The SOL National/Bicentennial and SOL American/Continental squads were victorious on the first day of Carpenter Cup play on Sunday. To view photos of the SOL American/Continental game against Delaware North, please visit the Photo Gallery.
PHILADELPHIA – To the casual observer, there was nothing particularly unusual about the pair of tosses from the SOL American/Continental’s first baseman to the pitcher covering the bag for putouts in the top of the third inning of Sunday’s Carpenter Cup game against Delaware North.
To those familiar with the lanky first baseman, it was something pretty close to amazing. Ricky Dennis - who teamed with Bobby Wittemann to anchor a pitching staff that propelled Central Bucks South to a District One AAAA title - was pressed into emergency duty at first base for a shorthanded SOL American/Continental squad that was minus its Hatboro-Horsham contingent since the Hatters are in the state tournament.
“Watching a kid like Ricky Dennis come in and do that - he’s got a story for life,” said Upper Moreland coach Ernie Rehr, who shared head coaching duties with Upper Dublin coach Ed Wall. “That’s something he’s going to be able to tell the kids he coaches someday.
“When we told him he was going to start at first, he looked like a deer in headlights, but he made every play. He did everything right.”
Dennis also seized the opportunity to get some rare swings at the plate, contributing a screaming RBI single to center that was misplayed into a three-base error. It was all part of a seven-run uprising in the bottom of the second that paved the way for the SOL American/Continental’s 9-5 win over Delaware North.
“It’s just a great time,” Dennis said. “You get to know kids – you’ve seen them play and played against them, and just getting to know them and forming a chemistry with them, it’s a great time. You’re out there having fun.”
The Carpenter Cup also affords players an opportunity to be seen by college coaches. The stands behind home plate included more than a few coaches diligently taking notes during the game.
“You’re out here having fun, but it’s pretty important to put on a good show for the scouts,” Dennis said. “You want to prove you can play at the collegiate level.”
Dennis showed his versatility as did more than a few SOL American/Continental players who were forced to play new positions. Despite a make-shift lineup, the squad had just one error to five for Delaware North.
With only three available arms, the SOL American/Continental got good mileage out of its pitchers. Central Bucks East’s Blair Killough threw the first three innings and earned the win, allowing a pair of runs. North Penn junior Bryce Mengel followed with three no-hit innings.
“They key is to get ahead of the batters so you leave them off-balance,” Mengel said. “You can throw anything, and they won’t know what’s coming.”
“Bryce settled the whole game down,” Rehr said. “But I also have to give credit to (Blair) Killough. We got a nice double play, and after that, he really settled in nicely.
“I give a lot of credit to our pitchers in general. I told them, ‘You don’t have an option. You have to throw three innings.’ We didn’t have anybody else, and they really stepped up.”
Central Bucks West’s Marty Martens tossed the final three innings to close it out, allowing three runs – only one earned.
“If any one of our guys had a tough outing, especially at the end – Marty Martens knows he can’t be relieved at all,” Rehr said. “There’s no one that could possibly come in, so just having that pressure on you and not letting it faze you is pretty good.”
Delaware North took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but that lead was a distant memory after the SOL American/Continental exploded for seven runs in its half of the second.
Methacton senior Joey Casselberry, who was a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI, got his first of two hits in the inning when he led off with a single up the middle. Methacton teammate Trip Hagner followed with a single to left, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. A walk to Central Bucks South’s Jon Mullin loaded the bases.
Methacton’s Clayton Harwick drew a walk that sent the tying run across the plate, and then it was Central Bucks East’s Ben Hauser singling to left to plate the go-ahead run.
Hatboro-Horsham’s Grant Opalinsky, the team’s designated hitter, lofted a sacrifice fly to center. An error allowed another run to cross the plate, and when Central Bucks South’s Will Foy roped an RBI triple to deep right, the SOL American/Continental led 5-1, and they weren’t finished yet.
Dennis circled the bases when his RBI single was misplayed, putting the SOL American Continental on top 7-1.
“That was huge,” Upper Moreland junior Robert Knox said of the big inning. “I think it settled everyone down. It was easier for guys going in. They didn’t feel like they had to do too much.”
Delaware North got one of those runs back in the top of the third, but then Mengel stepped onto the mound, silencing their bats for the next three innings.
“That’s huge,” Dennis said. “After having that big inning, to have Bryce come in a shut the door, it gives you confidence in your team.”
“It was good to have him come in and stop the momentum,” Dennis said of Mengel. “They put some runs up early, but he was big – he stopped their whole momentum offensively.”
While it might be easy to lose focus on a hot day with your team holding a commanding lead, Mengel said that wasn’t the case.
“Once you know you’re going to be pitching, you kind of dial in, and it’s just like an ordinary game,” the North Penn junior said. “It’s just more fun.”
