To view action photos of the Neshaminy/Easton game, please visit the photo gallery by clicking on the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
Four SOL teams earned berths in the PIAA Class AAAA Tournament. Hatboro-Horsham (1-1), Pennsbury (1-2), Neshaminy (1-3) and Souderton (1-5) all picked up wins, which means four of the eight teams still standing in Class AAAA are from the SOL.
“That’s league pride,” Neshaminy coach Dave Chichilitti said. “There’s a sense of league pride. We’re proud of our league. We know we play in a great league.”
At least one team – Souderton or Pennsbury – is assured a spot in the state semifinal since the two SOL schools will do battle in Thursday’s quarterfinal round. Hatboro-Horsham will take on District 4 champion Williamsport while Neshaminy will face District 7 champion Latrobe.
#1-3 Neshaminy 12, #11-1 Easton 0 (5 innings)
ALLENTOWN - The Redskins had a good feeling about Monday night’s game before they ever set foot on the field at Patriots Park. That good feeling turned out to be well-founded.
“We stopped at Wawa on the way to the game, and for us, we don’t get long bus rides like that, and as a team, we really came together,” senior Brianna Guidos said. “We knew we had to come in with spirit and show we wanted this.
“I think we showed that we wanted it more than they did. We had next to a perfect warm-up, and it’s rare that we have that. Everything just came together in this game, and hopefully, it will stay like that throughout the playoffs.”
If their warm-up was close to perfection, things only got better when the game got underway.
The player known simply as ‘Q’ was in complete command on the mound for the Redskins. Sophomore Lauren Quense tossed a no-hitter in a contest that was halted after five innings because of the mercy rule. She fanned six, walked a pair and made it look very easy.
“I just focus every pitch, every inning,” she said. “I try to hit my spots the best I can.
“I have a solid defense behind me and my catcher (Julia McGovern) was awesome. She really knows how to frame pitches, and from the get-go, I was throwing hard, hoping for the best.”
“We see how much stronger she is when we’re getting runs for her,” senior Courtney Clee said of Quense.
The Redskins – who pounded out 13 hits in five innings – scored plenty of runs for Quense, who also had a big day at the plate, contributing a double and a team-high four RBIs.
The sophomore hurler had plenty of help. Guidos was a near perfect 3-for-4 while Clee, who bats leadoff, reached base on all four trips to the plate, scoring three runs and contributing a pair of hits. Laura Altenburger was 2-for-3.
“What really got us started was our warm-ups,” Clee said. “We noticed right from the beginning that they were down. They weren’t really talking, and we made sure that we were, that we were pumped up, and I think that’s what helped us get going.”
The Redskins had things going their way from the outset. Clee was safe on an error to lead off the first, and she immediately stole second. The speedy second baseman moved up to third on Diana Lapalombara’s sacrifice bunt and then beat the throw to the plate with a nifty hook slide on Quense’s sharp grounder to the infield.
Without so much as collecting a hit, the Redskins led 1-0.
“It’s very important when Courtney gets on,” Quense said. “It really sets the tone for the team to know that our leadoff batter can do basically anything. It’s really hard to defend her.”
Altenburger’s single to left center plated a second run, and the Redskins led 2-0 before the Red Rovers ever came to the plate.
“That’s always big,” Quense said. “To have that boost and to have that extra momentum going into the next inning is what really helps us stay on top.”
“Once we get those runs, it comes easy for us,” Guidos added. “When we don’t come out strong, it’s hard for us to get that velocity in the game. It’s nice to have those runs to fall back on.”
The Redskins added a pair of insurance runs in the second when Quense – with the bases loaded and two outs – ripped a double to the fence in left center, plating a pair and putting the Redskins on top 4-0.
Altenburger ignited a five-run third with a booming double to deep center. Guidos and Clee (RBI) also contributed singles.
In the fourth inning, McGovern lined a single to left to open the inning, and Guidos followed with a ground single. Carly Coleman’s single to right plated a run, and Clee and Lapalombara also contributed RBI single as the Redskins opened up a 12-0 lead.
“We came out today and played exceptionally well,” coach Dave Chichilitti said. “It started in the first inning with our bats. I was waiting for our bats to wake up for a little while now. I had a funny feeling today was going to be the day. Courtney set the tone by getting on. We got some runs for Quense. When she gets runs like that, Quense is hard to beat.”
Chichilitti credited Central Bucks South coach Jenn Robinson – whose team downed Easton 12-2 in six innings early in the season – for giving him a good scouting report, and the Redskins’ first-year coach acknowledged that he knew this team could be something special.
“I told myself and I told this team - the first time I met them I knew there was enough talent in this room to take a nice long trip,” Chichilitti said. “I still believe in that, and they believe in that, which is more important.
