East 013 010 11 7-10-1
SOL Patriot/Colonial crossovers
NORTH PENN 1, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0
In a marquee game pitting the two of District 1’s top teams, it was the Knights handing the visiting Golden Hawks their first loss of the season.
Bella Nunn won a pitcher’s duel with Rock South’s Lexi Waring in a contest neither pitcher deserved to lose. Nunn allowed just two hits in the complete game shutout, striking out seven and walking none.
“It was a great game by both teams,” NP coach Rick Torresani said. “Especially for some of the girls that haven’t played in that situation and for Bella. Bella needed that kind of game even though she’s kept us in every game.
“Today, every pitch meant something – where she pitched it and her location. She didn’t have any walks, and when she doesn’t walk anybody, that’s when she’s really on her game. It was a good game for her.”
Waring was also on top of her game, allowing just four hits and one run (unearned).
“The game was filled with an intense playoff atmosphere, and Lexi Waring stepped up to the challenge, delivering her best performance on the mound this season,” Rock South coach Scott Molle said. “She pitched a phenomenal game, allowing only four hits and striking out six batters. It was an impressive feat, considering we were up against the reigning state champions.
“The game was a nail-biter that came down to the wire, but our team showed great resilience and determination. I am extremely proud of the girls and their efforts. We had a productive talk after the game and the team is focused on continuing to play our best and hoping for positive outcomes in the future.”
The Knights did not collect their first hit off Waring until the bottom of the fourth when Nunn lined a two-out single to center. Liv Stevens followed with a single, but that’s where the threat ended.
The Golden Hawks threatened with two outs in the top of the sixth when Helen Woloshyn, who legged out a bunt single, stole second and advanced to third on an error. Nunn retired the next batter she faced on a fly ball to right field.
In the bottom of the inning. Casey Sokol singled to right to lead off the inning, and Sophia Orth was safe on an error. Lacey Haldeman replaced Sokol on the base paths and advanced to third when Nunn flied out to center for the inning’s first out. A successfully executed suicide squeeze by Stevens plated Haldeman with a run that turned out to be the game-winner.
“We hit two bombs that Bella and Gianna (Cimona) hit, but the wind was again blowing in, and it was strong,” Torresani said. “If there had been no wind or blowing out, they would have been gone. They caught them at the fence.
“Both teams played well. For us, after we lost to Neshaminy when we left 11 girls on base, I told the girls, ‘You’re in playoff mode now. You’ve got to win every game, and you’ve got to play like it’s the playoffs, and today was an example of that.”
“North Penn is very good team and played a great game,” Molle said. “They will be a tough opponent for everyone the rest of the season.”
North Penn (10-2, 7-2 SOL) will host Bensalem in a crossover game on Wednesday, and Council Rock South (8-1, 6-1) will host Pennridge in a crossover game Wednesday.
Council Rock South 000 000 0 0-2-1
North Penn 000 001 x 1-4-2
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 7, SOUDERTON 1
In a battle of the Indians, it was the host Indians bringing a welcome end to a five-game skid with a strong showing against a Souderton team 24 hours removed from a mercy rule win over Neshaminy.
“I was really proud of how our girls played today,” Rock North coach Susan Yee said. “We hit a skid coming back from our week off because of the senior trip, but the girls battled through those struggles and started hitting their stride again this weekend during our game against (Council Rock) South (a 6-5 loss). That work putting things back together again finally paid dividends with a W today.
“Souderton is a good team, so the girls had to play well if we were going to get a win, and the girls rose to the occasion and really put together a complete team effort for the win which was a joy to see. The defense played a good clean game with all nine players securing at least one out while compiling 21 straight without an error, and Olivia Schlindwein pitched an absolute gem.”
Schlindwein allowed five hits in the complete game win, allowing just one run while striking out four and walking one.
“While she didn’t get the gaudy strikeout stats, I think she did something even better by pitching a quick and efficient game,” Yee said of her pitcher. “In six of the seven innings, she secured three outs in less than 13 pitches, and 15 of the 26 batters were on or out in three pitches or less.
“She was relaxed, had fun, threw her game, and kept her pitch count down – which will be key in keeping a fresh arm throughout the season and playoffs. She threw to try and create weak contact, and let her defense work, and her defense worked to perfection behind her with beautiful fundamentals, and great communication and rotations.”
Souderton put a pair of runners on base in the top of the first when Kathryn Jones and Kiera Fadden hit back-to-back one-out singles. Schlindwein came up with a big strikeout and fly ball to right field to end that threat.
Rock North scored a run in the bottom of the third when Kayla Ripper, who doubled with one out, scored on Molly Sheehy’s clutch two-out single to give the hosts a 3-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, the host Indians added a pair. Zoe Hardy drew a one-out walk, and Haley Edelman singled. With two outs, both runners scored on Ripper’s second double of the game.
Rock North capitalized on a pair of Souderton miscues in the fifth and also received singles from Zoe Hornstein (RBI) and Schlindwein to go on top 7-0.
Souderton scored its only run in the seventh when Kiera Fadden, who led off the inning with a triple, scored on McKenna Schroding’s squeeze bunt.
All told, Rock North had 11 hits.
“Offensively, Kayla Ripper once again did a fantastic job setting the table for us in the leadoff spot, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored,” Yee said. “Molly Sheehy did a fantastic job anchoring the middle of the order going 3-for-4, with an RBI and a run scored, and Haley Edelman also had a great day at the plate going 2-for-3 with two runs scored. It was especially nice to see Haley looking like herself again at the plate today. She came out on fire at the start of the season and hit a little skid while trying to work her way back in from an injury, and after all of her hard work, seeing her break out today was really awesome.
“Once again though, the key to the success was the total team effort. Eight of our nine hitters reached base at least once today via a hit or a walk, and when you have a lineup that can produce from top to bottom like that, it really takes pressure off individuals, and makes it tough on opposing teams. Honestly, it was just truly a pleasure seeing our girls get back to playing good CR North softball, having fun, and succeeding through a full team effort again.”
For Souderton, Ava Detwiler’s 2-for-3 effort led the way.
Extra innings: Rock North’s game versus Council Rock South on Saturday was the Strikeout Cancer game. “We have such a cool group of girls on our team,” Yee said. “Afterwards, the girls – on their own – got together and said they wanted to start wearing a different color ribbon each game to show awareness for various types of cancer, etc. moving forward. On their own, they collectively decided to get yellow ribbons for today’s game, and every player had that in their hair for childhood cancer awareness. Those types of things really show how special of a group we have, and to me, seeing them take that initiative on their own means more than any softball stat.”
Council Rock North (5-6, 3-6 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks East for a crossover game Friday, and Souderton (8-5, 5-5) is off until Tuesday when the Indians will host Central Bucks South.
Souderton 000 000 1 1-5-3
Council Rock North 001 240 x 7-11-0
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