Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Monday. CR South/CR North photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f63743818 (NP/Boyertown photos courtesy of Marlee Doherty/NP Softball. HH photo provided courtesy of Diane Waeltz/HH Softball)
SOL Patriot Division
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 6, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 4
In a battle of SOL unbeaten squads, the Golden Hawks remained perfect on the young season, rallying from a 4-3 deficit to knot the score in the sixth and win it with a pair of runs in the seventh.
Despite his team’s 5-0 start, Rock South coach Dan Schram believes the best is yet to come.
“That’s the one thing that excites me with our team – we’ve hit the ball pretty well, and we obviously can pitch and run a little bit, but we have not put it all together yet, so I would like to see what happens when we put it all together,” the Golden Hawks’ coach said. “Council Rock North is a very good team. They’re very well coached. Those kids play hard, and they’re absolutely buying in to what coach (Susan) Yee is doing, so hats off to them.”
In the top of the seventh, Zoe Emerson led off with a pinch-hit single. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases, and Emerson scored the go-ahead run on Avery Tumolo’s fielder’s choice. A second run crossed the plate on a Rock North miscue, and the Golden Hawks led 6-4.
The Indians put a pair of runners on board in the bottom of the inning. Zoe Hornstein led off with a single, and with one out, Taylor Gearhart drew a walk. Lexi Waring struck out the next two batters she faced to close out the game.
Waring earned the win in relief, allowing two hits in 3.2 shutout innings. She struck out nine and walked a pair.
“Lexi Waring – in another Lexi performance – came in and had nine Ks and shut them down,” Schram said. “Lexi is possibly the most competitive kid I’ve ever had the privilege to coach. She’s so poised in the moment, she’s so focused. It’s amazing to watch her work. The bigger the situation, the bigger she pitches.”
Early on, the Golden Hawks took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third, benefitting from two walks, an Indian miscue, a successful suicide squeeze by Tumolo (RBI) and a two-run double to left field by Grace Stepp.
“I think our team had some nerves coming into this game, and it impacted how crisp and clean we were on both sides of the ball,” Yee said. “We had six freshmen starting today, and two more that also saw time in the game.
“These girls are just getting their feet wet at the varsity level, and the electricity of the environment at the field today is a lot of pressure for young girls experiencing the atmosphere of a North-South game for the first time. It is a lot to take in, and hopefully we will come out of today’s game with lessons and experiences that will help us build better as we move forward through the season.”
The Indians bounced back to take the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back walks to Molly Sheehy and Katie Wilkoski on either side of a single by Gearhart loaded the bases with none out. Sierra Klein lined a double to right that plated a pair, and she scored when Haley Edelman lined a two-out single to right, giving the Indians a 4-3 advantage.
Ameerah Wheet evened the score 4-4 when she ripped a solo home run to left field to open the sixth, setting the stage for the Golden Hawks’ two-run
seventh.
“It was a typical North-South battle that wasn’t over until the final out was recorded,” Yee said. “Both teams battled from start to finish which was great to see. Although we ended up on the losing end this time, I was proud of the way our girls never gave up.
“South has a strong team that has just gotten better and better since the start of last year. Dan Schram runs a good program over there, and that team is going to make noise in the league and the district this year.”
Stepp’s 2-for-4 day with a double and two RBIs led the Golden Hawks.
The Indians were led by Hornstein (2-for-4), Klein (2-for-4, 2B, 2RBIs, R) and Edelman (2-for-2, 2RBIs).
Council Rock South (5-0, 3-0 SOL) will host Pennsbury on Wednesday, and Council Rock North (4-1, 2-1) will travel to Calvary Christian for a non-league game next Tuesday, April. 11.
Council Rock South 003 001 2 6-6-3
Council Rock North 000 400 0 4-8-3
SOL Patriot/Colonial crossover
NESHAMINY 2, SOUDERTON 1
Maysie Thomson’s first varsity win in the circle couldn’t have come at a better time.
The Neshaminy sophomore allowed just two hits and shut out the Indians after allowing a first-inning run in a winning effort that brought a welcome end to a three-game losing streak for the Redskins. Thomson struck out three and walked two.
“Maysie didn’t strike out a lot of people, but she spun the ball, hit her spots and basically pitched to contact,” Neshaminy coach Tim Quense said. “I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what I was going to get. I was like, ‘Just get me through the lineup one time, and we’ll figure it out from there,’ but she went the whole seven. She pitched an awesome game, and our defense was very good today.”
If losing three straight wasn’t enough, the Redskins also lost starting shortstop Peyton Tierney to an injury. The Redskins’ leadoff batter was hitting .375 and playing solid defense.
“She’s a great leader, she’s a great infielder – great range, everything, so we’ve had to reshuffle positions around,” Quense said. “Basically, it’s a brand new defense without her being in the middle.”
