National Conference
Council Rock North 7, Pennsbury 1The Indians made history on Thursday when they defeated the Falcons for the first time in over a decade.
“For our program, this is absolutely epic,” said coach Hollie Woodard, herself a Pennsbury grad. “It’s the first time any Council Rock team since the split has beaten Pennsbury.
“Our goal is to return Council Rock to its former glory because Council Rock used to be a powerhouse in this area. When I played at Pennsbury, Council Rock and Pennsbury were the two dominant programs. For us, this has always been an iconic game because this is a measure of how far we have come if we could just beat Pennsbury.”
Last year, the Indians looked as though they were on their way to a win over the Falcons but watched a 7-2 lead slip away.
“There’s a line in Field of Dreams that says, ‘Half an inning can change the world,’ and literally at every retreat, at every team meeting, we talk about how that half inning changed the world for us because it showed us that we could hang with Pennsbury, but we weren’t mentally and emotionally prepared yet,” Woodard said. “What we tried to work on this year was to get the mental aspect of the game.
“Within the last couple of years, our worst games were played against Pennsbury. Today our approach to the game was that it was business as usual. We didn’t talk about it that much. Mentally I think we were able to eliminate that 10th man that Pennsbury always brings to the game. The girls stepped up and did what they normally do, and they played their game.”
It took a stellar outing on the mound by pitcher Morgan Lewis for the Falcons to do it as the senior ace allowed just four hits.
“We just controlled the game,” said Woodard, whose team had 10 hits. “We only made one mistake in the field, which was key, and Morgan dominated them.
“Morgan didn’t throw a lot of pitches – she didn’t go deep in the count. She was spot on. She pitched fantastic. I don’t want to say it was the best game of her pitching career, but I think it was the most memorable of her pitching career. What she was finally able to do was pitch the way she always pitches – eliminate the nerves and anxiety of playing Pennsbury. She just went out there and made a statement. I’m very, very proud of her.”
The Indians plated a single run in the first inning and then exploded for three runs in the fourth. Alyssa Goldberg opened the inning by drawing a walk, and one out later, Alyssa Smith doubled. Goldberg scored when the Falcons committed an error on a rundown play on Melissa Lichter’s safety squeeze bunt.
Another walk was followed by RBI singles from Caytlin Friis and Melissa Hand that put the Indians on top 4-1. They added three more runs in the seventh before Taylor Biglingmaier broke up Lewis’ shutout bit with a two-out solo home run.
Friis was 2-for-5 with three RBIs while Hand was 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Smith had a pair of hits – both doubles.
“My seniors were outstanding,” Woodard said. “Alyssa Smith stepped up and made a fantastic over-the-shoulder catch in right field when they had runners on second and third in the second inning, and that could have opened up the game, but she caught it to end the inning.
“She had two doubles and scored two runs. Overall, what we have been telling the girls is ‘You can do this,’ and they finally overcame this huge obstacle. It was just another day at work for Pennsbury, but for us, it was like the World Series. It was a great day.”
With the win, the Indians improved to 8-2 in league play (8-4 overall) while the Falcons fall to 9-1 in the league (12-2 overall).
Neshaminy 11, Bensalem 1
The Redskins were extended to the limit by the Owls on Monday and needed a seventh inning run to eke out a 3-2 win. It was a different story the second time around.
After spotting the Owls a 1-0 lead in the first, the Redskins exploded for eight second-inning runs and added single runs in the third, fourth and fifth to bring an early end to the game.
Junior Laura Altenburger led the Redskins’ hit parade with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate – which included a double – and four RBIs. Lauren Quense was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI while Sarah McGowan was 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
McGowan earned the win on the mound, allowing just two hits while fanning five and walking one.
Harry S. Truman 11, William Tennent 5
The Tigers avenged last week’s 9-7 setback at the hands of the Lady Panthers with the convincing win. Ashley Black (3-for-3) and Nichole King (4-for-4) led the way offensively.
For the Panthers, Ashley Alden and Kaitlyn O’Toole homered.
Abington 11, Council Rock South 4
Continental Conference
Central Bucks South 4, North Penn 1
‘It’s good to know Fran’s back.’
It was a simple sentence spoken quietly and almost as an aside by the Titans’ mound ace, but on Thursday, it just might have said it all.
Titan senior Francesca Carrullo turned in a strong two-hit, 10-strikeout performance to lead the Titans to the big win over a Maiden squad that had defeated Carrullo and the Titans by that same score earlier this season.
“This was very big because we didn’t want to lose to them, but it was also big because I was in a slump the last time we played them,” Carrullo said. “For a couple of games I was (in a slump), but it’s good to know Fran’s back, and I am capable of doing what I did today.”
What Carrullo did, according to her coach, was baffle the Maidens all afternoon with a drop pitch that – on this day – was her money pitch.
“Fran utilized her changeup so effectively,” coach Jenn Robinson said. “Their hitters were so off balance. Today the umpire had a lower strike zone, and I had Fran throw a lot of drops.
“Usually, I call the drop as her waste pitch because it’s not one of her premier pitches, but you never would have known with the way she threw it. The drop might as well been part of her regular repertoire. She catered to the umpire and was able to use it effectively.
