Check out the recaps for SOL softball teams in action Wednesday. Quakertown/PW photos provided courtesy of Kim Supko. CR North/Truman photos courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of both games. All SOS photo galleries for SOFTBALL can be viewed by clicking HERE.
SOL Patriot Division
NESHAMINY 4, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 3 (8 innings)
The Golden Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings, but the Redskins had an answer, going on to notch the hard-fought win in extra innings.
“It was a very evenly matched game,” Rock South coach Dan Schram said. “Give credit to Neshaminy. They have experience in big games and came up big when they needed to.”
In the bottom of the first, Kaylie Walters led off with a walk and stole second. Avery Tumolo bunted, and Walters scored all the way from second. With two outs and Tumolo on third, Ameerah Wheat bunted and was safe at first while Tumolo scored.
In the second, Kaylie Walters delivered a two-out single and stole second. Tumolo singled up the middle, scoring Walters for the third run.
“Avery Tumolo is that rare player who is always focused and will do anything to help her team win,” Schram said. “Special group of kids here at South.”
The Redskins knotted the score with three runs in the third. Seniors Laura Chorba and Carena Barr started the inning with back-to-back singles. Senior Meryn Bellacima followed up big with a three-run shot over the center field fence.
The score remained tied until the eighth inning. Bellacima got things started with a double down the left field line. A hard hit ground ball to the left side from junior Lindsey Gorka advanced the runner to third. Senior Jill Thomas followed with a sac fly to center field to score the go-ahead run. Kennedie Ruth retired South in the bottom of the eighth to earn the complete game win.
Ruth faced 34 batters and retired 24, allowing seven hits and three runs.
Neshaminy was led by Bellacima with two hits and three RBIs and Thomas with one hit and an RBI. Amanda Slabicki, Ruth, Barr, Chorba, and Gorka all added one hit each.
Lexi Waring absorbed the loss but received high praise from her coach.
“Lexi Waring pitched another great game and has displayed her ability to compete game after game,” Schram said. “Our shortstop Kaylie Walters is the real deal and does all the little things to make our team better.
“Ameerah Wheet had great at bats and a clutch two-out bunt. She’s a team player and brings pride to the South jersey. I certainly wish we had pulled this one out, but we are improving each game.”
Neshaminy (11-3, 9-3 SOL) will face Pennsbury on Friday at Middletown Community Park at 7 p.m. Council Rock South (6-5, 4-4) will travel to Council Rock North on Thursday.
Neshaminy 003 000 1 4
Council Rock South 210 000 0 3
HARRY S TRUMAN 9, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 3
In a well-played contest, it was the Tigers opening up an 8-0 lead on their way to the division win. For Jess Adams – who allowed just one hit in 4.1 shutout innings, it was her first varsity win. The
Tigers’ hurler walked two and struck out eight.
“North played a really good defensive game – they fielded everything,” Truman coach Rick Palmer said. “The improvement from the first game was noticeable and a credit to their coaches and players.
“We played much better defensively.”
The Tigers opened up a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Emma Olsen led off with a single and stole second, but and with two outs. Kylee Thomas drew a walk. That brought Teyana Towner to the plate, and she ripped an RBI double to right. Emily Davis followed with a single that brought Thomas home, and Towner scored on a steal of home to give the Tigers the three-run lead.
“Again, (Teyana Towner) had a good game at the plate that gets us going,” Palmer said.
In the bottom of the third, Adams reached first on a third strike wild pitch, and then it was Courtney Nau ripping a home run to center field, giving the Tigers a 5-0 lead. Olsen followed with a double, and she scored when McKnight picked up a two-out single.
In the fifth inning, Nau and Olsen hit back-to-back singles with two outs, and with runners on second and third, Kaitlyn Erhard singled to score Nau. Olsen stole home as part of a successful double steal for an 8-0 Tigers’ lead.
In the top of the sixth, the Indians got on the scoreboard when Molly Sheehy was hit by a pitch and Sofia Shields followed with a two-run home run to left field. Taylor Gearhart doubled and scored on a single by Jayme Bordner to make it an 8-3 game.
Hannah Smith’s RBI single in the top of the seventh plated Towner for the 9-3 final.
The Tigers’ attack was led by Olsen (3-for-3, 2B, 3R), Towner (2-for-3, 2B, 2R, 2 RBIs), Davis (2-for-4, RBI) and Nau (2-for-3 HR, 2R, 2 RBIs).
