Two conference championship races are over. One is not.
Norristown clinched sole possession of first place in the American Conference with its 3-2 win over Upper Dublin last Thursday. Central Bucks South made it official on Monday when the Titans defeated Central Bucks East 8-2 to clinch sole position of the Continental Conference crown.
The National Conference title is still very much up for grabs with Pennsbury slated to play Neshaminy on Tuesday night. The Falcons hold a one-game lead over the Redskins, thanks to their 2-1 win earlier this season. The weather could very well force that game to be pushed back until Thursday.
Central Bucks South 8, Central Bucks East 2
The Titans wrapped up their regular season with a decisive win over their neighboring rivals, opening up a 6-0 lead on their way to the 8-2 win. The big story on this day was that another championship banner will be hanging in CB South’s gymnasium.
“It is a tough division, and when you come out of it on top, you have to be really proud,” coach Jennifer Robinson said. “There might be leagues where it would be very easy to dominate the league, but you’ve got a lot of quality programs in ours.
“Hatboro and North Penn have been our biggest rivals in the past, but you look at teams like Souderton, East and Pennridge that really stepped up and had big wins, so you don’t go into any game thinking, ‘Okay, this is a gimme.’ You have to take every game one at a time.
“We knew we had the league title either shared with Hatboro or sole league champs. We said at practice and before today’s game that it was really important for us to take charge today and make sure we possessed the league title solely.”
Taylre Stocks sparked the offense with a double and three RBIs. On the mound, Fran Carrullo did not allow a hit in four strong innings, striking out two and walking a pair. Haileigh Stocks worked the final three innings, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out five and walking two.
The Titans close out the regular season with a 13-1 mark in league play (15-2 overall).
Norristown 5, Cheltenham 0
The Eagles celebrated Senior Night with a neat shutout win over the Lady Panthers. Senior Daisy Foster tossed a three-hit masterpiece, striking out six and walking two.
“It was a nice game and a big shutout for Daisy,” coach Jon Kandrick said. “She really turned it around and has taken that giant step this year.
“She’s improved so much. She’s got five or six different pitches she can throw, and they’re all effective. She has a freshman catcher, Taylor Copestick, who has done a great job. We knew it was going to be an adjustment for Daisy, so a lot of the credit goes to Daisy. She really worked hard and put the time in the offseason.”
The Eagles pounded out 13 hits, led by the three-hit efforts of Shari Lynne Kluth as well as the two-hit performances of Maggie Creciun and Foster (triple). Shannon Melito, Gina Pellechio, Sammy Kidd, Devon King, Julia Santoro and Stephanie Dinolfi each added a hit.
Foster, Creciun, King, Kluth and Melito were honored prior to a game that put the finishing touches on a season that included a second conference title in as many years for the Eagles.
“Coming into the season, we knew we had most of our starters back,” Kandrick said. “We only lost two kids, and we got two transfers in from Kendrick that were pretty decent softball players.
“We definitely had some high hopes. We told the girls – ‘Just play Norristown softball, and we’ll see what happens.’ I made the mistake of talking about, ‘If we keep playing like this, the championship will be there.’ I had to take a step back, especially after that Springfield loss and say, ‘You know what – we have to take it one game at a time and not think of anything else.’”
The Eagles responded to that loss with a 7-0 win over Wissahickon, and they were off and running.
“To win another championship is huge,” Kandrick said. “It’s a big tribute to our seniors. Our underclassmen are kind of spoiled right now. They’ve never seen anything different.
“We work hard in the season, and we work harder in the offseason. These are the expectations. Our goal every season is to win the league.”
Pennridge 4, North Penn 2
Coaches routinely talk about must-win games.
Pennridge had one of those must-win games on Monday when the Rams faced neighboring North Penn in a Senior Day contest, and in a bid to keep their district playoff hopes alive, the Rams picked up the big win. It was their second win of the season over the Maidens.
The game ended appropriately with shortstop Alicia Detweiler – a fixture in the Rams’ lineup for four years – recording the final out in her team’s final home game of the season when she collected a putout at second base.
The play had considerably more drama than it might have if the usually sure-handed Detweiler hadn’t initially bobbled the ball, setting the stage for the dramatic footrace to the bag that saw both runners sliding in simultaneously.
“It was close,” Detweiler said with a smile. “Actually, I’ve always kind of wanted to do that – slide into a base and get an out, so it kind of worked.
“This means a lot. I have played three seasons of sports for four years, and to beat North Penn – these are the only two times I’ve beaten North Penn in my life.”