“The last time we played North Penn her pitch count was way up, and she was behind in her count. Today she was ahead, so I was able to use a lot of waste pitches because she was a strike machine. That’s what I really need her to be - strikes when it counts and effective balls when we need those.”
Robinson admits she was planning to split duties with Carrullo and Haileigh Stocks, an idea that went out the window with Carrullo cruising.
“It’s been an effective strategy to change the look,” Robinson said. “In fact when we played North Penn the last time, they did not fare as well against Haileigh as they did against Fran.
“Both girls were ready, but by the fourth or fifth inning, things were going well, and I wasn’t about to change it because we really had something good going.”
Carrullo admits she went through a tough stretch this season.
“My slumps are usually all mental,” she said. “I think every player in softball gets in that slump where they don’t believe in themselves, and they say they can’t.
“It’s hard, but it’s really just working hard and focusing. That’s all it took.”
The Titans – who had runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings - scored all the runs Carrullo would need in a three-run fourth inning. Kelly Culp started the rally with a two-out, wind-blown single just over the infield, and Michelle Gessner followed with a single. Kim Rowe drew a walk to load the bases, and with two strikes on Carley Dudek and two outs, the runners were breaking when Dudek hit a grounder that got through the shortstop, allowing three runs to cross the plate.
“It was an error, but it was no discredit to their shortstop because Carley really hit it hard,” Robinson said.
The Maidens- who managed just an infield and a bunt single - capitalized on a pair of errors to plate an unearned run in the fifth. The Titans got that run back when Morgan Decker lofted a solo home run to deep right field, giving South its final 4-1 margin of victory.
"I think we’re a completely different team than we were at the beginning of the season,” Decker said. “We really turned it around. We’re really up and cheering the whole game - cheering each other on, picking each other up.
“We knew we needed this game. It’s a tough league, and you have to come out and play as hard as you possibly can. I think that was our mindset today – to come out and do our best because the last time I don’t think we did our best. We needed to step it up this time.”
The Maidens put a pair of runners on board with two outs in the seventh, thanks to a Kellianna Bradstreet single and walk, but Carrullo put an exclamation mark on the win with a strikeout to close out the game.
“I’m proud of the progress our team is making,” Robinson said. “Individually, they’re showing it, but what I really need is individuals to find that chemistry, and I believe that’s going to be the difference maker.”
While the Maidens fell to 7-4 in league play (11-4 overall), the Titans improved to 8-2 in the league (11-3 overall).
“We have a lot of talent on this team, and I think as long as we continue to come out and play extremely hard like I know we can I think we’ll go far,” Decker said. “We have the heart and talent to do it.”
“We did start out a little slow, but we’re getting there,” Carrullo added.
On Friday, Carrullo’s strong arm propelled the Titans to the important win.
Souderton 8, Quakertown 4
Sarah Derstine provided the offensive spark for the Indians, delivering a pair of hits which included a solo home run. The Indians lead-off batter also scored four runs and stole three bases.
Meghan Weisel was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Liz Parkins continued her offensive tear with a pair of hits, which included a double, and an RBI. Emily Groves added a double for the Indians.
The Indians – who hit effectively with two outs - plated three first-inning runs and added single runs in the second, third and fourth innings. They scored two more in the sixth before the Panthers staged a seventh inning rally, scoring all four of their runs in the frame.
Parkins earned the win on the mound, allowing six hits while striking out nine. Justyna Pepkowski absorbed the loss.
Hatboro-Horsham 4, Pennridge 1
Maggie Shaffer turned in a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the plate, which included a double, and teammate Melissa Spinosa was 3-for-5. Maria Spinosa was 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and one RBI.
American Conference
Wissahickon 15, Upper Moreland 0
The Trojans needed just three innings to put the Golden Bears away on Thursday. Winning pitcher Katie Ziegler fanned six and walked one in the abbreviated no hitter.
The junior pitcher also helped her own cause at the plate with a triple and single. Kellie Gilman also had a triple as well as a pair of singles. Hope Daniel contributed a double. Gretchen Guaglianone and Alex Comonitski both added a pair of hits. Rebecca Marinucci, Karen Laksh and Meghan Plunkett each also contributed singles as the Trojans pounded out 13 hits and capitalized on four Golden Bear errors.
Norristown 10, Upper Dublin 3
Gabbie Berry had a monster day at the plate, contributing a pair of doubles and a home run as she collected four hits. Stephanie ‘Sweat’ DiNolfi and Taylor Copestick each added a pair of hits while Gwyn Botley (double), Sammi Kidd (double) and Sara Rosetti each added one hit for the Eagles, who pounded out 11 hits off a pair of Upper Dublin hurlers.
Coach Jon Kandrick lauded the defensive efforts of Breezy Hagel, Brie Kennedy and Berry.
Botley earned the win on the mound, tossing four innings of no-hit ball before giving way to Rosetti for the final three innings.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 3, Cheltenham 2
Senior Alexa Borkowski led the Colonials with a triple and run scored. Freshman outfielder Rachel Konowal was 1-for-4 with two stolen bases and a run scored. Junior outfielder Jen Lurty was 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Erica Miller earned the win on the mound, allowing two hits while fanning five.
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