Check out the recaps of SOL softball teams in action Thursday. Truman/CR North photos provided courtesy of Diana Leferovich. Neshaminy/CR South photos courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for photo galleries of both games.
SOL National Conference
HARRY S TRUMAN 8, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 6 (10 innings)
The visiting Tigers – who trailed 3-0 early – rallied to send the game into extra innings and then scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning, outlasting the Indians to earn the hard fought win.
“I think playing together as a family and having the girls believe in themselves is what truly kept us in the game today,” Truman coach Lisamarie Belmonte said. “Hayley Carter absolutely is her old self and is pitching phenomenal.
“I think she was putting too much pressure on herself knowing this was her last season instead of just going out and remembering why she loves the game so much and just playing the game that she loves.”
Carter started the game and also finished the game. Sophomore Jalecia Blackston made a cameo appearance in the seventh, facing just two batters before Belmonte brought Carter back in the game.
“I just rode her the rest of the game, and she did awesome,” Belmonte said of her senior pitcher.
The game started out on a promising note for the Indians, who put two runs on the board in the first when Julianna Shields delivered a two-run home run. Lauren Begg, who singled, scored on the play. In the second, an RBI single by Begg plated Rachel Lorence, who had doubled, and the Indians led 3-0.
The Tigers made it a 3-2 game in the fourth and took a 4-3 lead with two more runs in the fifth, using RBI singles by Cortney Nau and Teyana Towner. The Indians scored a single run in the bottom of the inning to even the score.
Truman took a 5-4 lead in the sixth, but the Indians staged a heroic comeback in the seventh. Shields, who doubled to lead off the inning, scored on an RBI single by Alyssa Booth to knot the score. They had the winning run on third with one out, but Carter worked her way out of the jam.
Neither team had a base runner in the eighth or ninth. With the international tiebreaker in effect in the 10th, the Tigers – capitalizing on a pair of Indian miscues as well as Alexia Devlin’s RBI single – scored three runs. The Indians got one run in the bottom of the 10th but would get no closer.
Towner finished the game 3-for-5 with an RBI and run scored to lead the Tigers’ 11-hit attack. Emily Merigan was 2-for-4, and Devlin was 2-for-5 with an RBI.
For the Indians, Shield was 3-for-4 with two doubles and a home run. Lorence was 2-for-6 with a double and run scored. Begg was 2-for-5 with an RBI and run scored, Katheryn Hastings was 2-for-4, and Booth was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.
The win gives the Tigers a season sweep of the Indians.
“They played well,” Belmonte said of the Indians. “We just executed in key situations and shut them down when they had runners in scoring position in key moments. That was definitely big on our defensive end.”
Harry S Truman (5-7, 3-5 SOL) will host Conwell-Egan in a non-league game on Saturday at 12 noon. Council Rock North (4-6, 1-5) will host Council Rock South Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Northampton Civic Center in the second game of a doubleheader as part of the third annual benefit game with all proceeds going to fight ALS.
Truman and Rock North are 25th and 26th respectively in the latest District 1 6A power rankings.
Harry S Truman 000 221 000 3 8-11-1
Council Rock North 210 010 100 1 6-14-3
WILLIAM TENNENT 9, BENSALEM 6
The Panthers picked up their third win in a row, and this one avenged a 4-3 loss to the Owls early in the season.
“They’re starting to learn how to win versus having the fear of losing in these sixth and seventh innings, and this has been a huge confidence booster,” coach Rich Clark said. “Today was huge.
“Hannah Reimel set the tone at shortstop – she made three incredible plays that I don’t know if anybody else gets to and saves several runs early in the game. We talked about it – at the end of the day, that kind of play is what wins it or loses it for you, and she goes on and makes three of them. She definitely set the tone. The other girls are seeing what she’s doing, and they’re stepping up around her and doing their part. It was a good win today.”
The two teams exchanged single runs in the first, and the Owls took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the second. The Panthers answered with four runs in the fourth – all four runs coming with two outs. Mackenzie Clee got the ball rolling with a single, and Reimel followed with a single. Brianna Koonce singled to drive in a run. The hit was the 100th of the Rider University-bound senior’s stellar career. Devon Fithian followed with a single, and Jenna Cragin’s two-run double drove in a pair.
The Panthers went on to open up a 7-3 lead only to watch the Owls pull to within one, thanks to a three-run fifth that included a two-run single by Angelia Micalizzi. Tennent tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth for the 9-6 final.
Caitlyn Mitros was 3-for-5 with a triple, RBI and run scored out of the leadoff spot. Reimel was 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored. Fithian was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs, and Cragin was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Megan Curtis was also 2-for-4 with a run.
