Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Thursday. Abington/PW photos courtesy of Kim Supko. Pennsbury/Truman photos courtesy of Darryl Rule of J&D Photography, and CB East/CB West photos courtesy of Tracy Valko. Check back for galleries of all three games. All SOS photo galleries for SOFTBALL can be viewed by clicking HERE.
SOL Patriot Division
BENSALEM 9, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 4
The Owls notched their 12th win of the season on Thursday.
“It’s a little weird – we won our two previous games, but I don’t think we played really good softball,” Bensalem coach Erin Smith said. “Today we played really solid.”
The Owls jumped on the Golden Hawks for two runs in the first inning. Megan Klein led off the game with a single. Ayva Knowles followed with a bunt single. Klein used heads-up base running and took off for third with nobody covering. South botched the throw, and Klein scored while Knowles landed on third. Maggie Formichelli stepped to the plate and lifted a fly ball to center field to score the second run.
South was able to get one run back in the bottom of the first when leadoff batter Kaylie Walters walked and eventually scored on an RBI groundout by Grace Stepp.
Klein led off the third inning with a walk, and Knowles laid down another bunt single. A double steal put both runners in scoring position with one out. Klein scored on a passed ball to give the Owls some breathing room.
South looked like it was going to threaten again in the home half of the third. Gabby Bloom led off the inning reaching on an error, and after a stolen base and groundout, she was on third, but catcher Ashlyn Merz made a diving stop to tag her out at home trying to score on a passed ball.
That was the momentum shift the Owls needed. They put up two runs in the fifth when Kayla Clarkson reached on an error and Klein singled. Knowles moved them both into scoring position, and Formichelli smacked a two-run single. The Owls added another four runs in the sixth, thanks to singles by Kenzie Kramer and Clarkson and a walk. Klein hit a sac fly to score one, Knowles wore a pitch to load the bases for Formichelli, who blooped in a three-run single.
“Defensively, we played really well, and we were able to cut down most of the threats South had,” Smith said. “Besides the Merz play at home, Klein snagged a line drive and doubled off the runner on third in the fourth inning. Cam Pickering made a running over-the-shoulder catch in right field for the third out in the fifth. Lina Sponheimer had two amazing scoops and a great on-her-tippy-toes stretch for outs.”
Ameerah Wheatley led South with two singles. For the Owls Klein, Knowles and Formichelli each notched two hits. Formichelli was responsible to six of the team’s RBIs.
Bensalem (12-6, 10-5 SOL) – 18th in the latest District One 6A power rankings – will travel to Merion Mercy Academy for a non-league game on Saturday, and Council Rock South (8-7, 6-6) will host Souderton on Friday. The Golden Hawks are 20th in the power rankings.
Bensalem 201 024 0 9-8
Council Rock South 100 032 0 4-4
PENNSBURY 10, HARRY S TRUMAN 0 (5 INNINGS)
Ainsley McClure and Quinn McGonigle combined for an abbreviated no-hitter. McClure struck out 11 in four scoreless innings, accounting for 11 of 12 outs in her stint in the circle, and McGonigle
closed it out with a scoreless fifth. Neither pitcher walked a batter. The Tigers’ lone baserunner came on a rare Falcon error.
In the second inning, the Falcons put three runs on the board. Laney Freiband and Ava Storlazzi collected singles, and both scored when Taylor Askey delivered a double. The Falcons added four more runs in the third inning.
Rowan Mulholland collected her second hit of the afternoon with a double, and then it was Sammy Raub following with an RBI double. Freiband and Storlazzi each collected singles. Askey picked up her third RBI of the game on a fielder’s choice, and the Falcons led 7-0 after three innings.
A highlight of the two-run fourth inning was an RBI double by swing player Alexa Wesolowski.
“That was a big blow,” said Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry, who used 16 players in the abbreviated contest. “That was a nine-pitch at-bat too.”
Mulholland collected a pair of hits, including a double. Freiband was 2-for-2 with two runs scored, and Storlazzi was also 2-for-2 with two runs scored.
Pennsbury (16-1, 14-0 SOL) – the top seed in the latest District One 6A rankings – will travel to Conwell-Egan for a non-league game on Saturday, and Harry S Truman (6-11, 4-11) will host Franklin Towne Charter in a non-league game on Monday.
Harry S Truman 000 00 0-0-2
Pennsbury 034 21 10-13-1
SOL Colonial Division
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 7, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 2
The Patriots celebrated Senior Night with a much-needed win that snapped a six-game losing streak.
