Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Wednesday. Neshaminy/WC East photos provided courtesy of Jesse Garber (https://JSGarber.zenfolio.com/p314578321)
SOL Continental Conference
SOUDERTON 14, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2
The Indians took out any frustrations they may have been feeling after Tuesday’s shutout at the hands of Central Bucks South on the Patriots, pounding out 16 hits in the abbreviated contest to notch the bounce-back win.
In a preview of things to come, the Indians put three runs on the board in the first. Jess Lepore drew a leadoff walk, and one out later, Alina Skrzat singled. Both runners scored when Riley York doubled to left. Jen Klepfer’s RBI single plated York.
The Patriots answered with two runs of their own, sparked by singles from Alyssa Catron, Amelia Funston, Isabel Parker (RBI) and Bailey Schellhorn (RBI).
That 3-2 score stood until the fourth when the Indians’ offense exploded for seven runs. Sam Nuneviller’s three-run home run was the big blow. They added four more runs in the fifth to bring an early end to the game.
York led the Indians with a perfect 4-for-4 day that included two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Skrzat was 3-for-3 with a walk, five RBIs and three runs, and Lepore was 2-for-2 with two doubles, two walks and three runs scored. Abby Burns was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs. Naila Neely finished the day 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs. Klepfer was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Burns notched the win, allowing six hits – only two after the first – and two runs while striking out three and walking none.
Souderton (9-5, 5-5 SOL) will host Pennsbury in a non-league game Friday, and Central Bucks East (3-13, 0-10) will be on the road at Quakertown on Tuesday.
Souderton 300 74 14-16-1
Central Bucks East 200 00 2-6-0
Non-league
WEST CHESTER EAST 6, NESHAMINY 4
Call it a taste of the playoffs.
That’s what Wednesday’s non-league game against District 1 5A’s top squad felt like to Neshaminy’s coaches and players. By any standard, the contest – despite the damp and cold conditions – was a riveting one.
“This was a playoff-like team,” Neshaminy coach Dave Chichilitti said. “It’s like a team you’ll see in the playoffs that can hit, that can do the little things right, and we have to be better than that.”
Although down a pair of starters, the Vikings, the top-seeded team in District 1 5A, still boasted plenty of talent, and that talent was showcased in the first inning. Mackenzie Thompson – bound for Liberty University on a field hockey scholarship – led off the game with a single. The speedy leadoff hitter shares the program’s top spot for career steals with 59, and she was a tough out all day, finishing 3-for-4 and earning an intentional walk with a base open and two on in the eighth.
Penn State commit Paige Olson ripped a triple to right that plated Thompson, and Amanda Olson’s double brought Olson home. Fordham commit Kayla MacLaughlin’s home run to left spotted the Vikings a 4-0 lead before fans had settled in their seats.
“They came out swinging the bats really well,” Chichilitti said. “The pitches they hit weren’t bad pitches. They just hit the ball. There was no shame in that.”
The Redskins battled back. Kylee Jones singled to center to lead off the second, and Rachel Kohler drew a walk. One out later, Kennedie Ruth smashed a three-run home run over the left field fence to make it a 4-3 game. It looked as though runs would be easy to come by, but they weren’t.
In the fifth, the Redskins knotted the score. Emily Siwek singled to lead off the inning and stole second. She moved up to third on Asia Barnard’s sacrifice and scored when Olivia Fee stroked a single to center. Fee stole second but was stranded there.
“(Falling behind) put pressure on us, but I think it made us want to come back more,” Fee said. “And we did – we came back and tied it.”
One inning later, Kohler led off with a double, but the Redskins couldn’t bring her around. In the seventh, Barnard singled and stole second with one out. She was stranded on second. It was the Redskins’ final threat as East hurler Jess Gomez retired eight in a row to close out the game.
The Vikings won it in storybook fashion in the ninth when sophomore Alex Douglas – in the lineup only because starting catcher Alison Hill was injured in the seventh – hit her first career home run, a two-run shot that bounced off the fence in left field.
“It took a lot to dig deep to battle to get back in the game, and we were able to get it done,” Chichilitti said. “We had our chances at the end but just lacked the execution to get that go-ahead run across.”
Barnard’s 2-for-3 effort led the Redskins, who managed just seven hits in nine innings off of Ross, who struck out three.
“I think we weren’t taking pitches – we should have worked the count more,” Fee said. “They were very good, and we played good defense, but I think we should have been more selective with pitches.
“This isn’t something we’ll dwell on because we still have more games ahead. It sucks losing, but we try and pick each other up.”
Ruth absorbed the loss but has showed her mettle. After getting roughed up for four runs in the first, the freshman hurler allowed just five hits over the next seven shutout innings. She struck out six.
EXTRA INNINGS: The game pitted a pair of future Penn State teammates and roommates against each other – Olson and Neshaminy’s Liana Jones. Jones twice robbed Olson of base hits with diving catches in center field. “We haven’t seen each other in a while,” Jones said. “The last time we saw each other was this winter when she came up with me to my brother’s hockey game at Penn State. We were just excited to see each other and compete with our schools. We play each other in travel, but they’re two totally different teams.”
Neshaminy (12-3, 8-1 SOL) will host Council Rock North on Thursday.
West Chester East 400 000 002 6-11-0
Neshaminy 030 010 000 4-7-1
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 3, CONWELL-EGAN 1
Listening to coach Frank Marino tell it, there was nothing easy about Wednesday’s win.
“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good, and today we were lucky,” the Golden Hawks’ coach said. “We had five hits, and we left 17 runners on base.
“We had the bases loaded three times – they did make nice defensive plays on hard hit balls to end two of the innings, but we just flat out didn’t execute.”
The Golden Hawks plated single runs in both the first and second innings. In the first inning, Olivia Zoldi drew a walk, Kayla Patricelli singled, and Danielle Walters drew a walk to load the bases. Zoldi scored on a wild pitch, and the Golden Hawks led 1-0.
In the second inning, Sarah Conroy doubled, and Patricelli delivered an RBI single.
“That was big at that moment with two outs and nobody on – Sarah got the double, and Kayla was able to score her with a single,” Marino said.
The Eagles scored a run in the fifth to cut the Golden Hawks’ lead in half. The Golden Hawks got that run back in the sixth, thanks to a bases-loaded walk.
“We benefitted from quite a few walks,” said Marino, whose team was on the receiving end of double-digit walks. “That was probably the difference.
“They were certainly one hit away and maybe two hits away from turning that game upside down for us.”
On a day that saw the Golden Hawks struggle, Patricelli, who was 2-for-2 with three walks, a run scored and an RBI, and Conroy (1-for-2, 2B, run) were the bright spots in the lineup.
Walters notched the win, allowing five hits and one run while striking out nine and walking one.
“She did well – she kept us in the game,” Marino said.
Council Rock South (7-7, 3-3 SOL) will travel to Methacton for a non-league contest Thursday.
Conwell-Egan 000 010 0 1
Council Rock South 110 001 0 3
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