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Council Rock South 6, Bensalem 3 (8 innings)
The Golden Hawks have experienced their share of frustration this season, but that frustration was little more than a distant memory after Friday’s exhilarating win over the Owls in the league finale for both teams.
“The girls were so happy,” Rock South coach Mike Pacitti said. “It was a good reward for them because they have been working all year.
“They were bubbling. It was good to see that kind of enthusiasm.”
The game – scheduled as Bensalem’s home game – was played at Rock South’s field.
“They were gracious enough to do that,” Pacitti said. “They had a nice crowd, we had a nice crowd, and it was really nice to see the girls play in front of a good-sized softball crowd.
“They had smiles on their faces, and both teams were up against the fences. It was a shame there had to be a winner, to be honest with you.”
Pacitti gave freshman Becca Dougherty the starting nod on the mound, and she didn’t disappoint.
“She had pitched well against Pennsbury the day before – it was 10-0, but she did throw a lot of strikes,” the Golden Hawks’ coach said. “It was just nice to see her not get frustrated as a freshman going up against such a good team.
“I thought I would reward her and pitch her back-to-back. She definitely earned that, and she did a great job for us. Early in the game, she was a little high, but in games she’s pitched for us, she’s only gotten better over the course of the game. She threw a lot of strikes today, and we had some tremendous plays behind her, really just great plays.”
Freshman Maddie Reif had three putouts in left field.
“She’s very athletic, and one (catch) was an absolute extension in foul territory,” Macitti said.
Shortstop Courtney Brown turned a double play in the bottom of the seventh.
“She caught a line drive on a full extension over her head,” Macitti said. “She came up throwing and doubled the girl off of first.”
Meg Schaefer, who has done the majority of the pitching for the Golden Hawks this season, started in center field.
“She made two running grabs in the outfield,” Macitti said. “She’s playing out of position, but due to injuries, we had people moving around.”
Alexis Deal was slowed by an ankle injury but gutted it out for four innings behind the plate before moving to first for the remainder of the game.
“She played very well,” Macitti said. “She has a real bad ankle, but she’s so tough and is such a great teammate. I can’t say enough about her.”
The Golden Hawks’ coach also lauded second baseman Kristen Meihofer for making two diving plays at second base.
“We were moving around, making plays, and we didn’t throw the ball around,” Macitti said. “Everything they got they pretty much earned, which is all you can ask for.
“They beat us pretty good the first time around (14-8).)
The Owls took a 1-0 lead in the first, but the Golden Hawks answered with three in the fourth to go on top 3-1. The Owls came back to knot the score 3-3, setting the stage for extra innings.
“In the sixth inning with none out, I waved Sydney Brown around, and she got thrown out at home by Bensalem’s left fielder,” Macitti said. “It was a great play by their leftfielder - nice scoop, good throw - and a great tag by their catcher. It really wasn’t that close.”
In the top of the eighth, the Goldens Hawks received RBI singles from Sydney Brown and Meg Schaefer while Maddi Reif delivered an RBI triple.
Dougherty retired the Owls in the bottom of the inning, and the big win was in the books. According to Macitti, the tone for Friday’s game may have been set the preceding day against Pennsbury.
“Obviously, they’re a very good team, but we didn’t beat ourselves,” he said. “Their talent beat us, and that happens. We said – this is one of the best games we played.
“I don’t know if the girls bought into it a little bit, but we really pushed it.”
Bensalem and Rock South both closed out league play with identical 2-12 records.
Souderton 2, Central Bucks South 0
Courtney Hughes couldn’t help but smile when she thought of the modest goals her team had set for the season.
“We set goals that we thought would be hard to attain with what we had coming back,” the Indians’ coach said. “We have surpassed some of the goals we’ve set already.
“They’re going out there now and having fun because they know we’ve met our goals and now we’re exceeding expectations. We’re having fun.”
Fun hardly covers it for a Souderton squad that won its 10thgame in a row on Friday. Their most recent win put the Indians in a spot where – if a lot of things go their way – they could actually own a share of the conference crown.
“Coming into the season, we weren’t thinking co-champs,” senior Liz Parkins said. “We were hoping to split with North Penn, Hatboro and South, which we’ve done. We just wanted to make districts.”
The Indians – who did not earn a district berth last season – have ensured themselves a spot in districts this time around, and with one league game remaining, they find themselves in second place in the Continental Conference standings, just a game behind Hatboro-Horsham.
But no one was focusing on that after Friday’s win.
The Indians were simply enjoying their latest in what has been a long line of big wins.
“We knew this was going to be a monster week just because we knew who we were playing,” Hughes said. “These girls just stepped up without a doubt today.
“Liz (Parkins) just keeps bringing it, and the girls just keep stepping up more and more to match what she’s bringing. It’s one of those – set the bar, and everyone wants to work to jump over it.”
