Check out the results for SOL softball teams in action Tuesday.
National Conference
PENNSBURY 6, NESHAMINY 5
Part of the beauty of sports is that it offers no guarantees. The best team doesn’t always win, and if the District One AAA power rankings are correct (and many would say they are), Neshaminy is the best team, but on Tuesday night, a young Falcon squad played the role of giant killer, rallying from a 5-3 deficit to score three runs in the seventh to pull off the stunning upset.
“They really are the best team, there’s no doubt about it,” coach Frank McSherry said of the Redskins. “We had to play a perfect game.
“I don’t think we could play any better, and we had to in order to beat them because they’re so good.”
The Falcons’ seventh inning rally started innocently enough when – with one out – Sydney Jakimowicz singled. Carly Parsons followed with a single, and when Bailee Zaccaro was hit by a pitch, the Falcons had the bases loaded. Arden Rabiger, batting out of the cleanup spot, delivered an RBI single to pull the Falcons to within one, and it was a 5-5 game after Parsons raced home on Alyssa Hileman’s groundout to first. That set the stage for freshman Sierra Daley’s single that plated the go-ahead run.
“She started the season on the jayvee team,” McSherry said of Daley. “We’ve had her about 10 games, and she had an RBI single – under the lights with all those people there against Neshaminy. It was really cool.”
The Falcons served early notice that they would be heard from, plating a first inning run when Jakimowicz, who doubled to lead off the inning, scored on Zaccaro’s RBI single.
“(Jakimowicz) really set the tone leading off the game with a double,” McSherry said. “We said, ‘Hey, you have to come out in the first inning and let them know we’re here to play.’ I give Sydney a lot of credit.”
The Redskins took a 2-1 lead in the third inning when Sophie Beretski ripped a two-out, two-run home run that plated Olivia Zaino, who had singled.
“They have so many hitters you don’t know what to do with them,” McSherry said. “You don’t know how to pitch to them.
“We knew what to do with Beretski – we walked her twice, and the one time we had to pitch to her, we made a mistake, and she hit a two-run homer.”
The Falcons came back to knot the score in the top of the fourth when Zaccaro, who singled, scored on Daley’s first RBI single of a productive night. In the bottom of the inning, Rebecca Dixon, who doubled to lead off the frame, scored when Alexis Watkins delivered a run-scoring single to put the ‘Skins on top 3-2.
Again, the Falcons answered with the tying run in the top of the fifth when Zaccarro delivered a two-out double. The Redskins scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to go on top 5-3, benefitting from singles by Mackensie Compton, Hunter Hart (RBI) and Devan Masciulli (RBI). That lead held until the fateful seventh.
“Pennsbury played exceptionally well,” Neshaminy coach Dave Chichilitti said. “They made the plays and got the hits when they needed to. We had a few hits in big situations but had two chances to put it out of reach and did not.”
Hileman, who set the ‘Skins down in order in the bottom of the seventh, earned the win in her return to the circle after being sidelined for several weeks with a shoulder injury.
“We didn’t know what to expect, how much we could get out of her, but she pitched a really good game against a really good hitting team,” McSherry said. “You look at our two teams on paper, and we should not have been there, but our kids played tough. They played with a bunch of heart.
“They had coach (Joe) Warne in mind, and they talked about it. That was an emotional push for us.”
Tuesday’s annual Bristol Softball Night featured four teams – Truman and Bristol squared off earlier – playing for a worthy cause. The Falcons will donate their proceeds to a local dog shelter in memory of Warne, who passed away on April 13, 2016. Neshaminy will send a donation to the American Cancer Society in Annette Compton’s name.
“Though Neshaminy never wants to lose, especially to Pennsbury, there were no losers tonight,” Chichilitti said. “The night was about four communities coming together to raise money for four great causes.
“I would like to thank the Neshaminy support staff and Gary Silvers NSR for their charity toward our cause.”
For the Redskins, Zaino (3-for-4), Dixon (2-for-4) and Compton (2-for-4) delivered multi-hit games. Sarah Dowalo absorbed the loss in the circle.
Pennsbury was led by the perfect 3-for-3 effort of Zaccaro while Jakimowicz (2-for-4) and Daley (2-for-4) also had multiple hits.