“If we continue to play like this, we’re going to continue to win.”
The Redskins will be taking another road trip on Thursday when they will take on District 7 champion Latrobe, a 1-0 winner over State College in an opening round game on Monday.
“We have always been looking forward to this,” Guidos said. “Some of us have been here since our freshman year, and we were hoping for this.
“We thought we would have it last year, and obviously, it didn’t work out when we lost to Owen J. Roberts (in the second round). We had redemption with them, and it’s like the stars have aligned just perfect for our senior year to end like this.”
#1-5 Souderton 2, #3-1 Central Dauphin 1 (8 innings)
Taylor Henry – Central Dauphin’s junior pitching phenom - has made a verbal commitment to play softball for the University of Pittsburgh. Liz Parkins is signed, sealed and soon-to-be delivered to Shippensburg University.
Monday’s opening round game pitting the two standouts figured to be a pitcher’s duel.
It was, but it wasn’t the big-name pitcher who had the edge.
Instead, it was Parkins taking a no-hitter into the fourth inning of Tuesday’s state opener against Central Dauphin. During that same span, the Indians – although they had not gotten on the scoreboard - had six hits off Henry.
“We had runners on second with less than two outs but couldn’t get the big hit, we had runners on second and third with two outs, and we couldn’t get anything to squeeze through,” coach Courtney Hughes said. “I had heard a lot about their pitcher, and I know their third baseman and shortstop are going to Lock Haven.
“The girls know that people really didn’t expect us to win that game, and they just went out wanting it all. They’re just having fun proving people wrong and being a surprise. It’s been a storybook season.”
Parkins took a one-hit shutout into the eighth inning when the Indians finally got on the scoreboard.
Mollie Burrell – who had a pair of hits – led off the inning with a single, and when courtesy runner Amanda Brush beat the throw to second on Liz Parkins’ hit-and-run grounder, the Indians had a pair of runners on board with none out. Brittany Beebe followed with a sacrifice bunt, and the bases were loaded with none out after Brush beat the throw to third by Central Dauphin’s first baseman.
One out later, freshman Haley DeLany lofted a sacrifice fly that plated Brush, and with Emily Groves at the plate and two outs, a second run crossed the plate on a passed ball.
The Indians needed both of those runs as the Rams didn’t go down quietly, capitalizing on an error as well as a pair of singles to plate a single run. With a pair of runners on board and one out, Parkins coaxed a pop foul to third baseman Lauren Urbanski for the inning’s second out and closed out the game on a foul popup to Burrell.
“Today was a fun day just because she didn’t have to throw as many pitches,” Hughes said. “There was one inning where she threw three pitches and was out of the inning.
“She is just stepping up day after day and getting better and better as the season goes along, evolving as a pitcher and staying strong in those tough moments. Her toughness and strength in the eighth inning when they had runners on first and second – the girls feed off of that. Right now we’re jelling better and getting ourselves together better because of what she’s doing.”
Talk to Parkins, and it’s hard to tell what exactly she’s enjoying most about this magical season – the wins or the time spent with her teammates.
“With the time we spend together, every day we get closer and closer, and with that, we just play better too,” she said.
Parkins, who was 2-for-3 at the plate, allowed just three hits while striking out seven and walking one.
“Their girl was a University of Pitt signee – she’s their Liz Parkins out there,” Hughes said. “It’s so neat because our Liz Parkins headed the ship.
“I just look at that – it’s about time. Someone is putting a name out there for our school.”
Parkins received an assist from her defense in Monday’s win.
“Sarah Derstine played lights out at short,” Hughes said. “She had a couple of great plays.
“Brittany Beebe had a play in the hole at first. We definitely played defense today. We did have two errors, but both were on hard-hit balls.”
The Indians would have had plenty of excuses to lose – the long bus ride to Lebanon Valley College, for starters, and the not-so-little matter of facing a formidable opponent in Henry and the District 3 champion Rams. Instead, they opted to enjoy the day trip and accepted the challenge of facing one of the state’s top pitchers.
“We stopped for lunch at Subway on the way out, and we were eating and having a good time,” Parkins said. “When we got there, we were just in awe. The stadium was just gorgeous, and none of us had ever played on a college field before.
“During warm-ups, we just tried to focus. There was another game going on, so that helped us get in the game mode. In the first inning, we had several hits, and that definitely was a confidence booster knowing we could hit her. Everything worked well today even though we had a couple of errors.”
Parkins hadn’t really considered the implications of her team’s upset of Central Dauphin or the fact that her squad – thanks to Monday’s win – was one of eight teams still standing in Class AAAA. Four are from the SOL.
“Oh my gosh, I didn’t even consider that,” the Indians’ senior captain said. “I just excited to have won and keep going.
