Check out the results of SOL softball teams in action.
National Conference
HARRY S TRUMAN 11, NESHAMINY 7
The Redskins pounded out 18 hits, but it wasn’t enough to win Thursday’s slugfest that saw the two teams combine for 31 hits. The Tigers, who had 13 hits, continued to turn heads with their second win in as many games over one of the conference’s top squads.
“The big thing was getting them to believe if they play a clean game, they can beat anybody,” coach Gretchen Cammiso said. “They beat Tennent (on Tuesday), and they were super hyped going into Neshaminy. To jump on them early and battle defensively and to come from behind to win again, it gives them a lot of motivation and belief in themselves that what we are telling them is true. They’re definitely pumped up.”
The Tigers exploded for five runs in the first, benefitting from three walks as well as RBI singles by Steph Wolf and Mary Cairns. The Redskins answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame to make it a 5-3 game with Sam Offenback – with the bases loaded - delivering a bases-clearing double after the Tigers thought they had turned a double play to end the inning.
The Redskins knotted the scored with two more runs in the second and added single runs in both the third and fifth innings to go on top 7-5. Offenback accounted for the ‘Skins run in the third inning with a solo home run.
Sydney Powell, who entered the game in the first, silenced the Tigers’ bats until the sixth.
“She was a little bit slower than their first pitcher, and she has a ball that moves off the plate,” Cammiso said. “We told them to anticipate her going away – she throws inside and to just turn on it.
The Tigers took a lead they would not lose in the sixth when designated hitter Ebony Auten connected for a three-run home run to put her team on top 8-7. Jess O’Neil and Cairns singled to set the stage for Auten’s blast.
“They actually called timeout, and they went out to the mound,” Cammiso said. “I talked to Ebony, and I said, ‘A home run would be great here, but don’t try to hit one.’
“She launched it. She hit a rocket to left center.”
For good measure, the Tigers tacked on three more runs in the seventh. Kelsey Hackbart wound up on second to open the inning when her slap bunt single was misplayed. Jess O’Brien followed with a single up the middle, and then Cheyenne Jones delivered an RBI single. O’Neil helped her own cause with a two-run double to put the Tigers on top 11-7.
“We knew we were only carrying one, and Offenback was leading off the seventh for them,” Cammiso said. “It was a little nerveracking, but we did settle down defensively.
“Going into the seventh carrying four, there’s a lot less pressure.”
O’Neil, who earned the win on the mound, was 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Cairns was 3-for-4 with an RBI. O’Brien was 2-for-4, and Auten was 2-for-4 with four RBIs.
The Tigers are 4-4 in league play (4-7 overall) while the Redskins are 5-3 in the league (9-3 overall).
Harry S Truman 500 003 3-11
Neshaminy 321 010 0-7
PENNSBURY 8, BENSALEM 6
Casey Boltersdorf fanned 11 and cruised into the seventh inning with an 8-1 lead when the Owls – sparked by a three-run home run by Carley Smith - exploded for five runs to make things interesting. The Owls scored all five runs with two outs, benefitting from a pair of Falcon errors.
“It was probably her best six innings of the whole year,” McSherry said of Boltersdorf. “She really pitched well.
“(Jenny) Campbell hit a solo shot for them in the sixth inning, and she hit a great pitch. It was down and in, and she just golfed it out there, so even that was a great pitch, so for six innings, she pitched so well.”
Early on, the Falcons scored a single run in the first on an RBI double by Fiona Link. They blew the game open with a seven-run fifth. Freshman Bailey Zaccaro contributed a two-run double to highlight the frame.
Zaccaro finished the game with a pair of hits. Boltersdorf was 2-for-4 with a double, and Marguerite Salamone was also 2-for-4. Freshman Maddie McQuaid was 2-for-3, collecting her third consecutive two-hit game since being pulled up from the jayvee.
“She’s done a nice job,” McSherry said.
The Falcons (5-6, 5-2 SOL), who have already played three games in four days, will face Council Rock North on Friday. The Owls fell to 1-6 in league play (4-6 overall).
Pennsbury 100 070 0-8
Bensalem 000 001 5-6
WILLIAM TENNENT 6, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 3
The Indians held a 10-5 advantage in hits, but the opportunistic Panthers made the most of their five hits to earn the win, driving in runs with four of their five hits on the day.
“The story was clutch hitting,” coach Biz Keeny said. “We didn’t do that the other day (in a 3-2 loss to Truman). That’s what hurt us.
“Not to take anything away, their girl (Jess O’Neil) threw a very good game, but we just couldn’t get that key hit.”