The Indians struck first in Monday’s contest, putting a run on the board in the top of the first. Cameron Nadolski led off with a double to center and moved up to third on a groundout. She scored when Kayley York lofted a sacrifice fly to right field, spotting Souderton an early 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, junior Morgan Volgraf smoked a double down the left field line to lead off the inning.
“Morgan Leonhauser, who’s now playing shortstop and has come up huge for us this year, laid down a perfect bunt to move Morgan to third,” Quense said.
Volgraf scored on a sacrifice fly by Lindsey Gorka, knotting the score 1-1. With two outs, senior RyLeigh Bilbrey singled to center, and senior Hannah Cieszkowski followed with a single to right field. Junior Molly Hitchen’s single up the middle plated the go-ahead run. That 2-1 score stood the rest of the way.
“We basically played good defense the whole way,” Quense said. “We always look at the season as the first quarter, the second quarter and between the second and third quarters, we kick it in. We like our team, we like our chances this year. We’ve got pretty good depth. It should be fun.”
Nadolski collected both of Souderton’s hits, finishing 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Neshaminy (3-3, 2-2 SOL) will host Conestoga on Tuesday in a non-league game, and Souderton (2-3, 1-1) will host Upper Perkiomen in a non-league game on Tuesday.
Souderton 100 000 0 1-2-0
Neshaminy 000 200 x 2-5-2
Non-league
NORTH PENN 1, BOYERTOWN 0
“We needed this.”
Those were Rick Torresani’s first words after his Knights’ squad scored an unearned run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to escape with a 1-0 walk-off win over the visiting Bears.
“It’s huge,” the Knights’ coach said of playing a Boyertown squad that brought a 4-0 record into the game. “We needed a game like this right now. We’re going into Souderton and our league schedule, and we needed to be challenged, and they challenged us.”
No one would argue with Torresani.
Certainly not his ace pitcher who had allowed just one run in five wins this season and who had barely worked up a sweat in three mercy rule wins since returning from spring training in Myrtle Beach.
Entering Monday’s non-league game, Julia Shearer had allowed just nine hits in 28 innings while striking out 66 and walking just two.
In Boyertown, the Knights faced a team that exchanged shots with them for seven innings.
“I feel like – especially on defense – it kept us engaged and in the game,” Shearer said. “When you don’t know if they’re going to bunt or hit and run or something like that – it’s good to sometimes have to be on edge. I think it enhances everyone’s performance because the intensity is just so high.”
Shearer was once again on top of her game, striking out 14, walking none and tossing a complete game no-hitter. The Bears, however, had a runner on second with one out in the top of the seventh of a scoreless game, thanks to an error on leadoff batter Aubrey Gilbert’s bunt.
A pair of groundouts and a strikeout brought an end to that threat.
In the fifth, the Bears also put their leadoff batter on board after a Knights’ miscue, so the tightly contested win felt anything but easy.
The Knights won it in walk-off fashion when – with freshman Cailin Halfpenny on first after reaching on a two-out error – Reyna Doherty ripped a line drive single off the glove of a leaping second baseman. When the ball was briefly bobbled in right field, Torresani – without hesitation – waved Halfpenny around with the game-winner.
Doherty’s single was just the fourth hit the Knights managed off Boyertown’s Ella Hurter, who was tossing a gem of her own.
“She had a lot of spin, and we just had to adjust to the umpires,” Doherty said. “I feel like we’re constantly changing our mentalities and trying to find a new approach going up to hit.
“Especially my at-bat – I was just trying to dig deep and get a win for the team, do something to move the runners.”
Monday’s non-league win over the defending PAC champions was reason for the Knights to celebrate.
“When we’re winning 15-0, people don’t really look at it twice, but when we win against a team like Boyertown who has a good reputation and a perfect record so far, it feels good,” Shearer said. “And it proves ourselves to everyone that we’re just as good as the past couple of years and that we are able to play in games like this.”
One inning earlier, it looked as though Shearer might break the scoreless tie with one swing of the bat leading off the sixth when she smashed a shot that was hauled in for the inning’s first out just in front of the center field fence.
“Off the bat, I thought I had it – I thought we were going to get some momentum going,” Shearer said. “Even though it was an out, I felt pretty confident up there.”
Annabelle Smink followed and drew a one-out walk, and Gianna Cimino lined a single to left. Both runners advanced when Brie Wilmot grounded out to first, but Hurter came up with a strikeout for the inning’s final out.
Drawing high praise from Torresani was Sophia Orth, the team’s starting third baseman who filled in behind the plate for catcher Sarah Sabocsik who was sidelined with an injury.
