National Conference
Youth serves Falcons well – The Falcons are off to a 5-1 start, 3-0 in league play, and they are doing it with a whole lot of young players. Six sophomores are in Pennsbury’s starting lineup, and their contributions loom large, especially in light of the fact that senior Savanna Grantham went down with a knee injury.
Two of the six – Mackenzie Obert and Jess Greenewald – played as freshmen, but the remaining four are newcomers to the varsity level.
“There’s a certain amount of jelling that needs to occur, and these kids are really playing well,” coach Frank McSherry said. “These kids are players, there’s no doubt about it.”
Val Buehler has taken over mound duties for the Falcons, Michelle George is playing right field and Christina Bascara is playing third base.
“Pancho Micir, who works with our ninth grade team, told us last year that Christina Bascara was the best hitter he’s ever coached since Kat Welch,” McSherry said of his former star who was named the 2005 Southeastern PA Player of the Year by the Inquirer and went on to play at Princeton. “You can’t say anything more than that – Kat Welch was the best hitter we have ever coached.”
With the loss of Grantham, McSherry inserted a sixth sophomore – Suzanne Swanicke - into the lineup at first base.
“Gosh, she is a player,” the Falcons’ coach said of Swanicke.
If you haven’t figured it out yet, the Falcons’ entire infield – with the exception of senior D’Anna Devine behind the plate – is comprised of sophomores with Obert at short, Greenewald at second, Bascara at third, Swanicke at first and Buehler on the mound.
“It’s really exciting, and what’s really cool is the fact that D’Anna Devine is there and, of course Savanna,” said McSherry, going on to credit his veterans. “Savanna can’t give much help on the field, but she is certainly at every practice and game.
“Kelsi Bunda is the best, and there’s also Danielle Fox. They have really, really led these kids. They have shown them how. We talk a lot about legacies, and these seniors are certainly leaving theirs behind.”
McSherry is big on things like legacy, and he draws on a book he received from Micir several years ago about legendary Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski.
“One of the things coach always talked about is showing the other kids what it’s like to be part of a program and leaving their stamp and leaving their legacy,” McSherry said. “I have talked to the kids about it, and they’re so good. They buy in, and they really are showing the kids the way.”
The Falcons are coming off a 5-2 win over Truman on Friday. They trailed 2-0 heading into the sixth inning when they received consecutive hits from Devine, Bascara, Obert (2 RBIs) and Greenewald (RBI) to plate three runs. They tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh to remain perfect in league play.
Continental Conference
How about them Panthers? – There was a time not all that long ago when teams viewed a game against Quakertown as something close to an automatic win. Those days are a thing of the past. Take away the Panthers’ 10-0 loss to Central Bucks South, and the Panthers have been competitive in every game this season.
“That was pretty much the only game we fell apart,” coach Rich Scott said. “Not making excuses, but my number one pitcher (Justyna Pepkowski) was sick. She pitched, but I could tell she didn’t have her best stuff. I kind of struggled with leaving her in there, but she’s a gutsy player, and she hung in there.”
Despite the Panthers’ improved play, it’s a safe bet there weren’t too many people who expected the Panthers to upend an undefeated North Penn squad last Friday that was 24 hours removed from knocking Central Bucks South from the ranks of the undefeated.
But that's exactly what happened as the Panthers pulled off the 4-1 upset to earn their first win of the season.
“This means a lot,” Scott said. “It helps knowing they can beat these top teams.
“It was a total team effort. They all played well.”
Friday’s big win didn’t just happen. The Lady Panthers – whose fortunes began to change last year under coach Cari Mathaei – have worked hard in the offseason.
“We had open gyms since early fall,” said Scott, an assistant under Mathaei who is filling in while she is on maternity leave. “They know that every game is challenging, and they’re a very, very good group of kids who have bonded well together.
“They play hard, they practice hard, and they understand that it takes hard work in this league. They’re doing the best they can. I told them, ‘Give me your best effort. If we don’t win on that, at least I know you’ve given your best effort.’”
The heart and soul of the Panthers is senior pitcher Justyna Pepkowski, who allowed just five hits in the win over North Penn.