Curtis notched the win in the circle, allowing six hits and six runs (three earned) in 4.1 innings. Clee closed it out, allowing one hit and no runs in 2.2 innings of relief.
“Meg was throwing first-pitch strikes all day,” Clark said. “She had great command, and Mackenzie came in and got three strikeouts over the course of two-plus innings to close it out.”
If Clark had one concern, it was his team’s six errors.
“I have to check – maybe three of them occurred on one play,” he said. “We definitely need to work on that.”
Maddie Buechner (2-for-3, RBI, run) and Micalizzi (2-for-3, 2 RBIs, run) led the Owls.
William Tennent (5-6, 3-5) – 20th in the latest District 1 6A rankings – will travel to Archbishop Wood Saturday for a non-league game (10 a.m.). Bensalem (8-4, 3-4) – 19th in the power rankings – will host Faith Christian Academy in a non-league game at 11 a.m.
William Tennent 104 112 0 9-13-6
Bensalem 120 030 0 6-7-2
NESHAMINY 9, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0
Kennedie Ruth is looking anything but the part of a rookie. The freshman hurler tossed a one-hit gem in Thursday’s complete game win over the Golden Hawks. She allowed just one hit – a bunt single in the third inning – while striking out 14 and walking two.
Ruth struck out the first eight batters she faced before allowing the Indians only hit.
“Kennedie comes into that game today – she didn’t get to face them the first time,” coach Dave Chichilitti said of his team’s 7-5 win over Rock South earlier this season. “I kind of did that on purpose because this team always gives us fits the second time we play them because Danielle Walters gets better as the weather gets better.
“I said to Kennedie, ‘This is one of the main competitors in the league. Show them you belong.’ I think she did a pretty great job of that today.”
The Redskins scored all the runs Ruth would need in a two-run first that saw them capitalize on a Golden Hawk miscue. They put the game completely out of reach in the fifth. Back-to-back one-out singles by Olivia Fee and Liana Jones set the stage for a three-run blast from Kaylee Jones. Rachel Kohler followed with a solo home run, and the Redskins led 6-0. They added three more runs in the sixth, putting an exclamation point on the win.
Fee (3-for-4, 3 runs), Liana Jones (3-for-3, 2 RBIs, 2 runs), Kaylee Jones (2-for-4, home run, 4 RBIs) and Kohler (3-for-4, 2 2B, home run, 3 RBIs) were almost impossible outs.
“The two, three, four and five part of our order just really poured it on today,” Chichilitti said. “Liv (Fee) did a great job of setting the table for the girls from the two hole. Liana (Jones) moved runners with singles, and Kylee Jones and Rachel Kohler certainly knocked them in.
“It was like a perfect flow. When they got their hits, they would all hit together. Everything was working well.
Walters, who struck out 11, absorbed the loss.
“This could have been a big trap spot for us against a pitcher I knew was warming up,” Chichilitti said of Walters, who was coming off a shutout win over Truman. “She pitched a good game the other day, and we were determined to not let that happen to us. The four girls who did hit her today are all really, really good softball players.”
Neshaminy (11-2, 7-1 SOL) – 5th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will travel to Harry S Truman on Tuesday, and Council Rock South (3-7, 2-3) will face Council Rock North on Saturday (6 p.m.) at the Northampton Civic Center.
Neshaminy 200 043 0 9-13-0
Council Rock South 000 000 0 0-1-1
SOL Continental Conference
QUAKERTOWN 7, PENNRIDGE 4
The Panthers made it a sweep of their season series with the Rams, and they set the tone early in this one.
“It’s a great win,” coach Dave Scott said. “LauraRose Morelock took the first pitch of the game and hit it over the left field fence and kind of set the tone for things.”
The Rams evened the score 1-1 in the second when Emily Hegan, who walked, scored on a single by Catelyn Thrush.
The Panthers took a lead they would not lose with a three-run third that was highlighted by Sarah Stofik’s RBI single and a two-run single by Maddie Moyer. They added two more in the fourth. Jenna Blair doubled to lead off the inning, and Bri Lefkoski singled. Both scored on Morelock’s two-run single. An RBI single by Blair in the sixth gave the Panthers a 7-1 lead before the Rams scored three runs over the final two frames. Victoria Moscariello’s two-run homer in the sixth made it a 7-3 game, and Hegen singled to drive in the final run in the seventh.
Morelock had a big day out of the leadoff spot for the Panthers, finishing the game a perfect 3-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. Moyer continued to carry a hot bat with a 3-for-4 effort that included a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Halle Frederick was 2-for-3, and Blair was 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and run scored.
“The cool thing about the game tonight is that I honestly can say that everyone up and down the lineup contributed,” Scott said. “It was really another team win where no one in particular really stuck out. We put 14 hits up, and up and down the lineup everyone contributed. It was a great win in that regard.”