The Panthers’ clutch hitting started early when – after walks to Jackie Heim and Nikki Alden – senior Whitney Delagol collected a huge two-out single to plate a pair of runs, spotting the Panthers an early 2-0 lead.
“Whitney’s like my security blanket,” Keeny said. “She can play anywhere in the infield and has good at-bats. She does a nice job.”
The hard-hitting Indians had an immediate answer in their half of the first when Hannah Mumber delivered a two-run single to knot the score.
In the second, Sarah Keeny’s RBI single put the Panthers on top 3-2, and it was Jackie Heim giving the Panthers a two-run edge with an RBI single in the fourth. The Indians trimmed that lead to one in the fifth when Kelly Harrison – who tripled – scored on a single by Bailey Bigler.
If the Panthers needed insurance, they got it when Casey McMahon came through with a two-run single in the seventh inning for the 6-3 final.
Bigler led the Indians with a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate while Harrison was 2-for-4.
Alden earned the win on the mound, for the Indians, sophomore Amanda Camp absorbed the loss.
The Panthers upped their record to a conference best 5-1 (8-2 overall) while the Indians are 3-4 in league play (5-5 overall).
“It’s a scrap every day, and at the end, we’ll see where everybody is standing,” Keeny said.
William Tennent 210 100 2-6
Council Rock North 200 010 0-3
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 11, ABINGTON 1 (5 innings)
Don’t look now, but the Golden Hawks are 5-2 in conference play, trailing conference leader William Tennent by just one game in the loss column. Five wins is more than Rock South won in league play in the previous four years combined, but coach Greg Heydet Sr. is keeping his team’s impressive start in perspective.
“The big week is next week,” the Hawks’ first-year coach said. “We have Pennsbury, Truman – who’s hot, Tennent and Bensalem. That will tell it all right there.”
Led by the perfect 3-for-3 performances of Jackie Schneider and Malanie Wilkinson, the Hawks pounded out 13 hits in the abbreviated five-inning contest.
Freshman Steph Andreoli was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. She also earned the win on the mound, scattering three hits and striking out six.
“It’s probably the best game she’s pitched so far,” Heydet said. “Stephanie played like a senior today.
“Abington is better than what their record says, but we’re just starting to get people to hit together. We’re grouping hits, and it’s working.”
Jamie Gosselin led the Ghosts with a 2-for-2 effort at the plate and one run scored. Nicolette Ray had a leadoff triple in the fourth but was stranded on third.
While the Ghosts fell to 1-7 in league play (4-7 overall), the Golden Hawks upped their overall mark to 6-3.
“They never won this many games before, and they have been out of the race at this time of year,” Heydet said. “I’m trying to get as much confidence in them as possible. We made fewer errors today, and that’s what kept the score down. We’ve been making five or six errors, and we had one error today. They’re playing well. I’m very proud of them today. They did everything right.”
Abington 100 00-1
Council Rock South 204 5x-11
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3, HATBORO-HORSHAM 2 (10 innings)
On April 1, the Hatters defeated the Patriots 7-4, but the Patriots were without pitcher Kayla Ventura. In Thursday’s rematch, Ventura played a starring role, limiting the Hatters to seven hits in 10 innings – three to leadoff batter Meg Hallock and four to the rest of the Hatters’ lineup combined.
“She had a great game,” East coach Erin Scott said. “I know they have a lot of kids who can hit – they have Daria Edwards and Jen Cader, and she definitely threw a great game. She didn’t strike out a ton, but she kept them under control.
“Obviously, they can hit, and I know we beat them in districts last year, but I can’t tell you the last time we beat them during the regular season. In my career, I don’t think I’ve ever beaten CB South and Hatboro in the same season.”
East’s win over the Hatters came two days after the Patriots defeated Central Bucks South.
“I know (Hatboro) is not the same team they’ve been in the past, but they’re still really competitive,” Scott said.
The Hatters got on the scoreboard first with a run in the second. Jayne Black, who collected an infield single and stole second, scored on Jackie Locke’s RBI single to right field.
In the third, the Patriots tied it up, thanks to singles by Jenn Young, Darian Dempsey and Sydney Badger (RBI). They took a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Danielle Marzetti led off with a single, and after a walk, sacrifice bunt and another walk, Brady Tillotson delivered a sacrifice fly to plate the go-ahead run.
The Hatters rallied to knot the score in the sixth. Hallock got things started with a slap single. She stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Cader’s clutch two-out RBI single.
That would be the extent of the scoring for both teams until the 10th inning when the international tiebreaker went into effect. After the Patriots moved their base runner who started the inning on second to third, Young delivered a sacrifice fly to center, giving East a 3-2 lead.