“Our kids have grown, they really have,” McSherry said. “Nobody really sees it, but we see it on a daily basis. They’ve gotten better, and they’ve gotten tougher. Hopefully, this will be a springboard to finish strong. They really did play a great game against the best team.”
Pennsbury (5-9, 4-6 SOL) will be on the road at Council Rock South on Thursday, and Neshaminy (12-2, 9-1) will travel to Abington on Wednesday.
Pennsbury 100 110 3 6-10-1
Neshaminy 002 120 0 5-12-3
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 12, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 3
Appropriately, it was the seniors stealing the spotlight on Rock North’s Senior Day Tuesday. Hannah Stalker might well have put her name in the record books with an eight-RBI effort that included a double, a two-run home run and a grand slam.
“She was on fire,” coach John Engelhardt said.
Senior Nicole Rounsavill didn’t do too bad herself, finishing 1-for-1 with two walks. Her one hit was a two-run home run.
Senior Amanda Camp added to the celebration by allowing just one earned run in the complete game win. Senior Kalli Segel was 1-for-3 with a double.
“The three seniors that got to the plate had extra-base hits, and Amanda pitched seven innings and earned the win,” Engelhardt said. “This was about the seniors.”
The Indians seized control of the game with a three-run first and added four in both the third and fourth innings to go on top 11-0.
The Indians, according to Engelhardt, used Monday’s big win over Truman to get back on track after suffering a pair of league losses to Neshaminy.
“We swung the bats well yesterday – we put nine runs on the board in the fourth inning,” the Indians’ coach said.
Council Rock North (10-3, 8-2 SOL) will be on the road at Central Bucks East for a non-league game on Wednesday, and Council Rock South (8-4, 5-3) will host Pennsbury Thursday.
Council Rock South 000 030 0 3
Council Rock North 304 401 x 12
BRISTOL 5, HARRY S TRUMAN 3
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 6, QUAKERTOWN 5
The Patriots needed a big win. Two straight losses had taken the team out of first place with the most recent a 3-0 shutout at the hands of North Penn on Monday.
“We lost two games in a row because basically we couldn’t hit,” coach Karl Knapp said. “Finally, today we hit, and it was a morale builder.
“It was Senior Day on our own field and to lose that – we haven’t had three losses in a row all year. Just for the psyche of the team this was huge, and we won it in the bottom of the seventh with two outs.”
The Patriots found themselves trailing the first place Panthers by one heading into the bottom of the seventh. Nicole Tracy’s single brought home the tying run, and then it was Maddie Michvech delivering the hit that won it.
“There were three lead changes,” Knapp said. “It was an excellent game.
“They beat us the last time, and coming off two losses in a row – to be able to beat a really good team like that really picked up their morale. It would have been tough for the girls mentally if we had lost three in a row. To come through is huge.”
The visiting Panthers struck first with three runs in the third. Tara Baglivo and Lauren Beal (RBI) both doubled in the inning, but it was an errant throw that allowed a pair of runs to score.
The Patriots got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning when Audrey LaBouliere, who tripled, scored on an RBI single by Theresa Haug. The Patriots knotted the score 3-3 in the fourth inning, benefitting from an RBI triple from Halley Aspinwall as well as a Panther error.
In the fifth inning, the Panthers went on top 4-3 on a Madison Moyer sacrifice fly. The Patriots knotted the score one inning later when LaBouliere hit a sacrifice fly. The Panthers scored the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh, but the Patriots had the final word, scoring a pair in the bottom of the inning to earn the win.
Aspinwall was 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored to lead the Patriots. La Bouliere and Alyssa Catron both had a pair of hits.
For the Panthers, Baglivo was 3-for-4 with a double and one run scored while Spenser Gray was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Moyer had a pair of RBIs.
Kayla Ventura earned the win in the circle, allowing four hits and two runs in four innings of work while fanning five and walking none. Haug allowed three hits and three runs (none earned) in the first three innings while striking out three.
Alyssa Wilkinson absorbed the loss.
Central Bucks East (10-5, 7-4 SOL) will host Council Rock North in a non-league contest Wednesday, and Quakertown (11-4, 7-3) will host North Penn Wednesday.
Quakertown 003 010 1 5-8-3
Central Bucks East 001 201 2 6-11-3
SOUDERTON 7, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 3
A lineup change.
