Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Friday. PW/Upper Dublin photos provided courtesy of Kim Supko. Check back for a gallery of photos.
SOL Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 9, WILLIAM TENNENT 6
The Bucks opened up a 9-3 lead before the Panthers plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh. They also received a lift in the circle from sophomore Kayla Gallagher, who struck out 11.
“They were very giddy after the game,” said West coach Geoff Thompson, whose squad handed the Panthers their first loss of the young season. “I didn’t know what to expect after yesterday’s game (a 13-9 loss to North Penn) because we had all those walks. I knew we hit well yesterday. I just wasn’t sure about the defense and the pitching. We still have a couple of errors that we’re working out, but we played a lot better.”
The Bucks received multi-hit efforts from five players: Sam Trafford (3-for-4, RBI, 3 runs), Sierra Mosiniak (3-for-4, RBI), Ella Castronuobo (2-for-5, RBI), Julia Perez (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) and Grace Dryden (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs). All told, the Bucks pounded out 15 hits.
“We hit pretty well,” Thompson said. “(Fifteen hits) would have been three games for us last year.
“We’re definitely hitting better. We hit well against North Penn yesterday. Our four seniors – Angelina Sherpa, Trafford, Perez and Mosiniak – have been four-year starters, and they’re really leading the way. They’re doing a good job. They’re good kids.”
Sherpa wasn’t at Friday’s game, but Gallagher picked up the slack.
“She did very well,” Thompson said. “Tennent has a nice team. They have some good players, and they know what they’re doing. That’s why I really congratulate Kayla for all those strikeouts. She did a nice job with them.”
For the Panthers, junior Caitlyn Mitros was 3-for-4 while seniors Kate Clark and Nikki Reh as well as junior Devon Fithian were 2-for-4.
Central Bucks West (1-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks South on Tuesday, and William Tennent (3-1, 0-1) will host Neshaminy on Monday in a non-league game.
Central Bucks West 203 130 0 9
William Tennent 030 000 3 6
SOL American Conference
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 6, UPPER DUBLIN 1
Allison Beusoleil turned in a gem in the circle to lead the Colonials to the impressive win on Friday. She took a no-hitter into the fourth inning and allowed just four hits.
In the top of the fifth, the Colonials scored all the runs Beusoleil would need. The Colonials’ pitcher drew a walk to open the inning. An error on Sydney Melillo’s slap single allowed the game’s first run to cross the plate. Jen Byrne and Lauren Fuhrmeister each contributed RBI singles, and the Colonials led 3-0.
The Cardinals got one of those back when Korryn Bischoff, who doubled, scored on Brianna Parker’s single. The Colonials all but sealed the Cardinals’ fate when they scored three more runs in the top of the sixth with Jen Byrne delivering the big blow in the frame – a two-run home run.
Byrne led the Colonials with a 2-for-4 effort that included a home run and three RBIs. Melillo was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (2-0 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Monday, and Upper Dublin (1-2 SOL) will host Upper Merion in a non-league game Monday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 000 033 0 6
Upper Dublin 000 010 0 1
Non-league
QUAKERTOWN 2, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1
The Panthers eked out a non-league win over the Patriots, plating a pair of runs in the fifth to break up a scoreless dual. With one out in the frame, Brianna Lefkoski – who gave the Patriots fits with her bunts – legged out a bunt single. She scored on sophomore Morgan Thrush’s single, and Thrush scored a run that proved to be the game winner when leadoff batter Abby Schwartz delivered a single to center.
In the bottom of the inning, the Patriots cut that lead in half when Steph Kuhns -who walked and moved up to second on Giuliana Rusio’s bunt – scored on Sydney Eckert’s single. That 2-1 score held the rest of the way.
Lefkoski accounted for three of East’s eight hits while Thrush had a pair.
For the Patriots, Isabel Parker was 2-for-3 with a double.