“We were without our starters,” East coach Karl Knapp said of his team’s recent struggles. “E (Elizabeth Gray) has come back, but she’s not 100 percent and isn’t able to do the things she used to do. She made some nice outfield plays even though she’s maybe 50 or 60 percent. She’s just a good force to have out there.
“Amelia (Funston) can only catch part of the game or her ribs start bothering her, and Elise (Waddington) has not pitched for the last three games because she has a knee injury, so we’ve been riding Kayla, and luckily, tonight Kay just had a really good game. She went seven full innings. One of the big keys was that she finally got support hitting.”
The Patriots took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Waddington hit a solo home run to left field.
“Elise got a solo home run that kind of sparked things and got us going,” Knapp said.
The Bucks evened the score with an unearned run in the fourth inning. The Patriots went back on top with three runs in the fifth inning. Highlights included singles by Gray, Sara Camposano (RBI) and Waddington (RBI).
A three-run seventh was highlighted by an RBI single by Amelia Funston and an RBI double by Waddington.
“Sara Camposano made an unbelievable catch in left field, running back to the fence on a real scorched ball and snagged it which ended the game,” Knapp said. “Who knows what that would have sparked, but Elise brought an end to that.
“This was a team effort. Everybody chipped in. We needed it after getting kind of beat up there for a while.”
Mitchell notched the complete game win, allowing eight hits and two runs (both unearned) while striking out six and walking three.
“Corinn (Eads) came in and contributed – we use her as a DP. She held up tonight,” Knapp said.
“We have four games left – hopefully, we’ll win enough to get that 24th spot (in the District One 6A field). It was nice win tonight, and we definitely needed it.”
Central Bucks East (7-9, 4-9 SOL) – which occupied the 24th spot in the latest district rankings – will host Boyertown in a non-league game on Saturday at 10 a.m. Central Bucks West (4-12, 3-11) will travel to Mount St. Joseph Academy for a non-league game on Monday.
Central Bucks West 000 010 1 2-8-3
Central Bucks East 000 133 x 7-6-3
SOUDERTON 10, PENNRIDGE 0 (6 innings)
Abby Burns tossed a nifty three-hit shutout, and the Indians – behind the three-hit, five-RBI effort of Riley York – collected 10 hits to earn the no-doubt-about it win in Thursday’s game under the lights at Stover Park.
The Indians scored a pair of runs in the first inning. Megan Kummery led off with a single to center, and two outs later, Riley York grounded an RBI single to center. Burns helped her own cause with an RBI single, and the Indians led 2-0.
That lead grew to 4-0 in the third, thanks to the York sister act. Kayley York led off the inning with a ground single to center and scored when Riley hit an inside the park home run to center field.
The Yorks were back at it again in the fifth when Riley York ripped a triple to center field that plated Kayley, who walked. The Indians brought an early end to the game with five-runs in the sixth. Taylor Nelson’s two-run triple to left was the big blow. Contributing singles were Brooke Scotti, Kayley York and Kendell Clemmer. The Indians also benefitted from two walks and two errors.
Riley York led the Indians with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate with a triple and home run, two runs scored and four RBIs. The St. Joseph bound senior also drew a walk. Kayley York was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and one RBI.
For the Rams, Catelyn Thrush was 2-for-3 out of the leadoff spot.
Burns allowed three hits in six shutout innings, striking out six and walking one.
Souderton (10-6, 7-6 SOL) – 17th in the latest District One 6A power rankings – will travel to Council Rock South on Friday, and Pennridge (8-9, 6-9) – 23rd in the rankings -will host Archbishop Wood in a non-league game on Friday.
Pennridge 000 000 0-3-3
Souderton 202 015 10-10-1
NORTH PENN 10, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 0 (6 opponents)
Behind another brilliant performance by pitcher Julia Shearer, the Knights rolled to their 18th win of the season. The University of Maryland bound junior allowed two hits in six shutout innings, fanning 12 and walking none.
The Knights scored 10 runs despite collecting just six hits, benefitting from five walks and a pair of Titan miscues. They scored two runs in the bottom of the first without collecting a hit. Shearer drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Annabelle Smink drew a one-out walk, and Shearer advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch. Brie Wilmot’s sacrifice fly to right field plated Smink, and the Knights led 2-0.
Reyna Doherty and Shearer drew back-to-back walks to open a five-run third inning. Doherty scored on a wild pitch, and Sarah Sabocsick’s single plated a run. Smink followed with a single, and Gianna Cimino’s single plated another run. A successful squeeze bunt by Sophia Collins brought Smink home, and Maddy Gronback’s RBI line single to right put the Knights on top 7-0.