According to senior Angie Carty, the explanation for the Indians’ sudden surge – five wins in their last six games – is really that simple. Moving Carty to the leadoff spot has certainly looked like a stroke of genius. The speedy outfielder was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and in the middle of all the action in Tuesday’s win.
“I think the lineup is what’s doing it.” Carty said. “We’re on a winning streak, and this was a huge confidence booster. We were 12th in the power rankings, and they were ahead of us. We definitely came out and played our game.”
The win avenged a 3-1 loss to the Titans earlier this season.
“We talked about it before the game – we had a lot of popups the last time we played CB South – we had 11 or 12 popups,” coach Steph Rummel said. “So we were really focusing on hitting the ball on the ground because it takes three touches (to record an out) on a ground ball rather than a popup.
“We were just focusing on getting the ball down, hitting it hard wherever we could, so that worked out for us, hitting it deep in the hole.”
The Indians certainly benefitted from keeping the ball on the ground in a three-run third that gave them control they would not lose. Carty legged out an infield single in the third base hole, and Brianna Neely followed her lead and hit a single to deep short to put a pair on board with none out. Savannah Bostwick beat out a bunt single to load the bases, and Missy Wiley’s line drive single to left plated a run. A sacrifice fly and yet another infield single – this one by Dayna Shelly – put the Indians on top 5-1.
“I led off (four) innings, so it awesome to get it going and everyone keeping the contagious hits going,” Carty said. “Hitting on the ground is key. We didn’t pop up today, and that was a huge change from the last game.”
One inning later, Carty led off the frame with a bunt single, and two outs later, she scored when Wiley ripped a home run over the left field fence.
“We definitely were thinking about our popups from the last game, and we definitely wanted to change it,” Wiley said. “We wanted to drive the ball in the holes.
“This (win) was really important, especially since we lost the last time. Just to come back and beat them is huge for us. We’re starting to bond and we’re getting used to each other.”
The Titans plated a pair of runs in the seventh but never really threatened as the Indians join Central Bucks East and North Penn in second place, trailing first place Quakertown by just one loss in the conference standings.
“We’re just really trying to focus on our play, taking it pitch by pitch, inning by inning, game by game,” Rummel said. “We’re just trying to bring our best game we can and continue to play the way we have been because we’ve been doing really well hitting and fielding.”
The Titans were led by the 3-for-4 effort of Alex DeLeon, who had a double. Meg Bradley and Alexa Ortman each had a pair of hits – both had a double.
Alex Scheeler earned the win for the Indians while Alexis McConomy absorbed the loss on a day that saw both teams collect 11 hits.
Souderton (8-5, 6-4 SOL) will host Central Bucks West on Wednesday, and Central Bucks South (10-6, 5-6) will host William Tennent in a non-league game Wednesday.
HATBORO-HORSHAM 7, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 3
The Hatters broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run second inning. They added a single run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to go on top 7-1 before the Bucks plated a pair of runs in the seventh.
Kylie Flagler (2-for-4) and Bryn Griffith (2-for-3) both drove in a pair of runs to lead the Hatters’ attack. Griffith had the game’s only extra base hit – a double. Rachel Carney reached base three times, finishing 1-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored out of the leadoff spot.
Taylor Sciubba went the distance in the circle, allowing seven hits and three runs (two earned). She struck out 11 and walked three.
Hatboro-Horsham (10-6, 5-6 SOL) will host Pennridge on Wednesday at 7 p.m., and Central Bucks West (7-8, 3-7) will be on the road at Souderton on Wednesday.
Hatboro-Horsham 130 012 0 7-6-1
Central Bucks West 100 000 2 3-7-5
American Conference
WISSAHICKON 5, NORRISTOWN 1
Sparked the glittering three-hit effort of pitcher Halle Segal, the Trojans turned in what coach Mike Borkowski called their best performance of the season, and they were rewarded with their first win, bringing a welcome end to an 11-game losing streak.
“It was getting a little tense in the dugout,” the Trojans’ coach said. “I think a lot of girls were trying to hit a five-run home run with nobody on base.
“There was a lot of frustration, and they were all trying to do extra things that they’re not supposed to be doing and squeezing the bat tight in certain situations. We were leaving a lot of people on base, and we’d have one bad inning. You look at all of our losses – except for a couple of games – we had one bad inning, and if we take that away, we only have two losses this year. It was a lot of that kind of thing.”
In her winning effort in the circle, Segal struck out one and walked one.