Tori Caputo earned the win in the circle, scattering five hits and allowing one run while striking out seven and walking none. Ruscio, who absorbed the loss, allowed eight hits and two runs, striking out eight and walking one.
Quakertown (2-1, 1-0 SOL) will be on the road at Wissahickon on Monday, and Central Bucks East (0-2, 0-1) will travel to Methacton for a non-league game Monday.
Quakertown 000 020 0 2
Central Bucks East 000 010 0 1
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 8, CHELTENHAM 5
A young Golden Hawk squad found itself on the short end of a 4-0 score after three innings of Friday’s non-league game. They were unfazed, outscoring their hosts 8-1 over the final four innings to earn the win.
“Cheltenham came out, and they were hitting the ball,” Rock South coach David Apfelbaum said. “They played great the first couple of innings. We came out a little slow, but they came together.”
Senior Makenzie Marino entered the game in relief in the third inning and silenced the Lady Panthers the rest of the way.
“She shut down the Cheltenham offense, and my defense picked it up,” Apfelbaum said.
Karley DeSpirito sparked the offense with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate. She drove in a pair of runs and also scored a run.
“She also gave us stellar defense in the outfield,” Apfelbaum said. “The team came together and made a lot of big plays for us.”
Junior Olivia Zoldi had a pair of hits and scored two runs.
The Golden Hawks, who still trailed 4-2 heading into the sixth inning, scored three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings. DeSpirito had the hit that ignited the three-run uprising in the sixth, delivering an RBI single to knot the score.
“My team doesn’t quit,” Apfelbaum said. “They don’t know what quit means. They give 100 percent effort all throughout the game.”
Council Rock South (1-1, 0-1 SOL) will be on the road at Harry S Truman Saturday at 10 a.m. Cheltenham (0-2) will be on the road at Upper Moreland on Tuesday.
Council Rock South 000 203 3 8
Cheltenham 202 000 1 5
PENNRIDGE 8, HARRY S TRUMAN 5
The Rams displayed their resiliency on Friday, bouncing back from a disappointing loss to Central Bucks South 24 hours earlier to defeat the Tigers.
It was a 2-2 game heading into the sixth inning when the Rams exploded for four runs in the top of the inning and the Tigers responded with three of their own in the bottom of the frame. For good measure, the Rams tacked on a pair of insurance goals in the seventh.
Morgan Henry’s three-run triple highlighted the Rams’ four-run sixth. Skylar Hengeveld led the Rams at the plate, finishing the game 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Contributing RBIs in addition to Henry were Kiley Watson, Madison Silber and Makenna Patterson.
Patterson (4.0 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 ER, 3 Ks, 7 BB) threw four innings and was not involved in the decision. Kailyn Bell (3 IP, 1 hit, 3 runs, 1 ER, 4 Ks, 1 BB) earned the win in the circle.
Pennridge (1-1, 0-1 SOL) will travel to Upper Perk for a non-league contest Monday, and Harry S Truman (0-2) will host Council Rock South in its SOL opener on Saturday (10 a.m.)
Pennridge 011 004 2 8-8-3
Harry S Truman 001 103 0 5-3-1
NESHAMINY 3, HOLY CROSS 2 (10 innings)
Dave Chichilitti happened to see Holy Cross in last year’s state tournament and liked the idea of playing the Dunmore, Pa., squad in a non-league contest.
“They had a really good pitcher,” the Redskins’ coach said. “This was a little bit different than I thought it would be. Their pitcher grew five inches since last year, she threw about five miles per hour harder, and she’s committed to Hofstra as a 10th grader.”
Since Neshaminy’s Junior Prom was held Friday, Chichilitti had to do some juggling with his lineup, including moving his starting catcher to the outfield. Holy Cross scored a pair of runs in the top of the first without collecting a hit with both scoring on passed balls.
“From that point, (Amber) Brugger just went nuts,” Chichilitti said of his senior pitcher. “She was dealing.”
