Check out the results for SOL softball teams in action Thursday.
American Conference
CHELTENHAM 9, UPPER MERION 4
The eagerly-awaited American Conference showdown between the Vikings and Lady Panthers was worth every minute of the wait.
“It was dramatic, it was a packed house,” Cheltenham coach Ron Perlstein said. “I don’t think it disappointed for action. The ball was being smashed all over the place.
“There were dramatic plays at the plate, kids from both teams were up and cheering. It was just a great atmosphere. I really appreciate coach Whit (John Whitney) for giving us the opportunity to play at night like this. It was really something special.”
Nina Jackson led the Lady Panthers offensively with a 3-for-4 effort that included two RBIs and a run scored. Becca Simms continued to hit the ball hard, delivering her sixth home run of the season in the seventh inning.
“It was a dramatic one – it hit the scoreboard,” Perlstein said. “It was like The Natural. It was unbelievable.”
Madison Gianelle was 2-for-4 and scored three runs, including a big run in the seventh.
“It was 5-2 going into the seventh, so it was anyone’s ballgame,” Perlstein said. “I told the girls – ‘If we get one, it might be enough.’
“I really wanted her (Gianelle) to bunt the girl over to second, but she got down 0-2. With an 0-2 count, she smashed a double into the left center gap all the way to the fence. Upper Merion threw the girl out at home, but Madison Gianelle got to third. That’s the kind of game it was.”
A single up the middle by Rita Laychock plated Gianelle. Simms followed with her two-run blast off the scoreboard to all but seal the Vikings’ fate.
“Upper Merion came up and never quit,” Perlstein said. “(Olivia) Sborlini is an amazing girl – she smashes the ball, and Dez Kandy is a problem every time she gets up.
“They were all coming up in the seventh inning, so we knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”
The Vikings scored a pair in the seventh, but it wasn’t nearly enough to erase their deficit.
Grace DeRosa earned the win on the mound, allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out five and walking pair.
“We had a couple of errors,” Perlstein said. “Both teams took advantage of some mistakes.
“Grace was tough. She never backed down. Upper Merion keeps coming at you, and she never took a step back, so I was very proud of her. I was proud of my whole team because it was a team effort.
“Maddie Bear, our centerfielder, made an incredible shoestring catch in center field. It might be the best catch that I’ve ever seen. There were all these great defensive plays. Everybody really contributed. I think once again the seniors paced us, and the juniors were the frosting on the cake.”
Marissa Mantinelli was 2-for-3 with a run scored while Laychock had a pair of RBIs.
The Vikings are now 10-1 in league play (11-5 overall), and the Lady Panthers are 12-1 in the league (13-2 overall).
“We have to play one more game (against Norristown),” Perlstein said. “I think we took a huge step today.
“This is the game I think coach Whitney and I have anticipated all year. From the beginning to the end, it was exciting, and it’s a great win for the girls. They enjoy playing with each other. They’re a real special group.”
Cheltenham 120 020 4-9
Upper Merion00 110 2-4
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 7, UPPER DUBLIN 4
Freshman pitcher Haley Fink earned the win on the mound for the Colonials, allowing just one hit and no walks in five innings of relief.
Offensively, the Colonials were sparked by lead-off hitter Rachel Konowal, who went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Sophomore shortstop Elena Iannuzzelli was 2-for-3 with a double and a sacrifice.
Susan Janfrancisco blasted a triple to right field while senior Erin Ryan and sophomore Jewel Terraces each had a home run on the day.
Upper Dublin 200 020 0-4
Plymouth Whitemarsh 200 500 x-7
Colonial Conference
PENNRIDGE 5, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 2
For the second time in three days, the Lady Rams played the role of giant killer, following up their impressive win over conference leading Souderton with an upset of second place Central Bucks East.
Liz Nace threw a gem, allowing five hits while fanning three and walking none.
“In the top of the seventh, she handcuffed the Patriots,” coach Paul Koehler said. “Facing their number one, two and three hitters, (she coaxed) a fly ball to center field, a popup to Morgan Labs at first and a ground ball to Julia Helbling for the game’s final out.
