Making history.
Central Bucks South continued to rewrite the history books on Tuesday when the Titans downed defending district champion Owen J. Roberts 9-4 to earn a spot in the district title game for the first time in the program’s history.
The Titans, the tournament’s third-seeded team, will face eighth-seeded Spring-Ford in Thursday’s title game at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School. The upstart Rams are fresh off a 3-0 upset of fourth-seeded Pennsbury and before that knocked top-seeded Downingtown West out of the tournament.
Spring-Ford’s only two losses of the season came at the hands of none other than Owen J. Roberts – the first by an 8-4 score and the second by an 8-7 count.
The Rams have been riding the strong arm of pitcher Mandi Rush, who has thrown back-to-back shutouts and boasts four shutouts in the last five games. The lone run Rush has allowed in the playoffs came in the Rams’ 7-1 win over Norristown in the opening round. The Eagles managed just two hits in that game.
The Titans will go after Rush with a lineup that is anchored by a trio of outstanding freshmen – Haileigh Stocks, Morgan Decker and Lauren Klepchick, who bat three, four and five respectively.
Coach Jenn Robinson – who has a pair of standouts on the mound as well in Devon Utterback and Francesca Carrullo – will have a simple message for her players before they take on the Rams.
“I’m just going to tell them that no matter what – they’re winners,” she said. “They’re stepping up, and they want to do it for each other.
“I really do think that we have the ability to win this game. With what we have going for ourselves and what we have been doing and the momentum we have built to this point – I just have so much confidence in them.”
Tuesday’s big win over OJR was preceded by a bus trip that turned into a bit of a nightmare – the bus got lost and arrived at the field two hours and 15 minutes after leaving South.
“That's why I was so worried,” Robinson said. “We have done so much stuff to get mentally prepared, and that kind of thing can throw you, but the girls were great.
“They weren’t complaining, they didn’t let it bother them. Internally, I was beside myself, but I was trying to be very calm and reassuring.”
The Wildcats plated a first inning run, but the Titans answered with three in the second. Taylre Stocks delivered an RBI double to plate the first run of the game.
The two teams exchanged runs in the third with the Titans scoring a single run in the top of the frame, and the Wildcats responding with two in the bottom to make it a 4-3 game.
The Titans all but sealed the Wildcats’ fate with a four-run fourth inning, and if there was a pivotal at-bat in the game, it came with two outs, the bases loaded and Lauren Klepchick at the plate. The freshman catcher fought off several two-strike pitches and singled up the middle. Two runs crossed the plate, putting the Titans on top 7-4.
“She kept fouling them off, fouling them off,” Robinson said. “Finally, she threw an outside pitch, and Lauren drove it up the middle for a single that brought it home for us.
“Bases loaded with two outs – that’s the easiest time for a batter to choke. She just hung in there and got a great hit.”
Klepchick, who reached base on all four at-bats, was 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
Utterback notched the win on the mound, striking out five and walking two in four innings. Carrullo worked the final three innings, fanning two and walking one.
Wildcat mound ace Kelly Schymanski – who allowed just three hits in last year’s 5-0 win over the Titans – fanned four in four and two-thirds innings before being taken out of the game.
“The name of the game is we didn’t swing at balls she threw,” Robinson said. “That’s why we lost last year – we swung at pitches we shouldn’t have swung at, and she’s such a good pitcher.”
The Wildcats helped South’s cause by committing seven errors. It is the second consecutive game that South’s opponent has had that many miscues.
For Robinson, earning a spot in the district title games evoked a sea of emotions.
“After the game, I didn’t even feel like I knew how to react – I was so elated by the experience,” she said. “When I was a senior in high school, I was on the runner-up (Council Rock) team in districts. I didn’t have a very integral role, but I was very excited, and I have the medal that says we were district runner-up.
“It almost feels like I barely remember that, but after yesterday’s game, I was swelling with pride. I was completely overwhelmed that we were here. To have my team go out and do what they’re doing, I don’t even have words to describe how great the feeling is to be on such a positive wave. It’s such a great experience, and I’m so thankful to be a part of it.”
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