Check out all of Thursday’s SOL baseball results.
PENNSBURY 6, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 4
The Falcons exploded for five fourth inning runs, erasing a 3-0 deficit and taking a lead they would not lose on their way to the impressive win in their league opener on Thursday.
The Indians used a three-run home run by Tyler Callendar in the third inning to go on top 3-0. The Falcons capitalized on four hits, two errors and a walk to plate their five runs in the fourth. Rock North made it a 5-4 game with a single run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Falcons tacked on an insurance run in the sixth for the 6-4 final.
"The monkey on our back has been losing close games," coach Joe Pesci said. "We've talked about that.
"Last year, after those three runs, we would have been done. The game would have been over, and the fact that we scored five the next inning to come back and then when they scored a run, we put another one on the board - it shows the competitiveness of the team and the aggressiveness and the will to win you can't teach. You can hope you can influence kids to be motivated and competitive, but it was great for them to be able to play like that."
Brandon Garrett earned the win on the mound, scattering five hits while fanning 10 and walking none in a standout performance. He hit two batters.
"Our goal is for him to really get ahead because last year he had some deep counts, and we would have to pull him out in the fifth or sixth inning because his pitch count was too high," Pesci said. "With the exception of the one pitch on a three-and-one count when he threw a fast ball, he threw a great game.
"He's our number one pitcher, and he has a great arm, but the thing that separates him is his competitiveness. I think this year the kids are taking on his personality. Attitude reflects leadership. Obviously, the coaches do what they can, but when you see the players doing it, it's hard for the kids to ignore it. They want to follow the good players.
"We also have Joe Sabatino, who's a lefty. He got some experience last year, and he'll be throwing Tuesday against Bensalem."
Garrett also helped his own cause with an RBI. Pennsbury’s Zach Szumigala had a huge day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a single. He also reached base on an error and had two RBIs.
"Zach's a sophomore, and he got one at-bat last year," Pesci said. "This year we put him in the two hole because we knew he was a solid hitter.
"Even though he's a sophomore with inexperience, we knew he swung the bat well, and if we get our leadoff runner on, he's able to put some bunts down. That's what he did against CB East - he had had two sacrifice bunts and a double."
Ben Herring also had an RBI for the Falcons.
Tyler Perry accounted for two of Rock North’s five hits, finishing the day 2-for-3.
The Falcons are 2-0 overall (1-0 SOL) while the Indians are 0-2 (0-1 SOL).
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 2, QUAKERTOWN 0
Mike Whalon was in complete command in the mound, allowing just two hits and facing three batters over the minimum to lead the Colonials (1-2) to their first win of the season. He fanned nine and walked two.
“We have three lefthanders that we look at as our one, two and three,” coach Chris Manero said. “We don’t really know where each one is yet, but he started our first game against Pottsgrove and really had no command of the strike zone for the first inning. He walked four guys in the first inning.
“We have high expectations for him, and today he really did everything that we hope he can do. He really pounded the strike zone. He only walked two guys, and it wasn’t an easy strike zone today. If he can do this consistently, it will be really big for us.”
The Colonials scored the only runs Whalon would need when they plated two in the second, thanks to an RBI single by Jimmy Benedict and Jordan Mitchell’s RBI groundout. The Colonials managed just three hits in Thursday’s win and have struggled to put runs on the board in the season’s opening week.
“We only have three guys in our lineup that really even played varsity last year,” Manero said. “It’s one of those things where we know the guys need to get their feet wet. They need to see varsity pitching, and we’re hoping as we go along and they get a little more comfortable, the offense will certainly improve.
“We like our pitching, but I learned last summer with the American Legion team – we had great pitching, but you still have to hit at least a little bit. Even if you want to play small ball, you have to hit.
“(Abington) bunted four times against us yesterday. They only scored four runs, but three of them they scored on safety squeezes. If you want to play small ball, you still have to get guys on base.”
For the Panthers, Alex Dyer led off the game with an infield single, and their only other hit was a fourth inning single by Mark Repsher. Justin Hughes absorbed the loss on the mound.