For the Lady Rams, Emily Mayhew was 2-for-3 with a double, and Bridget Casey was 2-for-2 and scored a pair. Morgan Labs was 1-for-3 with a solo home run to knot the score 2-2 in the fourth inning. Alison Horne and Haley Taylor were both 1-for-3 with an RBI. Briana Gery had a sacrifice fly and an RBI.
Kayla Ventura absorbed the loss for the Patriots. Caroline Schoenewald and Theresa Haug both contributed doubles.
The Lady Rams upped their record to 5-8 (7-10 overall) while the Patriots are 8-4 in league play (8-7 overall).
SOUDERTON 1, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 0 (10 innings)
The hard-hitting Indians managed just four hits off South mound ace Hailey Warner, but with the international tiebreaker in effect, they manufactured a run in the 10th without so much as collecting a hit to earn the big win.
“It was so stressful, but we finally won it,” coach Steph Rummel said. “Warner did a great job. Striking 13 of us out was a little frustrating, but she did a great job.
“It just came down to who was going to execute better with the international tiebreaker, and it just went our way.”
The Indians received a nifty two-hit shutout from Erelle Sowers, who fanned five and walked three in the marathon.
“Oh my gosh, she really did step up for us,” Rummel said. “She was shutting them down, hitting her spots. She stayed strong the entire game.
“She actually had a no hitter going into the seventh with one walk. She did awesome. Our defense is really what won the game because we did shut them down with the bats.”
In the top of the 10th, Morgan Yoder laid down a sacrifice bunt, sending Katie Kehler – who opened the inning on second – to third base with one out. The strategy worked to perfection when Angie Carty lofted a fly ball to left that brought Kehler home with a run that turned out to be the game winner.
The Titans tried to replicate the Indians’ strategy, bunting their leadoff runner over to third with one out, but that’s when things went in a decidedly different direction. The next batter sent a two-hopper to shortstop Missy Wiley, who gunned down the late breaking South runner at the plate.
The game ended on yet another unorthodox play when the runner on first was gunned down by Amanda Brush trying to go from first to third on a single.
“She was out by 10 steps, and the game ended,” Rummel said.
The Indians (11-3, 9-2 SOL) have a two-game lead in the conference standings while the Titans are 9-4 in the league (10-7 overall).
Souderton 000 000 000 1-1
Central Bucks South 000 000 000 0-0
HATBORO-HORSHAM 8, QUAKERTOWN 6
The Hatters found themselves on the short end of a 6-5 score heading into the top of the seventh inning when they staged a comeback, plating three runs to earn the heartstopping win.
“There were really no big hits,” coach Joe DiFilippo said of the seventh. “It was just really good base running.”
Kaeli Simmons had a clutch RBI single to knock in the eighth run. The first two were without the benefit of a hit.
“Jayne Black scored the tying run, and when the first baseman dropped the ball, Daria Edwards (who walked) just kept going and scored the run to make it 7-6. Daria just did not want to let them lose.”
Jen Cader, whose grounder was misplayed, scored the Hatters’ eighth run.
“They did not want to lose,” DiFilippo said. “I give them credit. They’ve been through a heck of a year, and they just did not want to lose this game. I hope this turns the season around.
“I’ll you what – that Quakertown team is a good bunch of kids. They do not give up. They really don’t.”
Black was 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored. Cader was 2-for-4 with one RBI and two runs, and Simmons was 2-for-2 with one RBI. Meg Hallock was 2-for-4 with two runs.
For the Panthers, Tara Baglivo was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, and Meghan Klee was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
The Hatters are 7-6 in league play (8-6 overall) while the Panthers are 3-10 in the league (6-10 overall).
“We were done if we didn’t win this game,” DiFilippo said.
Hatboro-Horsham 201 110 3-8
Quakertown 110 310 0-6
NORTH PENN 10, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1
The Maidens scored four runs in the first and never looked back on their way to the win.
Erin Maher was 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Jackie Bilotti, Vicky Tumasz and Nicole Schussler were all 3-for-5. Tumasz had a game-high four RBIs while Schussler had a pair on a day that saw the Maidens pound out 15 hits.