“This just proves how tough our league is, and it’s been a huge help playing teams like Central Bucks South and Hatboro – teams that we have struggled to beat but ended up beating this year. Just playing those close games and fighting through to the finish – it builds our stamina, it builds our confidence. Now getting into states, it’s prepared us so well.”
The Indians – thanks to their huge opening round upset – have earned a date with district runner-up Pennsbury in Thursday’s state quarterfinals. The players, according to Hughes, are just enjoying the ride.
“This is such a fun group of girls,” the Indians’ coach said. “There’s such good, positive energy.
“They really genuinely have fun being around each other. They feed each other, and everyone wants it. From the beginning to the end of the game, our dugout was crazy loud, and they came up in the first inning and got on this pitcher we’d heard so much about. They got the job done. I was really happy with how they came out today. There were no scared or worried expressions. We said before the game - no one believes in who we are, and we just want to show people what we’re capable of. Also, we want the season to keep going because we’re having so much fun.”
#1-1 Hatboro-Horsham 6, #3-3 Governor Mifflin 5
Governor Mifflin entered district play with a 12-7 record, the 18th seed out of 20 teams in the District 3 Tournament, but the Mustangs developed the hot hand during the district tournament, winning four of five games which included an upset of second-seeded Daniel Boone.
Still, many assumed this would be an easy game for the district champions. The Hatters quickly found out otherwise.
“What a terrible draw this was,” coach Joe DiFilippo said. “That team was like a Souderton.
“Everybody I talked to said that only one, two, three and four could hit. I want to tell you something – every one of those kids could hit. All the scouting reports I got – they were nothing like that. Their number eight hitter hit a ball that hit the fence in the air at Spring-Ford.”
The Mustangs served early notice that they would be a team to contend with, stranding five runners in the first two innings of a scoreless game.
“We knew they had a couple of good players, but they had a lot of really good hitters,” senior Melissa Spinosa said. “We were a little surprised, but we just pulled together.
“We were prepared, but we weren’t expecting them to be as good as they were.”
In the third inning, the Hatters put three runs on the scoreboard. The first run crossed the plate when Danielle DiFilippo was safe on an error, and two more runners came home when Val Sadowl delivered a clutch two-run single.
The Mustangs got one of those back in the fourth inning and then added three more in the fifth to go on top 4-3.
“I was a little nervous,” Spinosa admitted. “But we all had faith in each other and had confidence that we would come back and win it.
“We all just wanted it so bad that I knew we could do it.”
In the bottom of the sixth, Heather Lutz was safe on an error, and Jackie DiPietro drew a walk. Spinosa delivered the game’s big blow - a two-run double to put the Hatters on top 5-4.
That lead was anything but secure, and the Mustangs – thanks to a solo home run by pitcher Jess Epler – knotted the score in the top of the seventh.
“We decided to pitch to her once, and she hit a home run,” DiFilippo said.
Epler’s home run came just when it looked as though the Hatters had regained momentum.
“We had just had an inning where we’d scored a couple of runs,” Spinosa said. “Then we were back to the beginning again – we were tied again.
“We came together the next inning, and we knew what we had to do. We all were pumped up, and we did what we had to do.”
The Hatters received an assist from the Mustangs, who committed back-to-back errors that allowed Sadowl and Kelsey Koelzer to reach base, setting the stage for pitcher Maggie Shaffer to deliver the game-winning RBI single.
“You know what – they don’t give up,” DiFilippo said of his players. “They don’t give up.
“That was a very good team. That was not a good team to draw in the first round.”
Shaffer, in addition to delivering the game-winning hit, also notched the win on the mound.
“It was exciting,” Spinosa said. “Even though this was the first round of states, I think this is going to help us in our next game that we had a tough game our first game when other teams didn’t have tough games. I think it will help us as we get deeper in the state playoffs.”
Hatboro will take on District 4 champion Williamsport in a quarterfinal game on Thursday. The Millionaires, who collected the game’s lone hit, defeated Spring-Ford 1-0 in an opening round game on Monday.
#1-2 Pennsbury 12, #12-2 Northeast 2 (5 innings)
District 12’s second place team proved to be no match for the Falcons in Monday’s opening round of the state tournament.
Coach Frank McSherry used the game as an opportunity to give playing time to 17 players. Sophomore hurler Val Buehler fanned six of nine batters she faced and had a perfect game through three innings when the veteran coach opted to give sophomore Taylor Boltersdorf – who threw for the jayvee this season – some varsity action. Northeast managed a pair of runs off Boltersdorf, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Falcons’ from bringing a halt to the game in the fifth inning when the mercy rule went into effect.
Christina Bascara had a multiple-hit game for the Falcons while Mackenzie Obert had a triple.
The Falcons will face Souderton, the district’s fifth place team, in Thursday’s quarterfinal round.
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