In the fifth inning, Smink drew a leadoff walk, and Wilmot’s two-run home run gave the Knights a 9-0 lead. They brought an early end to the game when Smink delivered a two-out RBI single.
Smink was the lone player from either side to collect multiple hits, finished the day 2-for-2 with two walk, three runs scored and one RBI.
North Penn (18-1, 13-1 SOL) – the fourth seed in the latest District One 6A power rankings – will travel to Central Bucks East on Tuesday, and Central Bucks South (7-10, 6-9) will be on the road at Hatboro-Horsham on Monday for a non-league contest. The Titans are firmly on the district bubble and continue to occupy the 25th spot in what will be a 24-team field.
Central Bucks South 000 000 0-2-2
North Penn 205 021 10-6-3
SOL Liberty Division
ABINGTON 3, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 2
Leanna Schenk got all of a 1-0 pitch, smashing a home run that – with one sweet swing of her bat in the seventh inning – turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead and the eventual win on PW’s Senior
Night.
“It was unbelievable,” Abington coach Bob Baginski said. “Leanna’s a phenomenal athlete, to say the least.
“This was our best win of the year by far. The kids were very much into it, and they are very excited. It gives us an opportunity to potentially make the playoffs. It’s a big win because of their record. It was really exciting. I’m very proud.”
Schenk’s game-winner was set up when – with one out, Mackenzie Feeney drew a walk, and Aneesa Rohrer singled.
Neither team got on the scoreboard until PW’s Sam Skivo homered to center field to lead off the bottom of the fifth. An inning later, the Colonials went on top 2-0 when Marissa Perez collected a clutch two-out RBI single. That 2-0 lead stood until Schenk’s late-game heroics.
Freshman Sam Wenhold notched the complete game win, scattering four hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out two and walking one.
“Sam Wenhold pitched phenomenal again tonight,” Baginski said. “She’s just a freshman, and Hailey Ferenandez, who caught for 
us tonight, is also a freshman. I told those girls – ‘When you look back in a couple of years and you think how the program changed, tonight was the night where the seniors and juniors led us to help the program,’ so that’s exciting to say the least.”
Molly Moore threw a gem of her own for the Colonials, allowing just four hits and three runs while striking out 11 and walking one.
“The kids were prepared from the minute we got there, and they were very excited and into the game,” Baginski said. “That atmosphere was fantastic. It was under the lights, which is very rare for us.
“It was the PW girls’ Senior night. It was very exciting. They did a great job. They did a pregame ceremony and honored (the team’s lone senior Lauryn Kane). That was fantastic. Mike Perez is a phenomenal coach as well. I have a ton of respect for him and his players and his coaching staff.”
Abington (9-8, 8-7 SOL) – 27th in the latest District One 6A power rankings – will host Mount St. Joseph Academy in a non-league game on Friday, and Plymouth Whitemarsh (12-6, 10-5) will be on the road at Wissahickon on Tuesday. The Colonials are ranked 15th.
Abington 000 000 3 3-4-2
Plymouth Whitemars 000 011 0 2-4-4
HATBORO-HORSHAM 1, QUAKERTOWN 0
Kendal Leitner turned in another masterpiece for the Hatters.
This time, the senior pitcher celebrated Senior Night with a complete game two-hit shutout, striking out 15 and walking one under the lights at Horsham Little League Fields.
“She did everything we needed her to do tonight,” HH coach Kelly Krier said. “We just kept saying to her – ‘Keep on doing your job, don’t change a thing. Just stay in your rhythm,’ and she did that.
“I’m just so happy for her. It seems like I’ve been saying the same things the last few games, but she’s just back in form. All that hard work and offseason stuff is paying off, so it’s really great to see.”
Thursday’s win clinched at least a share of the SOL Liberty Division title for the Hatters with only one league game remaining on their schedule.
“We had a lot emotion after the last out, which normally our girls don’t do,” Krier said. “We try to act like we’re just doing our job and have one more thing to do tomorrow, but with the start of our season, starting 1-3, having some struggles, having some injuries – to turn the season around the way these girls have done it, they let their emotions kind of explode a little bit – lots of jumping, lot of cheering.
“We know we have a lot of softball left in us, and that was kind of our message – ‘This feels great, let’s keep on going. We don’t want this to end.’ It’s real exciting.”
The Hatters scored the game’s only run in the second inning. Megan Mills lead off with a double, and with one out, Alyssa Tooley hit a sharp grounder back to the pitcher. Krier explained what happened next.