Kaylee Martin closed it out in the circle for the Tigers, allowing two hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out four and walking one.
For the Indians, Shields was 1-for-2 with a home run, run scored and two RBIs.
Harry S Truman (5-8, 4-8 SOL) will travel to Bensalem on Monday, and Council Rock North (0-12, 0-10) will host Council Rock South on Thursday.
Council Rock North 000 003 0 3-3-0
Harry S Truman 033 021 x 9-12-1
SOL Colonial Division
SOUDERTON 8, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 2
Abby Burns – who was perfect in a six-inning 10-0 win over the Titans earlier this year – notched the complete game win, and once again, she had plenty of support.
Riley York was a terror at the plate with a double, home run and five RBIs. The Saint Joseph’s University sluggers effectively set the tone for the game with a three-run home run in the top of the first.
“Right off the bat, we had three runs in the first 10 minutes of the game,” Souderton coach Carol Atkinson. “That just started the whole momentum of the game.”
The early rally began with Taylor Nelson roping a one-out double to right, and Kayley York, followed with a single, setting the stage for Riley’s three-run blast over the center field fence. It turns out she was just getting started.
One inning later, she stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and ripped a two-run double to left field, spotting the Indians a 5-0 lead. That would be the last pitch to hit York would see as she was walked intentionally in her final two at-bats.
The Titans got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second when Allie Franck singled and scored on a two-out double by Nora Sidorski to make it a 5-1 game. The Indians got that run back in the fourth inning when Megan Kummery, who singled, scored on an error.
South added a run in the fifth when Suzie Williams delivered an RBI single.
In the sixth inning, Kummery drew a walk, and Nelson singled. With two outs and two on, the Titans opted to walk Riley York intentionally, and freshman Kendell Clemmer made them pay, lining a single to right to plate two runs across and put the Indians on top 8-2, a score that stood until the game’s final out.
The win brought a welcome end to a four-game skid for the Indians. Three of their four losses were by one run, making Wednesday’s win especially welcome.
Nelson – in her first game batting out of the two hole – was 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored.
“It was just a change today, that’s all it was,” Atkinson said. “It was – let’s change things up. She’s actually a phenomenal bunter too, and she did really, really well today up there.”
Kummery scored three runs out of the leadoff spot in a contest that saw the Indians collect 10 hits.
Burns allowed five hits and two runs, striking out eight and walking one.
Souderton (9-5, 6-5) will host Central Bucks East on Friday, and Central Bucks South (4-9, 3-8) will travel to Central Bucks West on Friday.
Souderton 320 102 0 8-10-1
Central Bucks South 010 010 0 2-5-6
PENNRIDGE 7, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 0
The Rams have rebounded quite nicely from a tough four-game losing streak, picking up their third straight win – this one a complete game shutout behind the arm of freshman Averi Dockery in the circle.
“It was a great league win for us today,” Pennridge coach Wendy Iadonisi said. “Our girls have really stepped up both offensively and defensively the past week. We are playing solid and consistent softball. They are aggressive up to bat, putting the ball in play and making things happen.”
The Rams made things happen early, scoring a run in each of the first three innings. In the first, Catelyn Thrush drew a leadoff walk and stole second. The speedy leadoff batter was on third with one out after Katie Buccafuri’s sacrifice. Reagan Bauman’s single to center plated Thrush.
In the second, Ryleigh Lilly lined a double to center to lead off the inning. She scored when Olivia Crognale followed with a single to left, and the Rams led 2-0. They added a run in the third when Bauman, who collected a one-out single, scored on Dockery’s booming triple to right field.
That 3-0 score stood until the top of the seventh when the Rams plated four runs. Vargo, Thrush and Buccafuri (RBI) opened the inning with back-to-back-to-back singles. Thrush scored on a groundout, and Buccafuuri raced home when Dockery lofted a sacrifice fly to right field. Ashleigh Kenworthy singled, and Lilly followed with an RBI single that gave the Rams their final margin of victory.
Dockery scattered seven hits, struck out seven and walked three.
“East had a runner on base every inning so it was great to have strong defensive plays all seven innings,” Iadonisi said. “Catelyn Thrush had a great throw home to Sophia Vargo to prevent a run in the first inning. It seemed to set the tone of the game.
“Averi pitched a great game and contributed to the strong defense by fielding some tricky ground balls up the middle. You can really see how her experience at shortstop benefits her in the circle.”
