Central Bucks South 5, Pennridge 4 (10 innings)
The Rams gave the defending district champion Titans all they could handle and then some before the Titans – with the international tiebreaker in effect – scored the game-winning run in the 10th inning on a passed ball.
“I give a lot of credit to Pennridge,” said South coach Jennifer Robinson, whose team scored the game winner without the benefit of a hit. “We only made one error today, so it’s not like we were making mistakes.
“They were ready to play us. We were fortunate to win in the 10th inning.”
The Rams actually held a 10-8 advantage in hits with Jordan Villella (double), Emily Hofmann (double) and Paige DeCew each collecting a pair of hits. DeCew – who had a pair of RBIs - worked nine and a third innings on the mound, striking out 11 and walking two.
One of those walks, according to Ram coach Paul Koehler, was an intentional walk of Lauren Klepchick in the bottom of the seventh with the scored deadlocked 4-4 and Titan runners on second and third. Klepchick was 2-for-3 at the time, and the walk to South’s catcher loaded the bases with one out. DeCew struck out the next batter she faced on four pitches and then coaxed a grounder to short for the inning’s final out, setting the stage for extra innings.
“Pennridge hit the ball very well, and their pitcher had a lot of movement on the ball,” Robinson said. “I feel as though my team was trying to take a lot on their backs individually.
“We have been coming off games where we have hit and got the big hits. What the girls need to realize is it’s not always about getting big hits. It’s about working together as a team. We got in positions where we had multiple opportunities to score runs, but instead of trying to get the single, I think girls were trying to do too much in the batter’s box, and we were over-swinging. That was our Achilles heel tonight.”
With the win, the Titans improved to 4-0 on the season and 1-0 in league play while the Rams fell to 3-1 (0-2 SOL).
“We played teams that don’t really know us, and now we’re playing teams in our league,” Robinson said. “They’re fired up. They want to get a win against us. I think it’s really set in how much other teams are gunning for us and want to beat us. If we don’t stick to playing our game and working together, stuff like this is going to happen.
“Hopefully, it is a lesson learned.”
Francesca Carrullo and Haileigh Stocks split time on the mound with each working five innings. The duo combined for 17 strikeouts – seven by Carrullo and 10 by Stocks. The Rams managed just one hit off of Stocks – who notched the win - in the final five innings.
“I told them at the end of the game – we play Souderton tomorrow, and I know Souderton is going to put up a good fight,” Robinson said.
Souderton 4, Central Bucks West 0
Liz Parkins tossed a gem, fanning 12 and allowing just three hits in the win over the Bucks.
“In the beginning of the game, she was just wiping through them,” coach Courtney Hughes said. “Toward the middle of the game, we had to make adjustments because they were making contact.
“Mollie (Burrell) was calling the pitches, and Liz was using multiple pitches effectively, and she and Mollie were working together well adjusting to what their batters were doing. They (the Bucks) had short, quick swings. Defensively, behind her, we made some good plays, and that was exciting to see. They were supporting Liz and ready to get the ball.”
Parkins took a no hitter into the sixth inning when the Bucks’ leadoff batter collected a hit. The Indians got all the runs Parkins would need when they plated a single run in the fifth. It was Burrell driving in Brittany Beebe with a clutch two-out hit to put the Indians on top 1-0.
“Our bats were sleepy,” Hughes said. “I think they were on a hiatus the last week and half since it’s been that long since we played.”
Beebe, Holly Delany and Lauren Urbanski each collected two hits to lead the Indians, who collected nine hits in the game. Urbanski and Beebe reached base in every at-bat and contributed to the Indians’ scoring in the fifth when they plated two runs and in the sixth when they added a single run.
Hughes credited the defensive efforts of Urbanski and Corrine Stiles.
“They made important stops to keep West off the board,” the Indians’ coach said.
The Indians, who improved to 2-0, will host Central Bucks South on Thursday.
