The SOL/BAL advanced to the semifinals of the 20th annual Carpenter Cup Classic in championship bracket play Monday. The team’s journey ended with a loss to Delaware South.
SOL/BAL 7, LEHIGH VALLEY 1 (Carpenter Cup Quarterfinal)
DELAWARE SOUTH 4, SOL/BAL 1 (Carpenter Cup Semifinal)
A successful run in the 20th annual Carpenter Cup Classic came to an end in the tournament semifinals Monday at FDR Park. The SOL/BAL won its quarterfinal game over Lehigh Valley before falling to Delaware South in the semifinals.
“The two teams that were left (Delaware South and Tri-Cape) are the two teams we lost to,” said head coach Mike Perez, who is the coach of Plymouth Whitemarsh. “We played them both tight. Today we had one rough inning with a couple of bounces that didn’t go our way. I told the girls I’m proud of them.”
In addition to battling their opponents Monday, the players had to deal with the sweltering heat.
“It was definitely hot, but we were hydrating constantly, and honestly, it wasn’t bad playing at 8 a.m. before the extreme heat,” Central Bucks East sophomore Hailey Helmstetter said. “Playing in the second game (at noon) was definitely rough. Even just standing around, you were sweating, and in the field, you were sweating. It was definitely a hot one.”
A key to the success of this year’s squad – according to Jenna Thompson - was the relationships the players developed.
“It’s really hard to get a group of 17 or so girls together for two practices and then jump on a field together,” the Pennsbury junior said. “There has to be chemistry and team building skills, and I feel like it’s hard to do that, but we all really connected from the first practice and had a good time.
“Once we got to the first day of Carpenter Cup, spending the whole day together, eating lunch together, we all just became really close and we gelled really well. Our relationship and our ability to work as a team – we built that in such a short time, and that really helped us.”
The team found a way to successfully blend its considerable talent despite many players finding themselves in new positions on the diamond.
“We really came together,” CB East sophomore Hailey Helmstetter said. “And we all bonded really well, and it seemed like we were playing together for a really long time even though most of us were playing with each other for the first time.”
Perez acknowledged that the team developed a remarkable camaraderie.
“I certainly didn’t do anything differently,” the PW coach said. “We had a tryout, we had two practices. We had good attendance at both practices, and that helps. That’s not always easy to do for Carpenter Cup.
“It took a couple games for the girls to get comfortable with each other. The cheers started to pick up, and usually when the cheers pick up, the smiles and laughter pick up, and they’re playing a little more loose.
“It’s hard in this unconventional style. The girls are used to being stars and playing full games and getting into a rhythm. It’s difficult when you have to mix 17 girls into a lineup. It’s not easy for them to get comfortable, but something happened in our third game (on Wednesday).”
Thompson and Helmstetter gave their first Carpenter Cup experience high marks.
“It was super, super fun,” Helmstetter said. “All the girls were super nice, super amazing and very talented obviously. It was definitely a good experience to have.
“I completely plan to do it next year. I had a great time. I love the coaches, love the girls that are going to come back next year and the girls that are juniors and can’t play next year. Even playing out of high school, if I run into one of their teams at a tournament, it will be like, ‘Hi, it’s nice to see you again.’ Just having those bonds in high school softball and then having them outside of high school softball is a really neat thing to have.”
“This was a 10 out of 10,” Thompson said. “For us to be able to come together the way we did and be such a good team and be great teammates to each other along with being great out on the field, I feel like that’s a major accomplishment.
“It will be great (next year) – I’ll have so many new friends to say ‘hi’ to after games, so many people to hug.”
Thompson will have a busy softball-filled summer. She is playing travel for Newtown Rock Gold Garvey. She will be travelling to Spain July 21-27 for the 18U European Championships as a member of Great Britain’s international team. In September she will be in Prague with the Great Britian women’s national team competing in the European Championships.
SOL/BAL 7, Lehigh Valley 1
The day couldn’t have started out much better for the SOL/BAL in its 8 a.m. game Monday. The squad put five runs on the board in the top of the first inning, an inning that was highlighted by a two-run double from PW sophomore Gia Bono and a two-run triple by Pennsbury junior Liv Czerniak.