“She’s so determined to win, and she wants to win so badly,” Scott said. “When you have that kind of leadership - that’s so important.
“Our third baseman Steph Zischang is a senior, and she is rock solid at third. These girls have been there. It’s just a matter of maturing some and believing. They have to have confidence they can win. I know they can win. They have to believe they can win.”
The addition of a key freshman – Maddie Mulhall – has also helped the Panthers elevate their play. Scott had Mulhall behind the plate to open the season but moved her to shortstop when his regular shortstop hurt her arm.
“She’s a get-down-and-dirty type of player,” Scott said of Mulhall. “She dove for a foul ball (against North Penn) and caught it – flat out dove for it going full speed.
“When others see that, it’s like, ‘Wow, I have to do better too.’ She does it in practice too and makes the other players we have do the same.”
This year’s team also boasts a much improved outfield.
“Not that last year’s outfield was bad, but this year if the ball is hit to the outfield, I have every confidence we will catch it, especially my centerfielder,” Scott said of centerfielder Courtney Derstine. “She missed some games last year with a leg injury, and she wasn’t 100 percent.
“She’s 100 percent this year, and every ball hit out there, I feel as though she’s going to get it.”
Things don’t get any easier for the Panthers this week. They will face a lineup that includes Central Bucks East, Hatboro-Horsham, Central Bucks West and Souderton.
“It’s going to be a real test to see where they go and how they respond,” Scott said. “I believe they know they can compete. Every position has a solid player who is capable of making the plays.
“It’s just a matter of hitting the pitcher – getting on base and scoring runs. I feel as though our defense is good enough to keep us in games and help us win games. It’s a matter of hitting and getting on base.”
A perfect pair – Looking for a pair of players who complement each other perfectly? Look no further than Souderton’s pitching staff where seniors Liz Parkins and Brittany Beebe are sharing duties and making it look easy.
“It’s great,” Parkins said. “We’re always there for each other, picking each other up. If one of us is having a rough day, we can count on each other to be there and pick each other up.”
When Parkins pitches, Beebe plays first base, and when Beebe is on the mound, Parkins plays third.
“They are just really working together well,” coach Courtney Hughes said. “They don’t care what has to happen in order for the team to win.
“Brit is willing to play first base in order for the team to win, Liz is willing to play third base in order for the team to win, and both of them love being in the circle, and they want the ball every time. It’s really neat to see they’re working together and the dynamics between the two girls. They’ve grown a lot together.”
In Friday’s 7-0 win over Pennridge, Parkins was close to perfect on the mound, allowing just two hits while fanning 15. Beebe, a rock solid first baseman, was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles and two RBIs.
It doesn’t get much better than that.
“Brit is hitting fifth right now – she started lower, but she has worked her way up,” Hughes said. “She’s just been hitting, and she’s one of my best hitters. She definitely has my best average right now.
“Liz hits right behind her, and they’re both very positive. They’re both different, which is cool. I’m proud of the way they’re handling their situation and making it easy for our team.”
For Beebe, the key to success at the plate is simple.
“When I’m up to bat, I’ll look for a first pitch strike and go after it, so I don’t fall behind in the count,” Beebe said.
Friday’s win over Pennridge was an example of teamwork at its very best.
“Today Brit with the bat – she really helped me out,” Parkins said.
“When she’s on the mound, she does her job,” Beebe said. “She had 15 strikeouts today.
“We’re always ready for her on the field – if any balls actually come on the field. Today they had what – one hit?”
“We just feed off one another,” Parkins said.
Parkins attributed her success in Friday’s win, in part, to the effectiveness of her rise, but it was more than that.
“Mollie (Burrell) does a great job calling the game,” Parkins said of her batterymate. “She knows what I like to throw, and she knows what’s working. Everything clicks.”
“I agree,” Beebe said. “Molly is really good at calling pitches.”
Friday’s win over the Rams evened the Indians’ mark in SOL play at 2-2 (3-2 overall).
“We needed this,” Hughes said. “We just need to get on a roll, and it was nice to play Pennridge and get the game in and just start to get those bats going.”