The Panthers are 0-1 while the Colonials are 1-2.
“This time of year with the weather – a lot of teams are having a hard time getting games in,” Manero said. “We were very lucky to get two scrimmages and three nonleague games in.
“We open up the league with Upper Moreland, which is always at the top of the pack. In order to be ready for that and to hit that sprint, these games are definitely important. It’s important for us as coaches to see where we want to put guys in the lineup, but playing today - especially since we had originally been postponed - was really a big help.”
Quakertown 000 000 0 0-2-1
Plymouth Whitemarsh 020 000 x 2-3-1
PENNRIDGE 4, SOUTHERN LEHIGH 1
The Rams scored three runs in the fourth inning, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead. They added an insurance run in the seventh.
Evan Myers earned the win on the mound while Jason Prasse was credited with a save in an afternoon contest played at Limeport. Southern Lehigh managed just four hits off the duo.
The Rams – who had only five hits of their own – received base hits from Dan Shane (RBI), Dave Tatoian (RBI), Mike Kacergis (RBI) Myers and Josh Apple. Ben Schweitzer and Aaron Herndon each contributed one RBI.
The Rams are 2-0 on the season.
Pennridge 000 300 1 4-5-0
Southern Lehigh 000 000 0 1-4-0
HARRY S TRUMAN 2, UPPER MERION 0
Shane Monahan tossed a two-hit shutout in six innings on the mound to lead the Tigers to a win in Thursday’s classic pitcher’s dual. Monahan helped his own cause with a double and the game-winning RBI.
Upper Merion’s Adam Bradway threw a gem of his own and would have been a winner on most days, allowing just two hits, but the Tigers plate a run in the second and another run in the third to earn the win.
The Vikings were unable to capitalize on eight walks handed out by Truman’s pitchers and stranded 10 base runners. Carmen Fortino accounted for both of Upper Merion’s hits and also had a walk, reaching base on 3-of-4 trips to the plate.
Upper Merion000 000 0 0-2-1
Harry S Truman 011 000 x 2-2-2
HAZLETON 8, NORTH PENN 6 (9 innings)
The Knights rallied from a 5-3 deficit to take a 6-5 lead only to watch Hazleton come back to knot the score with a single run in the top of the seventh. The Cougars, who held a 13-9 advantage in hits, plated a pair of unearned runs in the top of the ninth to earn the nonleague win.
Eddie Posavec was the lone North Penn player to collect multiple hits, finishing the day 3-for-4 with a triple and home run. Brady West delivered a home run for the Knights.
Dylan Borawski worked five solid innings on the mound for the Knights, scattering four hits and allowing just one run while striking our four and walking one.
The Knights are 0-1.
Hazleton 113 000 102 8-13-2
North Penn 102 012 000 6-9-2
METHACTON 4, HATBORO-HORSHAM 3
The Hatters jumped out to an early lead with a three-run outburst in the third inning of Thursday night’s game at Disney’s Wide World of Sports, but the Warriors answered with a single run in the fourth and won it with a three-run sixth inning.
Hatboro hurler Zach Prendergast, who has signed with Seton Hall, struck out 13 in 5.1 innings on the mound, allowing three hits and three runs – just one earned. Through three innings, Prendergast fanned nine and allowed just one base runner, and that came on a walk.
Grant Opalisky (2-for-3, 2 RBIs) and Chris Naiberk (2-for-3, double) led the Hatters’ offense.
Reed Hofstrander earned the win for Methacton in relief while Tyler Markovic absorbed the loss for the Hatters.
Methacton 000 103 0 4-4-3
Hatboro-Horsham 003 000 0 3-5-3
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 8, ST. JOE’S PREP 3
NESHAMINY 11, UPPER MORELAND 1
Evan Mulholland, Cole Creighton and Jeff Hyjurick threw well for the Redskins, combining to allow just one run on four hits. Creighton, Tom Kreiling, Sean Urdris and Ryan Sheplock all scored two runs for the Redskins, who improved to 2-0. The Golden Bears are 1-1.
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