Leading the Rams’ attack was Madi Silber, who was 4-for-4 with a run scored. Also contributing multiple hits were Makenna Patterson (2-for-3, 2B), Hegen (2-for-3, RBI, run) and Thrush (2-for-3, RBI).
Tori Caputo notched the complete game win while Patterson absorbed the loss.
Quakertown (7-6, 5-4 SOL) will host Bangor in a non-league game Friday at 4 p.m. The Panthers are 19th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings.
“This week was pretty pivotal for us, and the fact that we won both of our games so far is a big lift for us,” said Scott, whose team was coming off a 10-0 win over Central Bucks South two days earlier.
Pennridge (6-5, 4-3) – ninth in the latest power rankings – will host Abington in a non-league game Friday at 3:45 p.m.
Quakertown 103 210 0 7-13
Pennridge 010 002 1 4-12
SOUDERTON 7, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0
Abby Burns notched the first shutout of her varsity career, limiting the Bucks to just three hits in the complete game win. The freshman hurler – who retired the first 11 batters she faced – struck out a career high 11 and walked two.
“Abby threw very well today – her line is just incredible,” coach Liz Parkins said. “Alina (Skrzat) called a really good game for her, and the umpire was giving corners. She was just hitting her spots really well.
“Also, her change-up was very effective today. It dropped in front of the plate, and she got several hitters on that as well.”
The Indians put up single runs in both the first and second innings. In the first, Jess Lepore led off with a single and moved up to second on Naila Neely’s sacrifice bunt. Skrzat’s RBI single gave the Indians an early 1-0 lead. Sam Nuneviller, who led off the second inning with a single, scored on an error.
“One thing we had talked about from playing North Penn – they came out early and jumped on us,” Parkins said of the Knights opening up a 4-0 lead en route to a 7-1 win over the Indians Tuesday. “Scoring two runs in the first two innings really set the tone for the game.”
Riley York gave the Indians insurance when she ripped a two-run home run in the sixth inning after Burns picked up a one-out single. For good measure, the Indians added three runs in the seventh.
Skrzat (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) and Burns (2-for-3, RBI) led the Indians. York finished with a team high three RBIs.
Abby Lineman had two of West’s three hits.
Kayla Gallagher absorbed the loss, allowing nine hits and seven runs (six earned) while striking out nine and walking two.
Souderton (7-4, 4-4 SOL) – eighth in the latest District One 6A power rankings – will travel to Lansdale Catholic Monday for a non-league game, and Central Bucks West (7-5, 2-5) will host Central Bucks South on Monday. The Bucks are 21st in the power rankings – 20 teams will earn district berths.
Souderton 110 002 3 7-9-1
Central Bucks West 000 000 0 0-3-1
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 13, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3 (5 innings)
The Titans scored four runs in the first inning and added five more in the second to seize early control of Tuesday’s abbreviated contest.
“We hit the ball a lot tonight,” said coach Kevin Rosini, whose team pounded out 13 hits. “We made some lineup changes. We put some different people in and moved some people around. It worked for today.
“Scoring four runs in the first inning kind of gave us the boost. Then we just rolled from there.”
Alexa Ortman had herself a day, finishing 3-for-3 with a triple, RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base. Her triple in a two-run third plated a run. Kate Hammond was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs. Maddie Rowley and Tara Tumasz were both 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Rebecca Brennan was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run, and Katie Hines was 1-for-2 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored. Her two-run triple highlighted a five-run second.
For the Patriots, Soleil Dooner was 2-for-2 with an RBI and run scored.
Kylie Kenney earned the win, allowing four hits – just two after the first inning – and three runs (one earned). She struck out nine and walked two.
“She pitched really well,” Rosini said. “She was pumping strikes, and when she does that, she does well.
“It was a good all-around game for everyone tonight. I think the lineup changes brought some energy to us, so we’ll see.”
Central Bucks South (6-6, 4-3 SOL) is scheduled to travel to Pennsbury for a non-league game Friday weather permitting. The Titans are 22nd in what will be a 20-team field in the latest district power rankings.
“I don’t think we’ll play tomorrow, but we have CB West, Souderton and Pennridge next week – we really need to win all three,” Rosini said. “They’re all ahead of us in the rankings, and we’ve got to win the games we need to win.”
Central Bucks East (2-11, 0-8) will be on the road at Gwynedd Mercy for a non-league game Monday.
Central Bucks East 003 00 3-4-3
Central Bucks South 452 2x 13-13-2
SOL American Conference
HATBORO-HORSHAM 8, WISSAHICKON 4
The Hatters and Trojans spent the first four innings exchanging runs before the Hatters scored five unanswered runs late to notch the conference win.
