Scott Huff recaps all of Thursday’s SOL action. To view photos of the CR North/Bensalem game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
By Scott Huff
The battle for second place in the Suburban One National Conference was waged between visiting Bensalem and host Council Rock North and it was the Owls (10-2) who soared to a 4-0 victory over the Indians (9-3).
“It was a big win for us, but we still have huge games to play against (first place) Council Rock South (11-1) and Neshaminy (7-5),” said Bensalem head coach Rick Lee. “We lost to North the last time (5-4), but we had our chances to win that game. Last time we didn’t capitalize on our chances, and this time we did.
“Zach Hizer has been great for us all season,” added Lee of his senior pitcher who is an astonishing 7-0 in conference play and allowed just four hits and struck out seven. “He doesn’t throw as hard as a lot of pitchers in this league, but he gets it done with great location and throwing to spots.”
Bensalem broke open a tight one-run game with a three-run fifth inning. Junior Zach Schwartz collected the biggest hit of the inning with a two-run single.
“We have to take care of our own business, and whatever happens, happens,” said Lee. “Our goal is to win out.”
Bensalem Owls 100 030 0 - 4 11 1
Council Rock North Indians 000 000 0 - 0 4 2
The Rest of the Story in the SOL National Conference
Council Rock South (11-1) remained alone at the top of the standings as the Golden Hawks defeated visiting Pennsbury (5-8) – 5-2.
Council Rock South will finish its suspended game with Council Rock North on Friday. The game was halted in the top of the fifth inning with CR South having a runner on second base and a 3-0 count on the batter.
Harry S Truman (3-10) scored six runs in the first inning as the Tigers gnawed visiting Neshaminy (7-5) – 8-4. HST rallied from a 3-0 first inning deficit.
It was the Shane Monahan Show for Truman as Monahan threw a complete game victory for the Tigers and helped his own cause with a three-hit, four RBI hitting performance.
Neshaminy Redskins 300 010 0 - 4 5 3
Truman Tigers 620 000 x - 8 6 3
Knights March to Key SOL Continental Conference Win
North Penn (7-4) kept itself mathematically alive in conference play as the Knights edged rival Souderton (5-5) – 2-1.
“Things are still wide open as far as making districts or even catching the two teams ahead of us in the standings,” said North Penn head coach Kevin Manero. “But things are simple for us – we have to win out. We can’t worry about the big picture, we have to worry about the game in front of us.”
North Penn will host Quakertown (2-9)on Friday, and then have the two leading teams in the conference back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday of next week. The Knights will host Hatboro-Horsham (10-2) and will play at Central Bucks West (9-3) to close out the conference schedule.
North Penn came up with a nifty ‘pitching by committee’ in the win over Souderton. Reed Shuttle threw the first three innings, Bryce Mengel threw three shutout innings, and Bobby Reddick closed the game with a shutout inning in the seventh inning. All in all, the Knights struck out 12 Indian hitters – six by Shuttle, four by Mengel, and two by Reddick.
“Our pitchers did a great job,” said Manero. “We have some big games coming up, and we are going to have to depend on all three of those pitchers.”
North Penn Knights 010 010 0 - 2 4 2
Souderton Indians 100 000 0 - 1 6 0
The Rest of the Story in the SOL Continental Conference
Hatboro-Horsham (10-2) kept a firm grasp on first place in the standings as the Hatters topped Central Bucks South (7-6) – 8-2.
Casey O’Donnell was in complete control for Hatboro-Horsham with a complete game effort. O’Donnell yielded just three hits and collected nine strikeouts.
Chris Hens exploded for a homerun and a double and drove home four runs for the Hatters. Tyler Zingle added two hits and an RBI for the winners.
Central Bucks South Titans 000 010 1 - 2 3 1
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters 203 120 x - 8 10 0
Central Bucks West (9-3) remained a single game behind Hatboro-Horsham in the standings as the Bucks captured a 3-0 victory over visiting Pennridge (4-8).
Marty Martens gained the win for the Bucks with a complete game – five-hit performance.
Pennridge Rams 000 000 0 - 0 5 1
Central Bucks West 100 020 x - 3 9 0
Quakertown (2-9) scored six runs in the fourth inning as the Panthers captured a 7-1 victory over visiting Central Bucks East (3-10).
Central Bucks East Patriots 001 000 0 - 1 4 2
Quakertown Panthers 100 600 x - 7 5 0
American Conference Remains in Knot
Upper Dublin (12-4) and Upper Moreland (12-4) remained in a dead heat in the SOL American Conference race as both the Flying Cardinals and Golden Bears won critical conference games.
Upper Dublin rallied from a 3-1 deficit as the Cardinals scored six times in the fifth inning in a 7-4 victory over visiting Plymouth Whitemarsh (9-7).
“We were hitting the ball hard the whole game, it was just a matter of those hard hits falling in,” said Upper Dublin head coach Ed Wall. “Plymouth Whitemarsh made some good plays in the field, but we were able to put together a big inning.”
The biggest hits in the Flying Cardinal fifth inning outbreak was a two-run triple by Andrew Yekel and a two-run double off the bat of Eric Goldstein. Dan Jacobsen improved his 2012 record to 7-1 with a complete game effort.
“Dan did an outstanding job, and we were able to come up with a couple of key double plays behind him,” said Wall. “He might not have had his best stuff today, but we gave us a complete game and a big win.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials 101 011 0 - 4 6 1
Upper Dublin Cardinals 100 060 x - 7 9 1
On Wednesday, Upper Moreland received a magnificent no-hit performance from sophomore Charlie Hooker as the Golden Bears clawed host Cheltenham (5-11) – 3-0.
“Charlie had good velocity on his fast ball and great location on his curve,” said Upper Moreland head coach Ernie Rehr. “Robert Knox made an absolutely amazing catch in the gap that would have broken the no-hitter, and we were able to make all the routine plays behind him.”
Upper Moreland scored all of its runs in the first inning. The Bears had a two-run single by Sean Valneza and an RBI delivered by Ryan Snyder. Snyder led the Upper Moreland offense with three hits. Hooker is now 5-0 for the season.
“Both us and Upper Dublin knows how this works for the rest of the season - win baseball games,” said Rehr. “We want to go out and win the last two games of the season, and we can’t focus on what Upper Dublin does in its games.”
Cheltenham Panthers 000 000 0 - 0 0 1
Upper Moreland Bears 300 000 x - 3 8 0
Upper Dublin will close out its conference season with a game @ Norristown (3-12) on Friday (5/11) and with a home game against Upper Merion (4-11) on Monday (5/14).
Upper Moreland will close out its conference season with a home date against Plymouth Whitemarsh (9-7) on Friday (5/11) and has an away contest @ Wissahickon (10-6) on Monday (5/14).
Cheltenham (6-11) had a wonderful outing thrown by starter John Craig as the Panthers clawed to a 5-1 victory over host Upper Merion (4-12).
Craig threw a complete game for Cheltenham and allowed no earned runs. Harry Rosenberg had a pair of RBI for the Panthers, while Brett Bernstein and Matt Myers each had solo RBI for the winners.
Cheltenham Panthers 031 001 0 - 5 8 2
Upper Merion Vikings 000 001 0 - 1 6 0
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