“Halle is a contact pitcher, and we’ve been working on her getting another pitch going – throwing her screwball and trying to get ground balls out of it,” Borkowski said. “Today there were a lot of ground balls. She was able to use her fielders.”
Segal received a major assist from her defense, most notably freshman Siani Paige-Miller – affectionately known as ‘Junior’ since she is the younger sister of third baseman Destini Paige-Miller.
“We had some terrific defensive plays from Siani Paige-Miller,” Borkowski said. “She looked like Garry Maddox today. She covered from left center to right center on some balls that those girls smacked.
“There were three balls that should have been doubles or triples and she ran them down and caught them.”
The Trojans also turned a nifty third to second to first double play with Destini Paige-Miller fielding the ball at third and firing to Zoe Trumbore at second, who threw to first baseman Julianne Griffin for the DP.
“That was sweet,” Borkowski said. “Destini started that, and it was really nice.”
The Eagles got on the scoreboard with a run in the second, but the Trojans got that back when Macey Segal delivered an RBI single in the fourth. They tacked on two more runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth, which included an RBI single by Michela Coleman to put the Trojans on top 5-1.
Siani Paige-Miller, Destini Paige-Miller and Coleman led the Trojans’ attack with two hits each.
“They played the best game they played all year, so that really helped,” Borkowski said. “(My assistant coach) and I have been telling them – just do your job. Don’t do anybody else’s job. Do your job, and stay within your limits. They finally did it.
“I actually had aspirations of pushing for the playoffs this year. We just had that thing going where nothing went right for one inning. Today they played their best game and really did well. I was really proud of them.”
Wissahickon (1-11, 1-8 SOL) will be on the road at Upper Dublin on Wednesday, and Norristown (5-11, 3-9) will be at Upper Moreland on Thursday.
Wissahickon 000 122 0 5
Norristown 010 000 0 1
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 7, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 2
The Colonials avenged an early season loss to the Spartans, taking a 2-0 lead in the second and adding five more runs over the next four innings to earn the big win.
A solid defense and the battery of junior pitcher Haley Fink and junior catcher Regan Ebersole earned the win for the Colonials.
Offensive standouts for PW were Ebersole (3-for-4, one run scored, RBI), freshman Jen Byrne (2-for-4, one run), senior Elena Iannuzzelli (3-for-4, 3 runs) and senior Ashley Yeager (2-for-4, triple, one run).
Plymouth Whitemarsh (7-4, 6-4 SOL) will host Upper Merion on Wednesday, and Springfield (6-6, 6-4) will host Upper Merion on Thursday.
Springfield 001 000 1 2
Plymouth Whitemarsh 021 202 x 7
UPPER MERION 14, UPPER DUBLIN 5
The Vikings used a six-run fourth to go on top 7-0, but the Flying Cardinals answered with five runs of their own in the bottom of the frame to make things interesting. Upper Merion plated a run in the fifth and then put the game out of reach with a six-run sixth.
All told, the Vikings pounded out 14 hits while the Cardinals had seven. Delivering big blows in the Vikings’ six-run fourth were Riley Kontra with a two-run double and Allie Moffett with a three-run double.
In the sixth, the Vikings were sparked by three consecutive doubles by Bridget Valeri, Emily Reed and Alexis Ettore.
Dez Kandy finished the day 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Valeri was 3-for-5 with three runs and one RBI. Olivia Sborlini had a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Sborlini earned the win in the circle.
“They got to her one inning and had some good hits,” coach John Whitney said.
Nicole Kowalski threw three shutout innings to close it out for the Vikings.
“She did a nice job of shutting them down,” Whitney said. “Sometimes after the third time getting a look at Liv, they figure her out. It just gives them a different look.”
For the Flying Cardinals, Sarah Tannenbaum had a big day, contributing a double and the big blow of the Cardinals’ five-run fourth – a three-run home run. Gabrielle Soriano had three hits and Jackie McMenamin added a pair of hits.
Becca Matricardi absorbed the loss.
Upper Merion (14-1, 11-0) will be on the road at Plymouth Whitemarsh on Wednesday, and Upper Dublin (5-8, 4-6) will host Wissahickon on Wednesday.
Upper Merion100 616 0 14
Upper Dublin 000 500 0 5
UPPER MORELAND 15, CHELTENHAM 9
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