The SOL American/Continental tacked on a run in the fourth. Souderton’s Corey Capaldi got things started with a one-out double to right, and he scored when Casselberry delivered a two-out single.
In the sixth inning, Knox, who doubled later in the game, singled to lead off the frame and immediately stole second. He eventually scored on an error to give the SOL American/Continental a 9-2 lead on its way to the big win.
“It’s a lot of fun to have 20 really talented guys, the best from our area, on your team,” Knox said. “Everyone can hit. It keeps things going, and it’s a good time.
“You have scouts here, and you want to impress and do the best you can. It’s nerveracking, but it’s good exposure.”
The SOL American/Continental returns to action on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. when they will face the winner of Monday’s Olympic Colonial/Tri-Cape contest. One win separates the squad from a trip to Citizens Bank Park for Sunday’s semifinal round.
“That’s what you’re playing for here,” Dennis said. “That’s your main goal here – you want to get to the Bank.”
“To play in a professional stadium – that’s doesn’t happen very often,” Mengel said. “I’ll try to do the best I can to get there.”
DELAWARE NORTH (5) – Tyler Williams cf 2 1 1 0; Jake Fraley ph/cf 3 0 0 0; Novak 3b 1 0 0 0; Grant Lamberton 3 0 0 0; Dan Klusman dh 3 1 2 1; Kyle Menchaca ph/dh 1 1 1 1; John Lynn c 2 0 2 0; Adrian Chinnery c 3 0 1 0; Calvin Scott lf 2 0 1 1; Chuck Brooks lf 3 0 2 1; Alec Hoeschel 1b 2 0 1 0; Lonnie Funderburk 3 0 0 0; Austin Niggebrugge ss 1 0 0 0; Mike Anone ph/ss 3 0 1 0; David Summerfield rf 1 0 0 0; Dan Shea rf 1 0 0 0; Przykylek ph/rf 2 1 1 0; Chad Bell 2b 1 0 0 0; Brad Nowell 1 1 0 0; Austin Barr p 0 0 0 0; Mike Cipolia p 0 0 0 0; Pete Grasso 0 0 0 0; DJ Mayers p 0 0 0 0. TOTALS 38 5 13 4.
SOL AMERICAN/CONTINENTAL (9) – Tyler Kirkpatrick rf 2 1 0 0; Robert Knox rf 3 1 2 0; Will Foy cf 2 1 1 1; Corey Capaldi 2 1 1 0; Ricky Dennis 1b 2 1 1 1; JT Crits 1b 2 0 0 0; Joey Casselberry 3b 3 1 3 1; Jesse Kohler 1 0 0 0; Trip Hagner 2 1 1 0; Matt Meyers ss 1 0 0 0; Jon Mullins lf 1 1 0 0; Ryan Clow lf 2 0 2 0; Clayton Harwick c 0 0 0 1; Eddie Posavec c 2 0 1 0; Ben Hauser 2b 3 1 1 1; Luke Felix 2b 1 0 0 0; Grant Opalisky dh 2 0 0 1; Zach Prendergast dh 1 0 0 0; Blair Killough p 0 0 0 0; Bryce Mengel p 0 0 0 0; Marty Martens 0 0 0 0. TOTALS 32 9 13 6.
Delaware North 101 000 201 – 5-13-5
SOL American/Continental 070 101 00x – 9-13-1
E-Delaware North 5, SOL American/Continental 1. LOB-DelNorth 10, SOLAmer/Cont 5. 2B-Robert Knox, Corey Capaldi, Ryan Clow. 3B-Will Foy. DP-DelNorth 3, SOLAmer/Cont 1. SF-Menchaca, Opalisky. SB-Williams, Hoeschel, Knox.
Delaware North IP H R ER BB SO
Austin Barr (L) 1.0 3 4 3 2 0
Mike Cipolia 2.1 4 4 2 1 2
Pete Grasso 3.0 4 1 1 1 1
DJ Mayers 1.2 2 0 0 0 1
SOL American/Continental IP H R ER BB SO
Blair Killough (W) 3.0 7 2 2 0 0
Bryce Mengel 3.0 0 0 0 1 1
Marty Martens 3.0 6 3 1 1 3
WP-Barr, Cipolia. HBP-Killough (Novak), Cipolia (Hagner)
SOL NATIONAL/BICENTENNIAL 9, JERSEY SHORE 7
The SOL National/Bicentennial got off to a good start in Sunday’s Carpenter Cup opener, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Harry S. Truman senior David Blount, who was a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored out of the leadoff spot, got things started with a double to right. Council Rock North junior Max German, who also had three hits, followed with an RBI single up the middle. William Tennent junior Brandon DiBona reached base on a fielder’s choice, and Pennsbury senior Paul Gosselin was hit by a pitch. A walk loaded the bases, and Bristol’s Kelvin Ortiz delivered the inning’s big blow, a three-run double to right to put his team on top 4-0.