West’s Angelina Refice was 2-for-3.
Jackie Bilotti earned the win, allowing six hits while striking out four.
The Maidens improved to 9-4 in league play (11-6) while the Bucks are 0-10 in the league (1-14 overall).
North Penn 410 122 0-10
Central Bucks West 100 000 0-1
National Conference
WILLIAM TENNENT 7, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0
Nikki Alden tossed a masterpiece to lead the Panthers to the big win. The senior mound ace took a perfect game into the seventh inning, but just one out away from perfection, the Panthers committed an error. It was the lone base runner of the game for the Golden Hawks as Alden – who struck out six and did not walk a batter – was in complete command while tossing a no hitter.
“It was a great performance,” coach Biz Keeny said. “She located the ball. She moved the ball up and down – her location was excellent.”
Alden also hit one of three home runs for the Panthers. Laura Petri had the game’s big blow – a grand slam in the third inning. She finished the day 2-for-3. Whitney Delagol, who also was 2-for-3, hit a two-run home run in a three-run fifth inning.
The Panthers collected seven hits, but this day belonged to Alden.
Tennent is 9-3 in league play (12-4 overall) while the Golden Hawks are 6-7 in the league (8-8 overall).
Council Rock South 000 000 0-0
William Tennent 004 300 x-7
BENSALEM 3, HARRY S TRUMAN 0
The Owls scored three runs in the bottom of the first and then rode the arm of junior Jackie Morell to the impressive win.
“It was a very quick game – it was over in less than an hour,” Bensalem coach Dan Schram said. “It was very good defense, no errors on either side. It was classic softball.”
Lauren Morell got things started with a single to lead off the first, and Carley Smith followed with an RBI triple. Smith raced home on Isabel Hansbury’s sacrifice fly to right field. Jenny Campbell singled, and Katelynn Reiss followed with a double, putting runners on second and third. The Owls led 3-0 when Campbell scored on a groundout by Tatyana Keshanech.
For Reiss, the Owls’ designated player, it was her 10th double of the season.
“She’s a really, really nice addition to the team,” Schram said. “She’s a wonderful young lady – an academic all-star in our school who is involved in everything. She’s just a very positive kid.
“When you serve as a designated player, you have to be very much of a team player. We couldn’t ask for a nicer young lady, and she’s really executed for us and really saved us on offense all year. It goes without saying how important she is.”
Morell tossed an impressive three-hit shutout, striking out six and walking one, and the Owls played some serious defense behind their junior ace.
“It was fantastic, right across the board,” Schram said. “Our first baseman, Chelsea Briggs, made an amazing play diving for a ball in foul territory.
“Truman must have hit seven, eight or maybe nine balls to right field, and Kelly Nolan fielded a bunch of balls cleanly. It was clean defense by both teams. Truman really came to play. Jess O’Neil pitched a good game.”
The Owls managed six hits off O’Neil.
“She did a nice job,” Schram said. “She settled down. After that first inning, she made some adjustments, and she had a lot of one-two-three innings.
“The teams are evenly matched. It was a really nice game to play.”
The Owls, who celebrated Senior Day, continued to work their magic at Ramblers Field.
“It was just a really clean softball game,” Schram said. “We have so much respect for Truman. It was really appropriate to have Senior Day because we got to reciprocate to Truman because we didn’t have a field last year, and they included us in their Senior Day, which was really a kind gesture.
“So it was nice to be able to give it back to them today. It was nice to get a win alongside it, but they were certainly a formidable opponent. Two good teams played good softball today. We just happened to get on the board first and held the lead.”
The Owls are 4-8 in league play (8-8 overall) while the Tigers are 5-7 in the league (6-10 overall).
Harry S Truman 000 000 0-0
Bensalem 300 000 x-3
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 3, NESHAMINY 2
Nicole Rounsaville hit a walk-off triple in the seventh, propelling the Indians to the electrifying win that keeps them alive in the hunt for a district playoff berth.