The bottom half of the inning featured its share of drama as the Hatters followed suit, also bunting their base runner who opened the inning on second to third base with one out.
“We knew they love to small ball, and he tried to suicide,” Scott said of Hatters coach Joe DiFilippo. “The girl popped up the bunt, and Danielle (Marzetti), our catcher, catches the ball. The runner from third was breaking and we threw the girl out at third, and that ended the game.”
The Patriots were led by the two-hit efforts of Ventura, Marzetti and Theresa Haug. Tillotson had a double on a day that saw East strand 12 runners.
“We have opportunities, and we’re letting them slip out of our hands, but we’re still a young team,” Scott said. “Things that were second nature to a team we had for four years – we’re kind of having to teach them.
“We had a very honest conversation before our (CB) South game, and they had an awesome game. I think they’re starting to believe and trust one another.”
Lexi Campbell and Kaeli Simmons shared pitching duties for the Hatters. Simmons entered the game in the sixth inning and allowed just two hits the rest of the way.
“We had a really difficult time with her,” Scott said of Simmons. “Her speed was a little bit different, and she was moving the ball. He (DiFilippo) definitely made a change at a smart time.”
While the Hatters fell to 5-3 in SOL play (6-3 overall), the Patriots upped their record to 6-2 in league play (6-5 overall).
“We’ve had a couple of tough games of late,” Scott said. “I think against some of the teams we’re playing – Council Rock North, Bensalem, we haven’t really showed our best, which is frustrating.
“Our team is finally starting to jell, they’re starting to get used to playing together. Our communication has been better. We’ve had a lot of mistakes, but we’ve still ended up in close games. We’re making mistakes that a young team will make, but we’re learning.
“Today, to me, proved that the potential I thought they had all along – I think they’re starting to realize they do have that ability, and they’re starting to gain confidence which, in turn, is helping them play a little bit better. There’s so much of this game that’s mental, and it’s getting them to believe and trust one another.”
Central Bucks East 001 010 000 1-3
Hatboro-Horsham 010 001 000 0-2
SOUDERTON 9, NORTH PENN 3
A seven-run uprising in the fourth inning propelled the Indians to a win that kept them atop the conference standings. The loss avenged a 10-4 beating at the hands of the Maidens earlier this season.
“This was really important,” coach Steph Rummel said. “We went in pretty relaxed, knowing what our strengths were and working on them and focusing on our own game.
“It turned out to be a good game, and we’re going to build on that and bring the best Souderton team we can to the field.”
Erelle Sowers earned the win on the mound and also had a 3-for-4 day at the plate, which included a double and three RBIs. Missy Wiley was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, and Morgan Yoder was 2-for-4 on a day that saw the Indians collect 13 hits.
The Indians plated a single run in the first, thanks to a Haley Delany RBI single and then seized command of the game in the fourth. Dayna Shelly was safe on an error to lead off the frame, and Wiley followed with a single. An error on Katie Kehler’s grounder loaded the bases with none out.
Back-to-back RBI infield singles by Yoder and Angie Carty against the Maidens’ drawn-in infield put the Indians on top 3-0, and then Sowers lined a single to left to plate a pair. Amanda Brush gave the Indians an 8-0 lead when she lofted a three-run home run over the fence in left center.
In the top of the fifth Wiley singled to lead off the frame, and one out later, Yoder singled. Another run crossed the plate when Sowers doubled to left center, and the Indians had stretched their lead to 9-0.
The Maidens, benefitting from a pair of Indian miscues, battled back with three unearned runs in the sixth. Meghan Curley and Alyssa Shoulberg (RBI) both singled, and Lauren Schwartz hit a two-run double to left to make it a 9-3 game.
Jackie Bilotti absorbed the loss for the Maidens (6-4, 5-3 SOL). The Indians upped their record to 6-1 in league play (8-2 overall).
Souderton 100 710 0-9
North Penn 000 003 0-3
QUAKERTOWN 19, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2 (5 innings)
The Panthers had scored just four runs in their last three SOL games combined, but their bats came to life in Thursday’s win over the Bucks.
Alli MacIntyre was 4-for-4 to lead the Panthers while teammate Spenser Gray was 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Maddie Calder hit a grand slam in the fifth inning.
Megan Johnson threw three innings to earn the win. MacIntyre worked the final two innings.
The Panthers are 3-5 in league play (6-5 overall) while the Bucks fell to 0-8 in the league (1-9 overall).