“We got off to a hot start today – we scored five runs in the first inning,” Helmstetter said. “It pushed us and motivated us throughout the day – hey, we didn’t wake up super early for nothing. We have a chance to win this whole thing.”
The SOL/BAL added an unearned run in the top of the second when Pennsbury junior Jenna Thompson delivered a two-out, RBI single. Lehigh Valley put a run on the scoreboard in the third, but the SOL/BAL got that run back in the sixth when Thompson picked up her third hit of a productive game with a two-out RBI triple for the 7-1 final.
New Hope-Solebury sophomore Mabel Klossner notched the win in the circle, throwing four strong innings. She allowed four hits and one unearned run. Upper Dublin junior Kyla Garrison threw two scoreless innings, and Upper Moreland sophomore Delaney Stout tossed a scoreless inning to close out the game.
“We came out and scored five in the first inning, and the girls were rolling,” Perez said. “The pitching was great. It was a fun game.”
By the numbers: SOL/BAL: Pennsbury junior Jenna Thompson (3-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI, 1R), PW freshman Gia Bono (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI), CB East sophomore Hailey Helmstetter (1-for-2, 1RBI, 1R), Pennsbury junior Liv Czerniak (1-for-2, 3B, 2RBI)
New Hope-Solebury sophomore Mabel Klossner (W) (4.0 IP, 4H, 1R, 0ER, 2BB, 1K) (2B)
Upper Dublin junior Kyla Garrison (2.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 2K)
Upper Moreland sophomore Delaney Stout (1.0 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB)
Key inning: Top of first –With one out, CR North freshman Mia Kiskurno singled, and Klossner followed with a double. Both runners scored when Bono doubled to left field. Thompson singled, and then Helmstetter singled home a run. With two outs, Czerniak ripped a two-run triple to center field, giving the SOL/BAL a 5-0 lead.
SOL/BAL 510 001 0 7-10-2
Lehigh Valley 001 000 0 1-4-3
Delaware South 4, SOL/BAL
The SOL/BAL took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth only to see Delaware South answer with four runs in the bottom of the inning – only one of those runs was earned.
Pennsbury junior Liz Czerniak scored the SOL/BAL’s only run when – after roping a two-out triple – Bristol junior Amirah Bell singled to left field.
By the numbers: SOL/BAL: Pennsbury junior Liv Czerniak (3B, 1R)
Upper Dublin junior Kyla Garrison (4.0 IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 3K)
Bristol junior Brianna Slack (L) (0.2 IP, 4H, 4R, 1ER, 1BB)
New Hope-Solebury sophomore Mabel Klossner (1.1 IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K)
Key inning: Bottom of fifth: Trailing 1-0, Delaware South scored four runs. The inning began with an error and included a one-out walk, back-to-back singles, and a pair of two-out singles.
SOL/BAL 000 010 0 1-5-2
Delaware South 000 040 x 4-6-0
They said:
“I loved it so much, and I think the best part was getting to know everyone from all the different schools. I’m friends with so many girls that I probably would have never met if it weren’t for this experience, and I’m so lucky and grateful for this experience because I have a bunch of new best friends.”
--Pennsbury junior Jenna Thompson (Travel team: Newtown Rock Gold-Garvey)
“This was my first year doing this, and being the only one my from high school and even the whole (Colonial Division), it was definitely a good experience to play with girls from other teams that I don’t personally get to play that are in my division. It was a really cool experience playing with other girls who have very similar passions.
“Also, representing East – I think I’m the first person in a while that’s made the team, so just representing them – even though we didn’t do the best this year, I think it shows that even though you might not be on a good team, there are still good players.”
--Central Bucks East sophomore Hailey Helmstetter (Finch’s Aces out of Flemington, New Jersey)
"This carpenter cup team was a very fun experience for me because I got to know a lot of the people I play against and make new friends."
--Upper Dublin junior Kyla Garrison (Philadelphia Spirit)
“After our last game, I said to the girls that it was the most fun I’ve had, and they said – ‘You probably say that every year,’ and I said that I do. I have more fun every year that I do it. This was a great group of girls. There were no egos. They enjoyed each other. Travel softball helps – some of them play each other on weekends. They know of each other. Social media allows them to experience each other a little bit more. They really did mesh well.”
--Plymouth Whitemarsh & SOL/BAL coach Mike Perez
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