Thrush (2-for-3, 2R), Kenworthy (2-for-4, R) and Lilly (2-for-4, R, RBI) led the Rams’ 12-hit attack. Dockery and Buccafuri each had two RBIs while Crognale added one.
For the Patriots, Mackenzie Wilson was 3-for-4. Sara Camposano was 1-for-3 with a double and Chloe Urankar was 1-for-2 with a double.
Pennridge (7-7, 5-7 SOL) will host North Penn on Thursday at 6:30, and Central Bucks East (6-7, 3-7) will be on the road at Souderton on Friday.
Pennridge 111 000 4 7-12-0
Central Bucks East 000 000 0 0-7-1
SOL Liberty Division
ABINGTON 11, UPPER DUBLIN 2
The Ghosts exploded for five runs in the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie and then added six more in the top of the seventh to earn the decisive conference win.
Freshman Sam Wenhold notched the complete game win. Wenhold scattered seven hits and allowed two runs in seven innings (only one earned) while striking out eight and walking none.
“Great team win today against a really tough pitcher and team,” Abington coach Bob Baginski said. “From the nine on defense, the nine in the lineup and the energy from our bench all contributed today. Leanna Schenck, Ellie Pierce, Hailey Hernandez and Natalie Broskley all had multiple hits at key points in the game. Our execution on both offense and defense contributed today along with stellar pitching.”
The fifth inning began with back-to-back singles by Hailey Hernandez and Ellie Pierce, and both runners advanced on Ella O’Rourke’s sacrifice bunt. An Upper Dublin miscue allowed a run to cross the plate, and the Ghosts loaded the bases when Natalie Broskley drew a walk. The Ghosts led 2-0 after another costly miscue, and Leanna Schenk’s single brought home a pair. A groundout accounted for the final run of the inning, and the Ghosts led 5-0.
Upper Dublin plated a run without collecting a hit in the bottom of the sixth, and the Ghosts put the finishing touches on the win with a six-run seventh inning that was highlighted by a two-run triple by Hernadez and an RBI double by Pierce. The inning also included singles by Broskley, Schenk (RBI), Lauren Everitt (RBI) and Sydney Steiner (RBI).
The Flying Cardinals added a run in the bottom of the seventh, using singles by Katelyn Gamburg, Abby Olshefski and Kaitlyn Zaccharia (RBI).
Leading the Ghosts’ 10-hit attack were Schenk (2-for-4, run, 3 RBIs), Hernandez (2-for-4, 3B, run, 2 RBIs) and Pierce (2-for-4, 2B, run, RBI).
For the Flying Cardinals, Gamburg was 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Forster absorbed the loss, allowing 10 hits (5 earned) while striking out seven and walking one.
Abington (7-7, 6-6 SOL) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Tuesday, and Upper Dublin (4-7, 4-10) will host Quakertown on Thursday.
Abington 000 050 6 11-10-3
Upper Dublin 000 001 1 2-7-6
QUAKERTOWN 10, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 0
The Panthers hadn’t forgotten.
It turns out they remembered all too well how the Colonials had brought an end to their seven-game winning streak to open the season with a 3-2 win on the Panthers’ home field. It is the only
blemish on their record.
“We felt like we owed them a little something after the first time we played them,” Quakertown coach Dave Scott said. “The girls were pretty fired up to get down there. The energy was pretty good on the bus, and they were definitely ready to play today.
“Syd was really good today. For some reason, she seems to struggle a little bit with Plymouth Whitemarsh – she has last year and this year. Today she was really on top of her game She was throwing her screwball really well, and that pitch set up a lot of other pitches for her. She had girls she worked inside all day, and she had girls swinging and missing. She was really good today.”
Andrews put the Panthers on the board in the top of the third when she nailed a two-out double to left field to score Emma Hilton, who had singled. The Panthers took control of the game with a six-run fifth inning.
Trinity Lucas led off and was safe on an error, and then Hilton singled. Both runners scored to put the Panthers on top 3-0 when 
Katie Muller ripped a triple to center field.
“Katie Muller really had the big hit for us,” Scott said. “She had a two-run triple on a ball that she just absolutely smashed into right center field. That sort of got things rolling for us offensively.
“When she came through with that hit, I think everybody started to continue with the hitting and it just carried through.”
The next two batters were retired, but Maya Heller roped a double to center field, and then Grace Baker and Julia Reich drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Ava Beal lined a double to center that plated a pair, and by the time the inning ended, the Panthers led 7-0.
