Check out Tuesday’s SOL softball results.
National Conference
PENNSBURY 11, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0 (5 innings)
The Falcons scored early and often on their way to the abbreviated five-inning shutout win, plating three runs in the first and four in both the second and third innings. Senior Val Buehler and sophomore Casey Boltersdorf combined for the shutout. Boltersdorf notched the win, working three scoreless innings.
Offensively, the Falcons were led by Suzanne Swanicke’s 3-for-4 effort, which included a home run, three runs scored and a game-high four RBIs. Jess Greenewald was 3-for-3 with three runs scored, and Mackenzie Obert was 2-for-2 with two runs scored.
The Falcons are 9-1 in the league (12-2 overall) while the Golden Hawks fell to 1-8 in the league (3-8 overall).
WILLIAM TENNENT 9, BENSALEM 3
On April 9, the Owls shut out the Panthers on their way to a 5-0 win. The Panthers exacted a degree of revenge on Tuesday, scoring a single run in the first and exploding for six more in the second on their way to the big win. The win was the fifth in the last six games for the Panthers, who opened their SOL season with four straight losses.
Nikki Alden had a big day at the plate and on the mound, collecting a pair of hits – including a home run - and three RBIs. She also earned the win on the mound. Amber O’Toole was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Whitney Delagol was 2-for-4 and Heim was 2-for-3.
The Panthers are 5-5 in the league (6-7 overall) while the Owls fell to 4-5 in league play (4-8 overall).
HARRY S TRUMAN 9, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 5
The Tigers spotted the Indians a 4-0 lead but erased that with a five-run fourth and then added four more runs in the fifth on their way to the big win. Earlier this season, the Tigers lost a 13-11 slugfest with the Indians, but this time around, they turned the tables.
Bridget Hunt sparked the Tigers’ offense with a home run while teammates Alexis Sweeney and Cheyenne Jones both contributed doubles. For the Indians, Dom Pinto led the way, delivering a double and home run.
The Tigers improved to 3-7 in the league (3-9 overall) while the Indians are 4-6 in league play (4-7 overall).
NESHAMINY at ABINGTON (Postponed to May 1)
Continental Conference
PENNRIDGE 7, HATBORO-HORSHAM 4
Coach Paul Koehler took advantage of a rainy Monday to have his team do a little exercise in preparation for Tuesday night’s game against Hatboro-Horsham.
“I like to write sports pages, so I wrote an article about how we were going to win this game,” the Rams’ coach said. “Then for an exercise, I made each one of the kids write their own article about how this game was going to be and then read it to the team.”
Sophomore Morgan Labs drew a picture, recalling last year’s 6-3 win over the Hatters that saw the then freshman hit a three-run home run.
“I drew a picture of last year, so I could remember that feeling and not our previous game this year,” said Labs of a heartbreaking loss to the Hatters in 10 innings earlier this season.
When Labs stepped to the plate in the top of the first, the Rams already had pushed a run across, benefitting from an error, a walk and Paige DeCew’s RBI double to right center.
With a pair of runners on board, Labs re-enacted last year’s heroics, ripping a three-run shot over the left center field fence to spot the Rams an early 4-0 lead.
“I knew it was a gap shot just hearing it off the bat,” Labs said. “It was amazing because we wanted this so bad, and we were fighting from the warm-ups. We knew what we had to do, and it felt so good to score all those runs in the first inning.”
Koehler knew his team might be onto something special.
“It was like, ‘Watch out, here we come,’” the Rams’ coach said. “We talked after the (early season loss) how bad that felt to lose that game on our field.
“In their stories yesterday, they wrote, ‘Coach Koehler told us never to forget how bad we felt, and we’re not going to feel that way again, so we’re going to their Senior Night and taking it from them on their field.’ They came out and did it tonight.”
Coming as no surprise, the Hatters didn’t go down quietly. They plated a single run in the bottom of the first when Jenn Cader, who led off with a single, scored on a groundout by Dara Edwards to make it a 4-1 game.
Nicole Casagrand, who led the Hatters with a perfect 3-for-3 night that included two doubles and a triple, tripled to right field to lead off the second, and she scored on a wild pitch. In the third inning, Edwards hit a solo home run to make it a 4-3 game.
In the fourth inning, Emily Mayhew, who was 3-for-4 with a double, and Briana Gery both singled. DeCew picked up her second RBI of the night with an RBI single, and Gery raced home on a wild pitch. A Morgan Labs RBI single made it a 7-3 game.
The Hatters added a single run in the bottom of the sixth when Carlie Johnson doubled with one out and scored on Casagrand’s second double of the night.
“Hatboro is a terrific team,” Koehler said. “They battled back, and our kids said, ‘No, we’re not going to let them in. We’re going to keep fighting.’ It was a great night for them.”
DeCew earned the win in another solid outing, scattering seven hits while fanning nine and walking none.”
“You’re going to give up runs to this team,” Koehler said. “It was nice to get up four on them. That gives your pitcher a lot of confidence, but I think tonight Paige kind of settled herself between pitches.
“She seemed to take a breath, focus and throw, and I think she did a much better job of hitting spots and putting balls where she wanted to so they couldn’t take advantage of any mistakes.”
The win erased memories of the team’s 11-8 early season loss to the Hatters.