Coach Scott Didra was doused with water from the team’s cooler, but this was one dousing he didn’t mind a bit.
“How many times have we been ahead in the seventh inning and then gone 9, 10 or 11 innings,” the Rams’ second-year coach said. “This is huge in so many ways.
“We knew that we had to win to have a chance of making districts, but we have played a tough schedule – non-league and league, and we’ve played every team well. We’ve had it coming to win a game like this.”
Ram hurler Paige Decew scattered seven hits and allowed one earned run in a winning effort.
“I just got ahead (in the count) and pitched my heart out,” she said. “I did it for the girls.”
The win upped the Rams Suburban One League record to 6-8 and their overall mark to 10-9. Although the Maidens, who fell to 8-6 in league play, 11-7 overall, maintained their third place status in the Continental Conference, Maiden coach Rick Torresani had some concerns.
“We didn’t hit the ball, and we should have hit the ball, and that cost us,” he said. “Not that (Decew) didn’t do well, but you have to hit pitching like that if you’re going to beat teams.
“People have to step up. That’s all.”
The Maidens actually worked their way out of jams in the first and second innings before the Rams got on the scoreboard in the third when Detweiler, who singled to lead off the frame, scored on Decew’s ground single up the middle.
“We started getting a few hits, and you could feel it.” Detweiler said.
The Maidens – capitalizing on a Steph Farrar single and a pair of Ram errors – got that run back in the bottom of the inning.
In the fifth inning, Emily Hofmann – who tripled in her previous at-bat – hit a one-out single to right. One out later, Jordan Vilella – who also had tripled in her previous at-bat – singled over first. A walk to Amber Viall loaded the bases, and the Rams plated the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.
The game’s big blow came when Didra called on freshman Karlie McCreary to pinch hit, and she delivered a huge two-out, two-run single to center, putting the Rams on top 4-1.
The Maidens got one of those runs back in the sixth. Miranda Sergas led off the inning with a double to left center, and she scored on Farrar’s line single to left, but Detweiler turned a sharp line drive to short into a double play, killing that rally.
The Maidens put a pair of runners on board with two outs in the seventh, but Detweiler saved the day with her sliding putout at second base.
Now it’s a game of wait-and-see for the Rams as they await the district pairings.
“It’s been a fun four years here,” Detweiler said. “Overall, it’s been pretty good.
“We’re right on the brink (for districts), but we’ve had a lot of close games, so hopefully that will help us.”
Springfield 6, Plymouth Whitemarsh 2
The Spartans did it again, once playing the role of spoiler – this time in PW’s final regular season game.
Elise DiFilippo had a big day at the plate for the Spartans, contributing a pair of hits – including a triple. She also scored three runs and had an RBI. Kelsea Schagrin, Julia McIntyre and Kellie O’Donnell each contributed an RBI.
Samantha Juliano notched the win on the mound, allowing six hits while striking out three and walking three.
Erica Miller absorbed the loss for the Colonials. She struck out six and walked two.
Souderton 5, Quakertown 3
Liz Parkins fanned nine and allowed six hits in a winning effort for the Indians. Alycia Stiles led the Indians offensively with a 3-for-4 day at the plate and was shy only a home run from hitting the cycle as she delivered a single, double and triple She also scored a run and contributed an RBI. Freshman Sarah Derstine was two-for-four with an RBI. Olivia Shoemaker also had a double for the Indians, and Corrine Stiles had a triple.
Monday night was Senior Recognition Night at Veteran's Park for the Panthers, whose seniors - Shawn Marlin and Rachel Kelsall - both delivered sacrifices in their at-bats. Pitcher Justyna Pepkowski, according to coach Cari Matthaei, turned in one of her strongest performances of the season against Souderton. Junior Steph Zischang and freshman Meghan Lopes led the Panthers defensively.
Offensively, Pepkowski and freshman Brittny Buonanno Tayler were both 2-for-4 with doubles. Zischang drew three walks in tough at-bats, and Rachel Rice had a single and also drew a walk for the Panthers, who scored a pair of runs in the sixth to make it a 5-3 game.
"This team has shown so much improvement," coach Cari Matthaei said. "The win over CB West and the close games against CB South, Pennridge, Wissahickon and Souderton show just how much this young team has grown this year.
"I am so proud of these girls and am very excited to work hard with the returners in the offseason to take that next leap! This has been a big step in the right direction for Quakertown softball, and the intensity and expectations are only going to continue to increase."
- Log in to post comments
0