American Conference
Colonials have high hopes – Dana Moyer would be the first to admit that her stint at the helm at PW after three years as an assistant didn’t exactly get off to a rousing start. The Colonials dropped a pair of non-league games by a combined 25-0 score to open their season against Hatboro-Horsham and Pennsbury.
“That was the thing I struggled with because I never expect to lose,” the first-year coach said. “I never like losing, and I certainly don’t like losing by that much.
“Knowing the travel schedule the girls on those teams play – we have two girls who play a competitive summer schedule, I knew we had our work cut out for us.”
Moyer knows a thing or two about winning. She was a four-year starting catcher on a Methacton squad that won four straight league titles.
“We had a lot of girls on my Methacton team that played travel,” the 1992 Methacton grad said. “I think that was why we had such a great kind of dynasty at Methacton because we all played really competitive travel ball, so we were really lucky in that respect.
“Now there are five travel teams in every township. Back then there were maybe five travel teams in the tri-state area, so we were playing all over the place.”
Moyer went on to earn a scholarship to St. Joseph’s University and then returned to Hawk Hill to coach the Hawks, first as a grad assistant for three years and five years as an assistant under her dad, Moo Moyer.
She has been teaching at PW for five years and has been on the sidelines almost as long, and it didn’t take Moyer long to put her team’s early-season losses in perspective.
“Looking back at it – it helps ready the girls for the season, and I can swallow it a little bit better,” she said. “At the time, it’s hard.
“I know the scores don’t show it, but our girls went out and they swung the bats. They had great eyes at the plate, they had some great at-bats, and I can’t ask for anything more. We made a lot of mistakes in the field. The freshmen didn’t make the mistakes, but we made freshman mistakes defensively. We tended to lose focus when things weren’t going well, and when it rained, it poured.”
Moyer’s post-game talks – or post-game shows, as she calls them – don’t happen immediately after the game but instead take place the next day.
“That’s one thing I took from Dick Server,” she said of the long-time PW coach. “I don’t really talk to them after the game. I wait a day and let it simmer and really collect what I want to say.
“After those games, I’m glad I had that extra day. We discussed with them that those were (two) really tough teams that we were playing, but they went up there and swung their bats and were aggressive.”
The Colonials have taken that approach into league play where they have notched a pair of wins, defeating Upper Moreland (4-0) and Upper Dublin (13-1).
Setting the tone for the Colonials is her lead-off batter – freshman Rachel Konowal.
“She really drives the team,” Moyer said. “If she gets on, she’s speedy, she’s extremely versatile, and above everything else, she’s a great kid.
“When she gets on, she really drives our offense and can do a lot of different things. She’s really dangerous on the base paths.”
Junior Kerri-Anne Ciesielka brings versatility to the number two hole in PW’s batting order.
“She also is really versatile,” Moyer said.
Ciesielka and junior Jen Lurty are soccer players who came out for softball since soccer moved to the fall.
“Those soccer girls are fast, and you can’t teach that,” Moyer said.
At the heart of PW’s batting order are veterans Tori Barattucci and senior captain Alexa Borkowski, who anchors the Colonials behind the plate. Sophomore Corinne Watson plays shortstop and also gives PW a big bat.
“She has a great arm and she knows the game,” Moyer said of Watson. “That’s one of the things we’re trying to instill in the girls early that they need to be students of the game, and I think they’re really starting to grasp that.
“I think we have a pretty good lineup one through nine. Hitting-wise, I don’t think we have an out.”
Pitcher Erica Miller hits from both sides of the plate and can slap or hit away. Gabby Stamler can also be counted on to give Miller a break on the mound.
Talk to Moyer, and she believes her team can play with the conference’s top squads.
“I haven’t seen Norristown play, but I have seen Wissahickon,” she said. “(Katie Ziegler) is obviously a nice pitcher, and she can hit the ball wherever you put it.
“I think if we do our homework and do what we need to do at practice to gear up for those games, I absolutely think our girls can compete. I know we can swing the bats, but it’s defensively making sure we’re focused and we’re truly being students of the game and we’re ready for every pitch and every play.”
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