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 7, PENNRIDGE 2 (8 innings) (Wednesday, April 22)
The Titans won a thriller on Wednesday, plating a single run in the seventh to knot the score 2-2 and then scoring five in the eighth inning to win it. Highlighting the eighth inning was Maddie Decker’s two-run home run. Kate McNesby knocked in the go-ahead run with a single that set the stage for Decker’s bomb. Hope Darreff also contributed an RBI double in the seventh.
The Titans are 5-3 in league play (6-4 overall) while the Lady Rams fell to 1-6 in the league (3-7 overall).
American Conference
CHELTENHAM 8, SPRINGFIELD (MONTCO) 2
In a spirited battle between the neighboring rivals, the Spartans played the Lady Panthers tough, trailing just 4-2 heading into the seventh when the Lady Panthers sealed their fate with a four-run outburst.
“I knew Springfield was very good,” coach Ron Perlstein said. “They’ve got a great pitcher. Kim (Machalette) is a close friend of a lot of kids on our team. They grew up playing ball together, so it’s a real personal game for us, and that’s the way we played it.”
Grace DeRosa was once again in command on the mound, allowing just four hits and two runs while fanning 13.
“She proved her mettle today,” Perlstein said. “They were tough.
“They came back at the very end. They had girls on second and third with one out (in the seventh), and Gracie beared down and got them. She got a line drive off of her shin early in the game and fought it off. It was that kind of game.”
Rita Laychock was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, two RBIs and one run scored. DeRosa helped her own cause with a pair of hits, including a double, and two RBIs. Senior Nita Jackson hit a solo home run in the fourth and also scored two runs, and Erica Winters scored a pair of runs.
“It was a very nice win,” Perlstein said. “It was a beautiful afternoon. It was a fun game to watch – a local rivalry full of action.”
With the win, the Lady Panthers upped their league mark to 6-1 (7-2 overall).
Cheltenham 011 110 4-8
Springfield 000 011 0-2
UPPER DUBLIN 10, WISSAHICKON 0 (6.1 innings)
Sarah Tannenbaum and Rachel Hyman both had big days at the plate to lead the Cardinals. Tannenbaum was 3-for-3 with an RBI double and two-run triple. She also scored a run. Hyman was also 3-for-3 with a double and one RBI. Sarah Dennin was 1-for-3 with three runs scored. All told, the Cardinals pounded out 12 hits.
For Wissahickon, Julianne Griffin had a double, and Brittany Gelman, Emily Kaissi and Zoe Trumbore each had a hit.
Rebecca Matricardi notched the shutout win on the mound, allowing four hits in six innings while walking two and striking out three.
The Flying Cardinals are 3-4 in league play (3-7 overall) while the Trojans are 0-7 in the league (0-11 overall).
Wissahickon 000 000-0
Upper Dublin 052 012-10
UPPER MERION 12, NORRISTOWN 0 (5 innings)
The Vikings exploded for 10 runs in the first inning on their way to the big win. Maddalana Ghanayem was 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs and Micaela Ghanayem also had two hits and two RBIs.
Olivia Sborlini threw two innings, and Nicole Kowalski worked the final three. The Eagles managed just two hits in the shutout.
The Vikings are 7-0 in league play (8-2 overall), and the Eagles are 1-7 in the league (1-8 overall).
Norristown 000 00-0
Upper Merion10 20 0x-12
Wednesday, April 22
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 14, UPPER DUBLIN 9
In a contest that featured nine errors by the two teams combined, the Golden Hawks scored six runs in the seventh innings to turn a 9-8 deficit into the 14-9 win.
“It was ugly,” Rock South coach Greg Heydet Sr. said. “They’re a young team, and they kept coming at us.”
Jackie Schneider was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored. Amanda Sharp was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a solo home run in the fourth. Katelyn Gaudet was 1-for-3 with four runs scored while Melanie Wilkinson also was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
For the Flying Cardinals, Rachel Hyman was 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and run scored. Sarah Tannenbaum had two hits. Mary Kate McInerney was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Sarah Horn was 2-for-2 with a run scored, and Rachel Matricardi was 1-for-4 with three RBIs.
Freshman Steph Andreoli threw the final four innings to earn the win for the Golden Hawks.
Council Rock South 302 111 6-14
Upper Dublin 201 024 0-9
NORTH PENN 8, ARCHBISHOP WOOD 4
The Maidens received three-hit performances from Jackie Bilotti (two runs scored), Vicky Tumasz (one run) and Alyssa Shoulberg (three RBIs) while Erin Maher added a pair of hits in Wednesday’s non-league win.
Tumasz earned the win on the mound, allowing two earned runs while walking one and fanning nine.
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