Hilton led off the sixth with a triple and scored when Muller singled. Caarli Maha’s single drove home a run, putting the Panthers on top 9-0. A Trinity Lucas RBI single in the seventh closed out the scoring.
“They hung in – their pitcher did really well for the first four innings,” Scott said. “In the fifth inning, we started to figure things out and started really hitting the ball well.”
The Panthers were led by Muller (2-for-5, 3B, 2 runs, 3 RBIs), Hilton (2-for-4, 3 runs) and Beal (2-for-3, 2B, 3B, run, 2 RBIs).
Quakertown (12-1, 11-1 SOL) will travel to Upper Dublin on Thursday, and Plymouth Whitemarsh (11-4, 9-3) will be on the road at Hatboro-Horsham on Friday.
Quakertown 001 062 1 10-9-1
Plymouth Whitemarsh 000 000 0 0-4-4
SOL Freedom Division
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 4, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 3
The Spartans picked up their second conference win of the season, but the Lions didn’t make it easy.
“It’s always exciting,” Springfield coach Patty O’Neill said. “It was a tight game. We had hoped this would be a game where our offense would break out.
“That didn’t happen today. Their defense and their pitcher, D’Agostino, did a nice job keeping our bats off balance and getting key outs.”
The Spartans put a pair of runs on the board in the fourth inning, capitalizing on a hit batter as well as a New Hope miscue. Anna Posluszny came through with a clutch two-run single to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead.
The Lions scored a run in the bottom of the inning.
“We had some shaky defense and let a run in,” O’Neill said. “We were able to keep a second run out with a good throw from our third baseman, Ashley Jenkins, so we were 2-1 at the end of four.”
In the fifth inning, the Spartans added a single run to go on top 3-1. Another hit batter set the stage for an RBI double by Kayla Parsons.
“The insurance run that we needed came in the sixth inning on a blast from Ashley Schulz, who was the winning pitcher,” O’Neill said. “She led off the inning with a double, and scored on an RBI by her sister, Taylor Schulz.
“That’s a nice one-two combination. Taylor is our catcher, and they have a really nice relationship. Sometimes sisters don’t, but they’re really supportive of each other, and it’s a nice battery for us with the Schulz sisters.”
The Lions made it a 4-3 game with a pair of runs
“It got a little interesting – they had the tying run on in the seventh inning,” O’Neill said. “It was down to the wire. We had to work out of that to get two outs, so that was a good job by our freshman pitcher.”
Ashley Schulz notched the complete game win, striking out nine.
Leading the Spartans at the plate was Posluszny with a single and two RBIs, Parsons with a double and run scored, Ashley Schulz with two runs scored, and Taylor Schulz with a single and RBI.
“We’re excited in this home stretch of the season to hopefully put together some more wins,” O’Neill said. “We’re improving every day, we’re working hard at practice, and we hope to put across more runs, get our offense going and put a couple of W’s next to Springfield.”
Springfield Township (2-9, 2-8) will be on the road at William Tennent on Friday, and New Hope-Solebury (2-11, 2-10) will host William Tennent on Monday.
Springfield Twp 000 211 0 4
New Hope-Solebury 000 102 0 3
UPPER MORELAND 9, LOWER MORELAND 1
Lea Rizzo notched the complete game win for the Golden Bears in Wednesday’s game against their neighboring rival, allowing one run while striking out four and walking only one.
“Lower Moreland started off the first inning by shutting us down – three up and three down,” UM coach Melanie Martino said.
The Lions used an RBI double to plate a run in the bottom of the first, but the Golden Bears answered with three runs in the top of the second, sparked by singles from Natalie Walton, Alexis McDermott as well as several free passes.
“Walton had a great day today both at the plate and the field,” Martino said. “She had a deep home run over the extended fence in the second along with two strong base hits for us today. Natalie has been strong in the field for us all season, and today was her day at the plate.”
In addition to Walton’s round tripper, the Golden Bears also received base hits Liz Santry, Devyn Kniese, Grace Ounan, Haleigh Woodman, and according to Martino, ‘smart base running did the job for us.’
Upper Moreland (3-8, 2-6 SOL) will host Lower Moreland on Thursday, and Lower Moreland (3-8, 6-8) will travel to Upper Moreland on Thursday.
Upper Moreland 031 050 0 9
Lower Moreland 100 000 0 1
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