“It was awesome,” coach Hollie Woodard said. “For the girls, it was a big win. We are playing without our starting pitcher and number three hitter and one of our best hitters (Hannah Mumber).
“We have an excuse to put our heads down and die. My girls said, ‘No, absolutely not. We’re going to fight through this.’”
The game winner was set up when – with one out - Tatum Kelly was hit by a pitch. Bailey Bigler was retired on a fly ball to deep center, but Rounsaville delivered the game winner.
“Once Tatum came up to bat, I knew my run generators would come up,” Woodard said. “Bailey always helps us with RBIs, and Nicole is in the two spot because she hits the ball hard and does a really good job of getting RBIs.
“I figured with Bailey and Nicole something was going to happen. As soon as Tatum got on, I was like, ‘This is good for us.’ The momentum had shifted to us in the sixth, and when Amanda Camp went out to pitch in the top of the seventh, she just shut them down – three up, three down, which was sweet. You could tell that the girls felt they were going to win the game.”
The Redskins – who were led by the two-hit effort of Sam Offenback - took a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning when the Indians scored a pair to knot the score. Marketa Cruz led off with a single, and Marissa Gergel doubled, putting Indian runners on second and third. A safety squeeze by Amanda Camp plated Cruz. Gergel scored on a groundout to the right side, and it was a 2-2 game.
“We did some small ball stuff that helped us out,” Woodard said.
The Redskins held a 9-6 advantage in hits, but the Indians capitalized on their hits.
“We left nine runners on base,” Neshaminy coach Dave Chichiletti said. “The Council Rock North kid (Camp) didn’t walk anybody. They got hits when they needed to, and Neshaminy didn’t get hits when they needed to.
“Our pitcher (Jenny Rakita) threw well enough to win on most days. Just not today.”
Camp earned the important win for the Indians.
“Amanda Camp is just pitching outstanding for us,” Woodard said. “She’s getting it done offensively too. She put down a great sacrifice bunt that allowed us to score our first run and get us back in the game.
“She’s playing with a ton of heart, and the kids really have a lot of confidence in her.”
While the Redskins fell to 9-4 in the league (14-4 overall), the Indians evened their league mark at 6-6 (8-7 overall).
“When we lost to Bensalem, we said, this is it if we want to have a shot (at districts),” Woodard said. “I said we have to win straight out to get a shot.
“We still have two tough league games ahead of us against Truman and Council Rock South. In our league, anything can happen. We’re just trying to battle. We really want to get that playoff spot. We’re hoping when the seeding meeting comes, people will really take a look at the records and vote in our favor. We deserve to be there. We can hang with the best of them.”
Council Rock North 000 002 1-3
Neshaminy 101 000 0-2
PENNSBURY 11, ABINGTON 1 (5 innings)
There were offensive heroes galore for the Falcons in Thursday’s abbreviated five-inning game that saw the Falcons pound out 13 hits.
“Our kids really hit today,” McSherry said.
Marguerite Salamone was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Dani Litwin was 2-for-3 with a double. Toni Andress was 2-for-3 with one run scored. They also received remarkable production from an unexpected source as freshman Nikki Naylor was 2-for-2 with a triple, home run, six RBIs and two runs scored.
Naylor, who has been a designated hitter for much of the season, had a two-out, two-strike triple to plate a pair in a three-run second. In the fourth inning, she hit a three-run home run to center. For good measure, she walked with the bases loaded for her sixth RBI.
“She had a career day today,” said McSherry. “She crushed the ball over the center field fence.
“She’s so strong. She came through my middle school, and I watched her play volleyball. She was a rare eighth grade volleyball player that served overhand. She would serve overhand, and the kids on the other side of the net would move out of the way because it came so fast. She’s just so strong, but she’s raw. When she makes contact, it’s scary.”
The Ghosts had just three hits off winning hurler Casey Boltersdorf.
The Falcons (10-7, 10-3 SOL) will play their sixth game in seven days on Friday when they take on Conwell Egan. The Ghosts are 1-12 in league play (5-12 overall).
Abington 001 00-1
Pennsbury 031 52-11
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