Parkins – who once again turned in a masterpiece - took a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh inning when Lauren Klepchick led off with a bloop single to right.
“Definitely, just throwing day after day keeps me in a groove,” Parkins said. “My defense has been stepping up lately, and I absolutely love it.
“I don’t have to have 16 strikeouts in a game because I know my defense is there behind me.”
That defense was on display in the seventh when shortstop Sarah Derstine snagged a ball up the middle and tug the bag for the inning’s first out. The second out came on a harmless popup, and the big win was in the books when Parkins collected her seventh strikeout of the game.
“We had some excellent defensive plays today,” Hughes said. “Meghan Weisel had a great (running) catch in center field and Corinne (Stiles) had a backhand of a hard-hit.
“Even in the last inning, Sarah (Derstine) played that ball up the middle between hops. We did it today with everything. We may not have had hits, but we put the ball in play. They’re just learning and getting better, and we’re really starting to hit our groove, which is exactly where we want to be at this point. We’re just coming together more and more as a team, and obviously, winning comes with that.”
South mound ace Fran Carrullo was matching Parkins pitch for pitch, allowing just two hits, but she didn’t have the defensive support of her counterpart.
The Indians capitalized on some uncharacteristically shaky defensive play by the Titans – who committed a pair of costly errors - to plate an unearned run in the first without so much as collecting a hit.
“That was huge,” Parkins said. “That definitely set the tone.”
According to coach Jenn Robinson, the Titans, 24 hours removed from an emotional loss to Hatboro, may have been a little flat.
“I said to them it looked like we were in slow motion,” the Titans’ coach said. “We made a lot of mistakes today.
“It just seemed there was an air of lethargy. I’m not even out there, and it’s tiring all the games we’re playing. It’s a lot, and it takes a toll. Hopefully, we can physically and mentally reset.”
A leadoff walk to Mollie Burrell in the fourth set the stage for Lauren Urbanski’s clutch two-out RBI single that spotted the Indians a 2-0 lead. That was more than enough for Parkins.
“We prepared for their best,” Hughes said. “Fran definitely had her stuff today. She pitched great.
“We saw that from the first inning on, and we were prepared to make the adjustments.”
Friday’s win came on the heels of an emotional 2-1 win over archrival North Penn that saw Lauren Urbanski deliver a two-run, walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.
“It’s just awesome,” Parkins said. “If feels great – two great days back-to-back against North Penn and CB South.
“In warm-ups today, we were a little bit slow, but we knew we had to carry over the energy from yesterday into today, especially after we scored in the first inning.”
“This team – I tell you what – they’re having fun, they’re playing together,” Hughes said. “The wins are happening because they don’t give up.”
While the Indians improved to 10-3 in league play, the Titans fell to 9-4.
“This is good preparation for the playoffs,” Robinson said. “We put the ball in play. Their shortstop (Derstine) played a heck of a game.
“They played good defense, and they didn’t make mistakes.”
And that was the difference between winning and losing on Friday.
Norristown 7, Central Bucks West 6
The Eagles found themselves staring at the short end of a 6-2 score heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but their offense exploded for five runs over the final two frames to earn the hard-fought non-league win.
“It was an awesome game,” coach Jon Kandrick said. “We fell apart in the sixth inning when they scored four runs. It wasn’t good. It wasn’t good at all.
“I brought them in and said, ‘Listen, we have to look past this and score some runs.’”
The Eagles – despite seeing Gabbie Berry get thrown out at second to open the sixth – capitalized on a couple of walks and base hits, and Gina Pellechio, who was on third base, scored the tying run on a passed ball.
“I didn’t see the ball get away from the catcher, but she was far enough up the line, and she saw it and scored,” Kandrick said.
In the top of the seventh, Sammi Kidd robbed Cassie Zanolini of extra bases with a catch going away of a line drive.
Berry led off the bottom of the seventh with a double, and after a pair of walks, the Eagles had the bases loaded with two outs, bringing Pellechio to the plate.
“She’s had a tough year and has not really produced as much this year,” Kandrick said. “She’s been in a huge hitting slump, and I called timeout and said, ‘Let’s go. This is your turn.’
“She went up and drew a full count, turned on the ball and hit a little blooper right over shortstop to win the game. It was exciting, a little too exciting for me.”
Berry led the Eagles offensively with three hits, including a double. Taylor Copestick had a pair of hits. Contributing one hit each were Stephanie ‘Sweat’ DiNolfi, Julia Santoro, Sammi Kidd, Pellechio and Brie Kennedy.
Kandrick credited the defensive efforts of Kidd, Copestick, Santoro and Berry.
The Eagles return to action on Monday when they will celebrate Senior Night when they take on Plymouth Whitemarsh at Norriton Recreation Complex at 6 p.m.
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