PHILADELPHIA – Maggie Creciun is a veteran of Carpenter Cup play.
The Norristown junior recently completed her third straight year of competing in the annual all-star softball classic sponsored by the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I love this every year,” Creciun said. “You go to high school for four years, and you see the same people.
“It’s really nice to make new friends. It’s just a good way to experience new people from different schools.”
Creciun and her SOL American-Continental squad teammates not only had a whole lot of fun getting to know each other, they also made some waves by finishing third out of the 16-team field. Not bad for a team that lost its second game of the double elimination tournament last Thursday and had to win four straight on Monday to stay alive.
“We really began to bond yesterday,” North Penn junior Alyssa Campbell said of the SOL’s run through the loser’s bracket. “I’m really proud of how well we did.
“Coming into the tournament, we didn’t expect to get this far, but we did great.”
The SOL’s magical run through the tournament came to an end when the American-Continental squad fell to Delaware South 5-0 in Tuesday’s semifinal. Delaware South went on to down previously undefeated Berks County twice to capture the tournament crown, but no one was complaining about a third-place finish.
“It was absolutely outstanding,” said Upper Dublin coach Heather Boyer, the head coach of the SOL. “These kids are obviously the best of their high school teams, and when you put 16 talented kids together, they can’t play seven innings, they all can’t start, so it can be a little bit of a humbling experience.
“You need kids who are willing to do (what’s) best for the benefit of the team. We had kids that are outstanding catchers playing outfield spots, like (North Penn’s) Miranda Sergas. You have (Upper Dublin’s) Amy McCaffrey, who is also an outstanding catcher, playing first base just to put the best competitive team out there. They all stepped aside from their own personal agendas, and I’m very proud of them for the way they handled it. Not one of them had selfish motives at all.”
The SOL American-Continental squad was the talk of the tournament after rolling to four straight wins – which included a forfeit win - on Monday. Creciun acknowledged that the unselfishness of the players was a key to that remarkable run.
“It was hard, especially losing the first day and knowing if you lose again you’re out,” the Norristown junior said. “This team regardless that we played against each other all year – everyone got along. Nobody had problems.
“We all supported each other and did what we had to do to support the team. Most people here are all shortstops or all centerfielders because those are the best players on the team, but nobody complained about playing other positions. It was never about any one person.”
In Tuesday’s semifinal game, the SOL could not come up with the big hit, although it had plenty of chances to get back in the game after Delaware South plated an unearned run to go on top 1-0 in the third inning.
In the fifth, North Penn’s Christie Mallozzi lined a one-out double over third. She would get no further than second as the next two batters were retired on strikes.
In the sixth, the stage was set for yet another SOL late-game rally. Campbell led off with a line single to center, and Creciun followed with a perfectly-placed bunt single. A controversial called third strike for the inning’s first out took some of the momentum out of the rally but not for long.
Things got real interesting when Norristown’s Shari Lynne Kluth laid down a bunt single to load the bases, but that’s where the rally ended. The second out was recorded on a popup to short, and the inning ended when a line drive into the right center field gap by Central Bucks East’s Robyn Ziegler was tracked down by the centerfielder for the inning’s final out.
Delaware South plated four runs in the top of the seventh – all unearned - to seal the win.
“Yesterday, we just kept winning, and it was like, ‘We really have a shot at this now,’” Campbell said. “We were really excited today.
“We had runners on, but I think we just got a little too anxious. We were trying to get big hits, and we just needed them on the ground to make something happen.”
“Everybody battled hard,” Creciun added. “We had our one chance when we had the bases loaded. We just couldn’t get a break.
“Coming in third out of 16 teams is a big accomplishment.”
Making the SOL American-Continental squad’s strong showing even more impressive was the fact that some of the conference’s top squads were not represented.
“Going into the tournament, we as coaches didn’t know how well we would do,” said North Penn coach Rick Torresani , who along with Norristown coach Jon Kandrick assisted Boyer. “We didn’t get the players we thought we would get out, and it’s a shame because of the atmosphere and the fun.
“It was just a great time. These kids battled, and they became a team. They all worked together, they all pulled for each other, and I have to hand it to them. Talent-wise were we the best team? Maybe not, but they played like the best team. I am so proud of them. They played great and represented our conference well.”
And in the span of a week, the SOL American-Continental went from being 16 individual players to a cohesive team.
“We all feel like a travel team already,” McCaffrey said. “Everything we have done - it feels like we’ve played together for a while.
“Coming in today we had a good attitude, but we just didn’t come through today.”
The SOL American-Continental squad once again received solid pitching. North Penn’s Kellianna Bradstreet allowed two hits while striking out nine and walking none in four superb innings. Ziegler worked the final three innings.
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