“(Their pitcher) turned, and Megan was kind of hung out to dry,” the Hatters’ coach said. “She threw the ball to second behind Megan.
“I’m not sure if it was the shortstop or the second baseman, but there was a bobble. Meg broke to third, and Alyssa Tooley – super heads up baserunning – went to second. In that relay, they threw the ball to second, and we sent Megan home, and she scored.”
That was the beginning and the end of the scoring for both sides.
“Overall, it was just a pitchers’ duel,” Krier said. “Kendal just came tonight with a fire in her eyes, and all our seniors did.
“Marissa Rapino had a hit in the first inning, and it was kind of like – ‘Okay, we can get hits, we can get our bats on the ball.’ Marissa was playing shortstop, and in the seventh inning to get the first out, she caught a little looper into short left field.
“Megan (Mills) came up and got a double and ended up being the one run, and Kendal just pitched another gem. It was just nice for those three who have been really important to our program. The seniors just had a really great night. It was exciting.”
Quakertown ace Sydney Andrews threw well enough to win on most nights, allowing just three hits and one run while striking out nine and walking none.
“Sydney threw a great game for Quakertown,” Krier said. “She shut down our hitters. We just happened to luck out, we had a few things bounce our way. It was a really exciting game. We haven’t had one of those in a while, so it was real exciting. Kind of back and forth and just seeing two really great pitchers go at it.
“A night game, a game under the lights should be like this. We had a really great crowd, both teams gave them a good game.”
Hatboro-Horsham (14-3, 14-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks South in a non-league game on Monday, and Quakertown (14-3, 13-2) will host Upper Perkiomen in a non-league contest on Friday.
Quakertown 000 000 0 0-2-1
Hatboro-Horsham 001 000 x 1-3-0
WISSAHICKON 16, UPPER DUBLIN 2
The Trojans turned 16 hits into 16 runs on their way to the decisive win.
There were offensive heroes galore for Wissahickon. Katelyn Fitzgerald was 3-for-5 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI. Grace Franczyk was 3-for 5 with a double, three runs scored and two RBIs. Morgan Risnychok was 3-for-5 with a run scored and RBI, and Emma Dutill was 2-for-5 with a run scored and a three-run triple. Danielle Ciliberto was 2-for-4 with a double, walk, three runs scored and an RBI.
Emi Fox (1-for-2, BB, R, RBI), Luca Penna (1-for-4, BB, 2R, 2 RBIs) and Meredith Walsh (1-for-2 R) also contributed to the 16-hit attack.
Ciliberto also notched the win in the circle, allowing two hits in four shutout innings, striking out six and walking one. Dutill allowed three hits and two runs (one earned) in three innings. She struck out two and walked one.
For the Flying Cardinals, Bella Fiore was 2-for-3 with a double. Kaitlyn Zacharia contributed an RBI double, and Madden Reilly also had a double.
Wissahickon (11-6, 10-4 SOL) will host William Tennent on Friday, and Upper Dublin (5-13, 5-10) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Tuesday.
Wissahickon 205 003 6 16
Upper Dublin 000 002 0 2
SOL Freedom Division
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 2, LOWER MORELAND 1
Freshman Ashley Schulz tossed a no-hitter, and the Spartans – who are finding their stride in Freedom Division play – won their third straight game.
“It was a pitchers’ duel,” Springfield Twp coach Patty O’Neill said. “We had Ashley Schulz on the mound, and they had Liz Neeld, and both players threw very well.
“Liz really did a good job keeping us off-balance, and Ashley had a no-hitter. She’s a freshman, and she’s getting better all the time. You can see her confidence growing. She’s going to be a good leader for our program moving forward. It was a really terrific day.”
The Lions plated a run in the first inning without collecting a hit, benefitting from several Spartan miscues. Liz Neeld took a no-hitter into the fourth inning when the Spartans’ bats came alive, beginning with a leadoff single by Schulz.
“She helped her cause by leading off the inning with a single,” O’Neill said. “She stole a base, we bunted her over and then an RBI (single) by Taylor Schulz, driving in her sister.”
A walk put Spartan baserunners on first and second, setting the stage for an Ashley Jenkins double that knocked in a run that turned out to be the game-winner.
In the fifth inning, Lower Moreland loaded the bases with none out, thanks to a walk, a Spartan miscue and a fielder’s choice. Schulz responded with three straight strikeouts to get her team out of the inning unscathed.