North Penn 8, Central Bucks East 7
Jen Holcovage drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Maidens the extra-inning win. The game winner was set up when Erin Maher led off the inning with a bunt single toward the mound. With the Bucks’ infield drawn in, Jess Mower picked up her fourth hit of the day – lining a single to left. It looked as though the Patriots might escape unscathed when pitcher Jamie Ziegler retired the Maidens’ three and four batters on a popup to the mound and a line drive to second, but they weren’t that fortunate.
Taylor Marchozzi, who already had a three-run home run to her credit, stepped to the plate and fouled off five two-strike pitches – most on hard-hit foul balls down the left field line – before drawing a 12-pitch walk to load the bases.
“I really wanted to hit – I was fouling it off many times, but I’ll take a walk any day,” Marchozzi said. “It helped out our team a lot.”
Holcovage needed just five pitches to draw a walk that sent Maher home with the winning run.
“This is huge because most of these kids – other than Kellianna (Bradstreet), Taylor, Jess and Steph (Kulp) – have not played at this level before,” Maiden coach Rick Torresani said. “They don’t know what it’s like to be in this kind of game, this kind of pressure, and it was huge to get the win because of the youth we have on the team.”
The Patriots boast plenty of youth as well, and despite falling behind 3-0 after a Marchozzi three-run blast over the left field fence in the first, East battled back to go on top 4-3 after Allie Chase ripped a grand slam over the left field fence in the third. The Maidens responded with two runs in the third to go on top 5-4, using a single by Mower, a double to left center by Michelle Holweger and two-run double down the left field line by freshman Vicky Tumasz.
Tumasz picked up the win on the mount for the Maidens, entering the game in relief in the third when the Patriots went on top 7-5 with a three-run outburst. Just one of those runs was charged to Tumasz, who did not allow a run over the final four innings.
“I just tried to hit my spots,” Tumasz said. “If they hit it – make sure it’s a ground ball or popup.”
The two teams combined for 27 hits in Wednesday’s contest. The Patriots – led by the 4-for-5 effort of Jess Haug – accounted for 14 of those hits.
“They’re a very good hitting team,” Torresani said. “They’re a completely different team than last year. They’re going to beat some people in our conference, and they’re going to be right there.”
Tumasz and Bradstreet each added a pair of hits for the Maidens while Caroline Schoenwald, Chase and Brittany Aughenbaugh each had two hits for the Patriots.
Neshaminy 4, Abington 0
Senior Sarah McGowan tossed an impressive one-hit shutout, fanning 11 and walking three. She also helped her own cause with two hits and an RBI. Lauren Quense delivered the game’s big blow – a two-run home run over the left center field fence in the fourth inning that put the Redskins – who scored single runs in the second and third – on top 4-0. Courtney Clee was 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Redskins, who improved to 2-0.
Hatboro-Horsham 10, Council Rock North 0 (6 innings)
Maggie Shaffer scattered six hits and did not walk a batter in six shutout innings while teammates Val Sadowl (2-for-2, 3 RBIs, double) and Kelsey Koelzer (2-for-2, 2 RBIs) had multi-hit efforts at the plate. Carly Johnson had one hit and two RBIs for the Hatters, who improved to 4-0.
Dominique Pinto was a perfect 3-for-3 for CR North with a double.
Pennsbury 20, Bensalem 0 (3 innings)
Don’t be fooled by the score.
According to Falcon coach Frank McSherry, the Owls battled hard.
“I told Dan (Schram) – he’s done a great job with those kids,” the Falcons’ coach said. “They were fired up, and they did not quit.
“They’re all young, and those kids never stopped, they never gave up, and they didn’t hang their heads. They just didn’t seem to be discouraged. He has them playing proud.”
William Tennent 11, Cheltenham 9
Ashley Alden delivered a grand slam and four RBIs to lead the Panthers to the non-league win.
Harry S. Truman 17, Council Rock South 3
- Log in to post comments
0