In a stellar outing, Brugger – who did not allow an earned run – gave up just two hits. She struck out 13 and walked two. Both of those walks came in the first inning.
The Redskins knotted the score in the fourth inning. Senior Paige Metz led off the inning with a double and stole second. She moved up to third on a groundout.
“Liana Jones was up, and we squeezed,” Chichilitti said. “They went for the play at the plate – she was safe. Nobody covered second, so Liana ran to second, and they threw the ball into center field.”
On the miscue, Jones raced home with the tying run. That 2-2 score stood until the 10th when the international tiebreaker went into effect. Holy Cross did not score in the top of the 10th, but the Redskins pushed across the game winner in the bottom of the frame. With a runner on second, Alexis Watkins drew a walk. Both runners advanced on a bunt by Victoria Smith. An intentional walk loaded the bases with one out.
“With the bases loaded, Brugger hits a ground ball to third,” Chichilitti said. “They get the out at home and almost at first, so Metz comes back up again. They throw the first pitch to her – it’s a strike. The catcher throws the ball back over the pitcher’s head, and Watkins scores from third. I’ll take it – the girl was fantastic. This is a tremendous win for us.”
The Redskins managed just three hits off Jenna Bradley.
Neshaminy (4-1, 1-0 SOL) will travel to William Tennent for a non-league contest on Monday.
Holy Cross 200 000 000 0 2
Neshaminy 000 200 000 1 3
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 8, ST. HUBERT 6
So much for easing Maddie McShane back into the lineup.
Twenty-four hours after delivering the game-winning hit in the Titans’ come-from-behind win over Pennridge, McShane was back at it again – this time in the designated player role for the Titans. She finished the game 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored.
For those who are counting, that’s three doubles in four at-bats for the senior, who just returned to the squad after the Titans’ basketball season ended last week. It’s a safe bet McShane won’t be leaving the lineup anytime soon.
“In her first two at-bats today, she hit doubles to the fence on the fly,” coach Kevin Rosini said. “I thought one of them was out – it was that close to being out.
“She’s a hitter. She looks a lot more aggressive at the plate than she did last year. Last year she was tentative. Wow, she’s coming out like a house on fire.”
Last year, McShane had limited at-bats as the backup catcher to Meg Bradley.
“I think that game-winning hit yesterday really sparked us – she’s a spark,” Rosini said. “When I said to her a few days ago, ‘I’m going to ease you in.’ She said, ‘Oh, sure thing coach, no problem. I’m not softball ready yet.’ She’s been great. She’s a great teammate, she’ll do anything you ask. We needed her. I don’t think we would have won either game without her. So far, so good.”
McShane wasn’t the only offensive star. Sophomore Katie Hines was 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
“Katie is just a good all-around solid player,” Rosini said. “She’s fundamentally sound, she makes all the plays at second base.
“Last year she was towards the bottom of our lineup because we had a pretty good lineup. Yesterday she was five and today she was cleanup.”
Hines’ delivered a two-run home run in the fourth inning to break a 6-6 tie. That turned out to be the game winner as neither team scored the rest of the way.
“The home run she hit today was big,” Rosini said. “She had a 2-2 count, she fouled a couple of pitches off, she got one she liked and put it up in the air – the wind carried it a little bit, and that was huge for us. Finally we got the lead because we were fighting back the whole game. Once we got that – that was it.”
Maddie Rowley also had a big day, finishing the game 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
Kylie Kenney earned her second complete game win in as many days, allowing nine hits and six runs (four earned) while striking out 12 and walking four.
“Hubert is a good team,” Rosini said. “They’re well coached, and they have a good bunch of girls. They’re going to be tough to beat in the Catholic League, I’ll tell you that.”
Central Bucks South (2-0, 1-0 SOL) will be on the road at Central Bucks West on Tuesday.
St. Hubert 321 000 0 6-9-2
Central Bucks South 312 200 x 8-11-4
BENSALEM 15, FRIENDS SELECT 4
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