“Sophie behind the plate for Sarah was huge – she hasn’t caught for us forever,” the Knights’ coach said. “She did a great job. Catching Julie is tough – her ball moves so much.”
Shearer was 1-for-2 with a double and stolen base. She drew a leadoff walk in the first, stole second and was on third with one out where she was stranded. In the bottom of the third, Shearer lined a one-out double to left but never got any further.
In the loss, Hurter scattered four hits and did not allow an earned run while striking out 12 and walking a pair.
“These girls needed to know there are other teams that are good, and when it comes down to it, we have to be composed, and we were composed the whole game,” Torresani said.
North Penn (6-0, 2-0 SOL) is off until next Tuesday, April 11, when the Knights will travel to Souderton.
Boyertown 000 000 0 0-0-1
North Penn 000 000 1 1-3-2
PENNSBURY 3, HATBORO-HORSHAM 2
Sammy Raub brought a dramatic end to Monday’s non-league battle against the visiting Hatters when – with one out and the bases empty in the bottom of the seventh – she hit a solo blast over the left center field fence to give the Falcons the walk-off win.
Laney Freiband notched the complete game win, allowing three hits, walking three – two intentional – and striking out 11.
“Laney pitched a really good game for us, made some really good pitches when we needed them,” Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry said. “They had the bases loaded at one point with one out, and she pitched her way out of that and gave us the opportunity for Sammy’s heroics in the seventh.”
In the top of the third, the Hatters took a 2-0 lead when Amaya Lundy smacked a two-run home run to left center that plated Alyssa Tooley, who had singled.
The Falcons erased that lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. After the first two Falcons drew walks, Naya Schubel singled to load the bases. Presley Foote drew a bases-loaded walk to push a run across, and Ava Storlazzi drew the fourth walk of the inning, also collecting an RBI for a run that knotted the score 2-2.
Tooley absorbed the loss for the Hatters despite allowing just four hits and striking out nine. She walked seven – four in the fateful fourth.
“She really pitched a good game against us, for sure,” McSherry said. “She definitely is going to keep them in every game – she throws that hard.”
Lundy’s 2-for-2 effort led the Hatters.
Pennsbury (4-0, 2-0 SOL) will travel to Council Rock South on Wednesday, and Hatboro-Horsham 1-3, 1-0) will be on the road at Wissahickon on Tuesday.
Hatboro-Horsham 002 000 0 2-3-0
Pennsbury 000 200 1 3-4-2
UPPER MORELAND 17, MaST CHARTER 0 (4 innings)
Eowyn Stainback tossed a no-hitter in Monday’s abbreviated mercy rule win, striking out five.
Devyn Kniese was the offensive star for the Golden Bears, driving in four runs and finishing 2-for-3. Kneise drove in a run on a double in the third, and her three-run home run in the fourth brought an early end to the game.
The Golden Bears put three runs on the board in the first inning when Natalie Walton singled on the first pitch of her at-bat, plating a run that turned out to be the game-winner.
“We hit the ball well today,” said UM coach Melanie Martino, whose team pounded out 13 hits.
Walton, Kniese, Joslyn McCellan and Alyssa Wiley each collected multiple hits for the Golden Bears.
Upper Moreland (3-3, 2-2 SOL) will travel to Dock Mennonite Academy for a non-league game Tuesday.
MaST Charter 000 0 0
Upper Moreland 326 6 17
MOUNT ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY 5, ABINGTON 2
The Mount put a pair of runs on the board in the second inning and led the rest of the way in Monday’s non-league contest.
Trailing 4-0, the Ghosts got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. Leanna Schenk drew a leadoff walk, and she scored when Natalie Broskley followed with a double to right field. Broskley moved up to third on an error and scored on Lauren Everitt’s sacrifice fly to make it a 4-2 game.
The Magic added a run in the bottom of the inning for the 5-2 final.
The Ghosts managed just five hits – one each by Broskley, Everitt, Hailey Hernadez, Mackenzie Feeney and Liz Hippel.
Abington (0-6, 0-3 SOL) will host Upper Dublin on Tuesday, April 11.
Abington 000 002 0 2-5-3
Mount St. Joseph 020 021 x 5-10-4
VILLA MARIA ACADEMY 6, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 3
The Patriots found themselves staring at a 6-0 hole after four innings. They cut Villa’s lead in half with a three-run fifth but never could make up the ground they lost.
East’s three-run fifth was highlighted by singles from Peyton Schellhorn and Elizabeth Gray with Kaylee Masterson’s two-run double to center the big blow in the inning.
Masterson was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored in a contest that saw the Patriots collect just six hits.
Central Bucks East (1-5, 0-2 SOL) will travel to Pennridge next Tuesday, April 11.
Villa Maria 100 500 0 6-6-1
Central Bucks East 000 030 0 3-6-1
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