The Trojans put a pair of runs on the scoreboard in the top of the first, thanks to Kailyn Pappanistisiou two-run double. The Hatters got those runs back in the bottom of the inning, benefitting from an error to plate two unearned runs. Brit Hubler and Joyce Bloome each contributed RBI singles.
In the fourth inning, Rory Goodrich’s RBI double gave the Trojans a short-lived 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Alicia Tauber’s RBI single knotted the score.
The Hatters took a lead they would not lose with three runs in the fifth. Kayla Tauber’s two-run single was the big hit in the frame. Kendall Leitner’s RBI double highlighted a two-run sixth.
Kirsten Myers led the Hatters with a 3-for-4 effort that included a double, RBI and two runs scored. Kayla Tauber was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored out of the leadoff spot. Alicia Tauber was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run. Bloome finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Megan Mills was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
For the Trojans, Siani Paige-Miller was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Pappanistisiou was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Goodrich was 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI. Macey Segal doubled and scored a run.
Hatboro-Horsham (8-4, 7-2 SOL) – 20th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will be on the road at Upper Moreland for a key conference game Tuesday, and Wissahickon (5-7, 4-5) will host William Penn Charter in a non-league game Friday.
Wissahickon 200 100 1 4-9-2
Hatboro-Horsham 200 132 x 8-15-3
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 4, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 2
The Colonials scored a pair of runs in the first only to watch the visiting Spartans knot the score in the fourth. PW won it with two in the fifth.
In PW’s two-run first, Kamryn Kropinski led off with a single, and Jennifer Byrne legged out a bunt single. A sacrifice fly by Lauryn Kane was followed by Josee Tassoni’s RBI single.
The Spartans evened the score in the fourth inning, but the Colonials answered in the sixth. Carly Rosenberger opened the inning with a bunt single, and one out later, Sydney Melillo collected a bunt single. Kropinski’s groundout plated a run, and the Colonials led 4-2 when Byrne delivered an RBI single.
Byrne was the lone Colonial with two hits.
Allison Beausoleil earned the complete game win, allowing four hits and two runs (both unearned) while striking out four and walking one.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (8-1, 7-0 SOL) – 13th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will host Abington on Monday, and Springfield Township (1-8, 1-7) will travel to Wissahickon on Tuesday.
Springfield Twp 000 200 0 2-4-0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 200 020 x 4-7-2
UPPER MORELAND 9, ABINGTON 2
The visiting Golden Bears jumped out to an early lead, going on top 5-0 after plating single runs in the first and second and adding three runs in the third.
“It was one of those games – we kind of nickel and dimed them, got a couple here and a couple there,” UM coach Scott Ludlow said. “We hit up and down the lineup, played good defense. It’s kind of the story of what we’ve been doing.”
Bean Hughes led off the three-run third with an inside-the-park home run on the spacious field.
“The fence is probably 300 feet away,” Ludlow said. “It’s technically an inside-the-parker, but they may as well play on an open field. She scored standing up, but it’s probably close to a 300-foot fence.”
Hughes had a monster day at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored. Jenna Sadowski was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Rylee McDade, who had a two-run single in the third inning, was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run. Allie Ludlow doubled to open a three-run sixth inning, and she scored on an RBI double by Hughes. Sadowski also had an RBI single in the sixth.
For the Ghosts, Julie Burkhardt was 2-for-3 with a triple and run scored.
Sadowski earned the complete game win, allowing seven hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out two and walking one.
Upper Moreland (9-3, 7-0 SOL) – fourth in the latest District One 4A power rankings – will host Hatboro-Horsham in a key conference game on Tuesday, and Abington (3-9, 3-6) will travel to Pennridge for a non-league game Friday.
Upper Moreland 113 003 1 9-10-2
Abington 000 101 0 2-7-3
UPPER DUBLIN 13, CHELTENHAM 1 (5 innings)
The Flying Cardinals scored all the runs they would need in a two-run first. They added 11 more over the next two innings before the Panthers got on the board with their only run in the fourth.
Taylor Avery was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored to lead the Cardinals. Lauren Carboni was 2-for-2 with a double and three RBIs, and Julia Wolf was 2-for-4 with a two-run double.
Chloe Foster notched the win for the Cardinals, allowing one hit and no runs while striking out seven and walking one in three innings.
Upper Dublin (8-5, 4-5 SOL) is off until next Thursday when the Cardinals will travel to Upper Moreland, and Cheltenham (0-9, 0-8) will travel to Archbishop Carroll for a non-league game Friday.
Upper Dublin 247 00 13
Cheltenham 000 10 1
About the Author
