Pennridge 5, Quakertown 4 (9 innings)
Sometimes a loss feels almost as good as a win.
That was the case for the Panthers on Thursday. Ram hurler Paige Decew took a no-hitter and a 4-0 lead into the sixth inning when the Panthers’ bats came alive, exploding for three runs. Junior Steph Zischang delivered the inning’s big blow – a two-run double.
The Panthers knotted the score in the seventh before falling 5-4 in the ninth.
It was a far cry from the initial meeting between the two teams – a 12-0 Pennridge win in a game that was halted in the sixth when the mercy rule went into effect.
“(The team) has made such huge improvements over the course of this season,” coach Cari Matthaei said. “I’m really proud of my girls.
“This was a whole team effort today. They never gave up and fought hard.”
Alicia Detweiler was the catalyst in the Rams’ ninth inning rally, leading off the bottom of the inning with a single and then stealing second. Emily Hofmann delivered the game-winning hit – an RBI single.
Hoffmann also earned the win on the mound, working the final three and a third innings in relief of Decew.
“Quakertown never quit,” Pennridge coach Scott Didra said. “They played a great game and showed a lot of heart out there.
“Our girls had a little ‘no quit’ attitude in them as well. We fought out of three jams in a row defensively and had two near game-winning hits that Quakertown made great plays on two innings in a row in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings.”
In the bottom of the eighth, Panther centerfielder Emily Reis – a freshman – came up with a game-saving catch. That was one of just many big plays for the Panthers, according to Matthaei.
Catcher Rachel Rice threw a strike to freshman shortstop Megan Lopes to nail a runner attempting to steal third. Lopes reached base on three of four trips to the plate, collecting a pair of singles.
Junior hurler Justyna Pepkowski struck out eight in a solid outing on the mound. She also singled and scored a run in the sixth. Freshman Brittany Buoananno Taylor singled, and Jess Wheelin drew a pair of walks as the Panthers received contributions up and down the lineup.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 4, Upper Dublin 2
The Colonials stand alone in second place after Thursday’s important win. It is their seventh in eight games after an 0-2 start.
“I have a pretty seasoned squad, and as we said to them before the game – they have been through the wars before, and they need to lead the rest of the kids,” coach Rich Server said. “This was the first of the three big games we have coming up, and they did what they had to do.
“We didn’t start well this season, but we’re finishing well, and we’re hoping it keeps up.”
The Colonials scored a pair of runs in the second. Jordan Katz contributed an RBI single. In the third inning, Tori Barattucci – who is hitting at a .420 clip - delivered an RBI double and later scored on a groundout.
“She is just an amazing player, smoking the ball all over the place,” Server said.
In the seventh, the Flying Cardinals – who had runners on first and second – wound up with a pair of runners on third base after a single to the outfield. The Colonials recorded an out for the second out of the inning and escaped unscathed.
“That was critical,” Server said.
Alycia Sabol notched the win on the mound, fanning nine and walking none. She allowed nine hits – eight in the last several innings.
“She tired a little bit at the end,” Server said. “It’s two evenly matched teams.”
The Colonials will face Wissahickon on Monday and Norristown on Tuesday in key SOL contests.
Springfield 1, Cheltenham 0
The Spartans continued to play the role of spoiler in the American Conference, notching their second win in as many games – this time winning a thriller at the expense of the Lady Panthers.
“It’s just unbelievable, unbelievable,” coach Ed Jones said.
The Spartans needed just one hit to win this one and plated the only run they would need in the first. With one out, Kelsea Schagrin was hit by a pitch. She immediately stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. One out later, Julia McIntyre delivered a clutch RBI single.
McIntyre was the last Spartan batter to reach base until the fifth when Lesenia Santiago walked a batter. The Lady Panther hurler retired 19 of 20 batters to close out the game.
“She pitched a great game,” Jones said of Santiago.
Samantha Juliano – who scattered five hits - notched the win on the mound, once again benefitting from some dazzling defense from her teammates.
“We threw leather and a half out there today,” Jones said.
Shortstop Elise DiFilippo made what Jones called ‘the play of the year’ in the fourth inning. The Lady Panthers had runners on first and second with one out when a hard-hit ball got through the third baseman.
“Elise – doing what she does and backing up on the play – stabbed the ball, a backhand stab, raced to third to beat the runner and got the out,” Jones said. “The next girl up hit a seeing-eyed single down the line to load the bases. The next girl popped up to third base. That was their scoring opportunity.”
DiFilippo had seven putouts in the game – four unassisted and three assists.
“They played hard,” Jones said. “If you play like you have been practicing – play loose like you’ve been practicing – they know how to play. They’re a good defensive ballclub, and they didn’t make any errors again.”
It was the second error-free game in as many outings for the Spartans.
Norristown 7, Wissahickon 0
The Eagles rebounded from their upset at the hands of Springfield to down the Trojans in a key American Conference game on Thursday. The win avenged an early season 9-1 loss to the Trojans.
“This was huge,” coach Jon Kandrick said. “We stressed yesterday at practice – we just have to move on. It was a bad game altogether. We just need to come out and move on.
“We told the kids, ‘Come out and play Norristown softball. Have fun, be giddy, laugh. This game is supposed to be fun.’ They came out and had fun today. We faced a really good pitcher (Katie Ziegler). I think the first time our girls were a little intimidated – it was the first time they saw her pitch, but today they were ready to go. We broke it open in the third inning.”
The Eagles won the game with a four-run outburst in the third inning. Maggie Creciun led off with a single and Shari Lynne Kluth followed with a slap hit. Stephanie Dinolfi also reached base. Gabbie Berry delivered a hit.
The Eagles followed that with three consecutive bunts.
“I had Daisy Foster put down a bunt for a suicide, and she made it absolutely perfect for a base hit, and we got the run in,” Kandrick said. “Gina Pellechio laid down another great bunt, and we scored a run on that. Sammy Kidd also had a bunt.
“We finally got our bunts down. We have been working on that a lot at practice.”
Kluth and Berry led the Eagles with two hits each. Julia Santoro had a triple.
“Taylor Copestick caught an awesome game behind the plate,” Kandrick said. “Stephanie Dinolfi and Devon King powered the defense today, robbing Wissahickon of multiple hits.”
Foster tossed a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits while striking out nine. Ziegler allowed eight hits while fanning nine and walking four.
North Penn 9, Central Bucks West 3
Shortstop Jess Mower proved she can not only throw some serious leather at opponents but can also do some damage at the plate. The Maidens’ leadoff batter pounded out three hits, scored two runs and had one RBI in the Maidens’ decisive win over the Bucks.
Miranda Sergas added two hits, two runs scored and three RBIs. Kellianna Bradstreet helped her own cause with two hits, including a triple. She also scored two runs. Taylor Marchozzi joined the multiple hit parade, contributing two hits – a triple and home run, while scoring two runs and driving in a pair of runs.
Hannah Nicholson and Jenna Klawiter led the Bucks with two hits each. Klawiter accounted for all three of her team’s runs when she delivered a bases-clearing triple in the seventh.
Bradstreet notched the win on the mound, allowing five hits while striking out four and walking four. Taylor Bobek, 24 hours removed from throwing 12 innings in West’s win over Truman, absorbed the loss.
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