“That was huge for us,” O’Neill said. “Lower Moreland never gave up. They came back in the seventh inning and got a walk, and they had the tying run on second base and the winning run on first base.
“We were able to work out of that. Our shortstop, Kayla Parsons, had a defensive gem, diving to her left to grab a line drive to close the game, so that was a great job by Kayla.”
Schulz struck out 11 in the win, and Neeld fanned seven for the visiting Lions.
“We’re excited,” O’Neill said. “We have four league games next week. We have preached all season with our athletes that we just want to get better every day, and we’re seeing that growth and leadership from our athletes. They’re starting to believe, and we’re hoping to put a couple more Ws on the board. We have Senior Night on Monday, so we will celebrate our five seniors on Monday against Cheltenham. We’re excited to finish out the season strong.”
Springfield Township (4-9, 4-8 SOL) will travel to Lansdale Catholic for a non-league game on Friday, and Lower Moreland (8-10, 5-10) will host William Tennent on Tuesday.
Lower Moreland 100 000 0 1
Springfield Township 000 200 x 2
WILLIAM TENNENT 6, UPPER MORELAND 3
The Panthers used a five-run sixth inning to erase a 2-0 deficit on their way to the division win.
The Golden Bears broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the fourth and that lead held until the sixth inning.
Anna Coulter and Vicky Colagreco opened the sixth with back-to-back singles. Coulter scored on Gigi DeMito’s sacrifice fly to left, and Casey Yacovelli’s sacrifice fly to right plated a second run. A walk and UM miscue set the stage for Chloe Hostettler’s RBI single. A second run crossed the plate on an error, and the Panthers led 4-2. Giselle McLaughlin’s RBI single to right gave the Panthers a 5-2 advantage.
The Golden Bears scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Panthers got that back in the seventh when Coulter, who doubled to lead off the frame, scored on a passed ball.
Colagreco’s 3-for-4 day at the plate with a double and run scored led the Panthers. Coulter was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
Katie LaPlaunt earned the win, allowing six hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out 10 and walking one in 5.2 innings. Carlie Nydick closed it out, allowing one hit in 1.1 shutout innings, striking out two and walking one.
William Tennent (11-4, 10-3 SOL) will travel to Wissahickon on Friday, and Upper Moreland (4-12, 3-10) will be on the road at Cheltenham on Saturday.
William Tennent 000 005 1 6-10-3
Upper Moreland 000 201 0 3-7-2
Non-league
ST. HUBERT 11, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 8
St. Hubert opened up a 6-0 lead before Rock North got on the scoreboard, and although the visiting Indians battled gamely, they never could make up the early ground they lost.
The Indians scored three runs in the top of the fourth. Taylor Gearhart led off with a single, and Jayme Bordner doubled to left. Gearhart scored on a miscue, and a second run crossed the plate when Sarah Teitelman double to right field. With two outs, Emma Zoldi singled to bring home a run, and it was a 6-3 game.
The Bambies got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning and then blew the game open with a four-run fifth to go on top 11-3.
Down but not out, the Indians erupted for five runs in the top of the sixth. Noelle Wood legged out a one-out bunt single, and then Zoldi was safe on an error that allowed a run to score. Sierra Klein singled to center, plating a run. Molly Sheehy lined a single to left, and a third run scored on a fielder’s choice. Gearhart’s RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Bardner closed out the scoring.
“I was really proud of our girls today for the way they supported each other and never stopped fighting,” Rock North coach Susan Yee said. “The wheels definitely came off in the fifth inning but with their backs against the wall, and the game ending runner in scoring position, they not only buckled down and got out of it, but immediately responded with five runs of their own to turn the game right back into a good one.
“Towards the end of a really tough season, that response absolutely shows the amazing character of the young ladies on our team. I was also super proud of senior Kali Anderson for coming in the game in the sixth with two runners on and completely shutting the other team down going 1-2-3 by inducing a fielder’s choice, and back-to-back Ks to shut the door on any potential scoring.”
The Indians collected 13 hits with Zoldi (2-for-5, R, RBI), Klein (2-for-5, R, RBI), Gearhart (2-for-4, $, RBI), Bardner (2-for-3, 2B, R, RBI) and Wood (2-for-4, R) all delivering multi-hit games. Molly Sheehy had a triple for the Indians.
Council Rock North (0-16, 0-13 SOL) will travel to Neshaminy on Friday.
Council Rock North 000 305 0 8-13-4
St. Hubert’s 402 140 0 11-13-4
NESHAMINY 4, CONESTOGA 0
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