Jersey Shore got three of those runs back in the bottom of the inning and went on top 5-4 after a two-run third. The SOL National/BAL knotted the score in the fourth. Highlights of the inning included singles by German and DiBona and a sacrifice fly by Gosselin.
In the fifth, the SOL National/Bicentennial tacked on a pair of runs to go on top 7-6.
Jersey Shore answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to knot the score, but the SOL National/BAL won it with a pair of runs in the sixth. Neshaminy sophomore Cole Creighton walked to open the inning, and Bensalem’s Eric Rudd was safe on an error. Creighton scored on a passed ball, and a second run crossed the plate when Council Rock North’s Chris Ender delivered a sacrifice fly that put the SOL National/BAL on top 9-7.
Pennsbury’s Brandon Garrett got the start. Although Calvary Christian’s Tyler Scheuer earned the win, Neshaminy’s Justin Andrews had the best outing of the day, allowing two hits while fanning four in three scoreless innings in relief.
The SOL National/Bicentennial will return to action on Thursday at 9 a.m. when they will face Chester County.
SOL NATIONAL/BICENTENNIAL (9) – David Blount rf 3 2 3 0; Tim Quigg 1 0 0 0; Max German 2b 4 0 3 1; Zach Hizer 1 0 0 0; Brandon DiBona cf 3 1 1 0; Cole Creighton rf 1 1 1 0; Paul Gosselin 3b 0 1 0 1; Eric Rudd 3b 2 1 0 0; Kris Bornholdt dh 2 1 0 0; Dylan Evert ss 3 1 2 0; Mike Wasserleben ss 2 0 0 0; Kelvin Ortiz c 3 1 2 4; Chris Ender ph/c 1 0 0 1; Harry Daut 1b 2 0 0 0; Kevin Teta ph/1b 3 0 0 0; Max Vido lf 2 0 0 0; Sean Coughlin ph/lf 1 0 0 1; Brandon Garrett p 0 0 0 0; Tyler Scheuer p 0 0 0 0; Justin Andrews p 0 0 0 0; Anthony Scafidi p 0 0 0 0. TOTALS 35 9 12 8.
JERSEY SHORRE (7) – Kyle Murphy lf 3 2 2 0; Jack Busch lf 2 0 0 0; Tim Rogers dh/ph 3 1 0 1; Chris Reynolds dh 1 0 1 0; Matt Kleinstein c 3 1 0 0; Anthony Santoro c 2 0 0 0; Nick Leggett rf 3 0 1 1; Scott Duncan rf 2 0 1 0; Mike Rescigno 3b 2 1 1 1; Luke Cahill 3b 0 0 0 0; Dan Sweeney cf 2 2 2 1; Ron Marinaccio cf 2 0 0 0; Ben Helmes 1b 2 0 0 0; James Burke 1b 3 0 0 0; Angel Garced ss 3 0 1 1; RJ Devish ss 1 0 0 0; Brian Lamboy 2b 3 0 1 0; Ryan Macfarlane 2b 1 0 1 0; Harry Paytas p 0 0 0 0; Kyle Driscoll p 0 0 0 0; John Leiter p 0 0 0 0; Alex Daniele p 0 0 0 0; Brian Cottrell p 0 0 0 0; Howie Brey p 0 0 0 0. TOTALS 38 7 11 5.
SOL National/Bicentennial 400 122 000 – 9-12-4
Jersey Shore 302 110 000 – 7-11-2
E-SOL National/Bicentennial 3, Jersey Shore 2. LOB-SOLNat/BAL 8, JerseyShore 9. 2B-David Blount, Dylan Evert, Kelvin Ortiz, Kyle Murphy. 3B-Chris Reynolds, Mike Rescigno. SF-Gosselin, Ender, Coughlin, Rescigno. SB-Creighton, Evert, Sweeney 2, Garced 2. DP-SOLNat/BAL 1.
SOL National/Bicentennial IP H R ER BB SO
Brandon Garrett 2.1 5 5 4 2 1
Tyler Scheuer (W) 2.2 3 2 2 0 1
Justin Andrews 3.0 2 0 0 0 4
Anthony Scafidi 1.0 1 0 0 2 3
Jersey Shore
Harry Paytas 1.0 3 4 4 1 0
Kyle Driscoll 3.0 5 1 1 2 4
John Leiter (L) 1.0 3 2 2 0 0
Alex Daniele 0.0 0 2 0 2 0
Brian Cottrell 2.0 0 0 0 0 2
Howie Brey 2.0 1 0 0 0 3
WP-Garrett, Scheuer 2, Leiter. HBP-Paytas (Gosselin).
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