“We wanted this win so bad because the last time we lost to them in a very tough game,” Labs said. “Coming up short was devastating. At the next practice, we came out hard. We knew what we wanted this season. We had a second chance, and we took it.”
While the conference-leading Hatters fell to 8-2 in the league (11-2 overall), the Rams are one of three teams in the conference with three losses, improving to 7-3 in the league (11-3 overall).
“This is huge because you’re playing Hatboro,” Koehler said. “Hatboro can give up a win or two, but we can’t.
“When you have CB East and CB South right there, and North Penn is right behind you - when you give up a loss, you fall back in the pack in a hole you can’t dig your way out of, so for that reason, this is huge win for us. It gives these kids the confidence. We’ve talked to them about how good they are and how they can beat anybody. Tonight I think they found out for themselves that they can.”
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2, NORTH PENN 1
Carla Ruscio and Sierra Huckfeldt both had a pair of hits and were instrumental in both of their team’s runs, confirming for once and for all that East’s lineup is dangerous one through nine.
Tuesday’s game, however, was a far cry from East’s 11-3 win over the Maidens in the initial meeting between the two teams.
“It was an error-free game,” East coach Erin Scott said. “I told my team - this is going to help us hopefully prepare for the postseason. That’s how games are. There aren’t errors, and the pitchers are strong. It’s a battle.
“I’m glad that we came out with a win. North Penn looks really strong right now.”
The Maidens got on the scoreboard first, plating a run in the second inning when Vicky Tumasz – who had doubled – scored on Melissa Fasick’s RBI single.
“Honestly, we weren’t hitting,” Scott said. “We had three strikeouts and three popups in the first two innings.
“Jackie Billotti looks like a completely different pitcher. I knew she was a strong pitcher, but I think she is definitely coming on and getting into her groove.”
The Patriots collected a pair of hits in the fourth inning but came up empty. In the fifth inning, Ruscio and Huckfeldt led off with back-to-back singles. With one out, Kerry Schulz loaded the bases when she legged out a bunt single. Billotti coaxed a popup out of the next batter she faced for the inning’s second out, but Julia Schoenefeld drew a bases-loaded walk to push the tying run across. Caroline Schoenefeld followed and hit a long fly ball that was flagged down for the inning’s final out.
“She rocked the ball,” Scott said. “On any other field, it would have been a grand slam, but we don’t have a fence.
“I know everybody gives us a hard time because we don’t have a fence, but it’s to our disadvantage too.”
In the sixth inning, the bottom of East’s order delivered yet again, this time staging a two-out rally. Ruscio once again got things started with a single, and Huckfeldt followed with an RBI double that plated the game winner.
Tumasz led the Maidens with a pair of hits.
Kayla Ventura earned the win on the mound, allowing six hits in seven innings. The freshman hurler worked her way out of several jams, shutting the Maidens down after they put a pair on board in the sixth. In the seventh, Hannah Sheehan roped a two-out triple, but a groundout preserved the win for the Patriots, who improved to 7-3 in league play (11-3 overall).
The Maidens are 5-5 in the league (8-5 overall).
SOUDERTON 10, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2
The Indians received big offensive performances from several players, putting the game out of reach with a five-run fifth inning to give Steph Rummel a win in her first game at the helm. Paige Shelly led the Indians with a 3-for-4 effort that included a double and triple. Nikki Canfield was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, and Sarah Derstine delivered a home run.
The Bucks scored both of their runs in the fifth inning.
The Indians are 4-6 in the league (7-7 overall) while the Bucks fell to 0-10 in the league (0-14 overall).
QUAKERTOWN at CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH (Postponed to May 1)
American Conference
UPPER MERION 4, SPRINGFIELD (MONTCO) 0
Nikki Ross tossed a five-hit shutout, walking just one and fanning five to lead the Vikings to Tuesday’s win.
“It was a very well-played game,” coach John Whitney said. “Both teams played well. Nikki Ross pitched a great game for us, and their pitcher did a good job.
“The girls played really good defense, and we manufactured some runs.”
The Vikings put a pair of runs on the board in the first and then added two more in the fifth. Sarah Schunder got things started with a triple, and Abby Volpe followed her lead, delivering an RBI triple to make it a 3-0 game. Anna Blackwood’s sacrifice fly brought Volpe home and gave the Vikings their final margin of victory.
The Vikings are 9-1 in league play (2-10 overall) while the Spartans are 1-9 in the league (4-10 overall).
WISSAHICKON 18, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 2 (4 innings)
The Trojans broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning, exploding for 16 runs to bring an early end to the game. The Trojans benefitted from 13 hits and nine walks. Emma Goodrich earned the win on the mound, allowing two hits and two runs while fanning four and walking three.
Donna Intintolo had a monster day at the plate for the Trojans, finishing the game a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, grand slam and six RBIs. Kellie Gilman was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI, and Alex Comonitski was 3-for-3 with a triple, one run scored and one RBI. Catlin Gailey was 3-for-3 with three RBIs, and Andrea Mazurek had a triple and RBI. Corinne Watson had a double and RBI.
For the Colonials, Jocelyn Porrino led the way with a triple and one RBI.
The Trojans are 7-3 in the league (8-5 overall) while the Colonials are 5-5 in league play (5-6 overall).
UPPER DUBLIN at CHELTENHAM (Postponed to May 1)
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