Check out Monday’s SOL softball results. To view photos of the CB West/Hatboro game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Continental Conference
HARRY S TRUMAN 6, WILLIAM TENNENT 4
The Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead and then survived a Panther rally as well as the loss of starting pitcher Caitlin Brasier to defeat a red hot Tennent squad that is battling for a playoff spot.
“We talked about it going into the game that our playoff chances are over, but other teams are trying to get in, and your job as a team is to do your best and see what happens,” coach Gretchen Cammiso said. “We have Bensalem on Wednesday who is also in the hunt to get into the playoffs.”
Earlier this season, the Panthers defeated the Tigers 6-1 in a contest that saw Truman manage just one hit off Tennent ace Nikki Alden.
Bridget Hunt exceeded her entire team’s offensive output in that game with a pair of hits on Monday. One of those hits – a three-run blast in the fourth inning – put the Tigers on top 5-0. The Panthers made things interesting with a four-run outburst in the fourth to make it a 5-4 game. A highlight of the inning was a shot to deep right field by Kaitlyn O’Toole that cleared the fence but could have been an out.
“Our rightfielder was going back for the ball, and the sun was right in her eyes,” Cammiso said. “The ball was in her glove, and it popped out and went over the fence.”
Whether a home run or four-base error, O’Toole’s blast made things interesting. The Tigers tacked on an insurance run in the seventh.
The Tigers had a scare in the fourth inning when Brasier was hit by a line drive off the bat of Alden.
“Luckily, it glanced off of her glove, and that was enough to deflect it,” Cammiso said. “It was a rocket, and we thought it was a direct hit.”
Brasier - who, according to Cammiso, was okay except for a bump on her forehead - was replaced by sophomore leftfielder Jess O’Neil, who allowed just one hit in three strong innings in relief.
“Jess had maybe 10 pitches to warm up when she came into the game, but she did a great job,” Cammiso said. “The girls came to play today, which is kind of different than what we have done in some games.
“It was a clean game, it was a close game, and for them to come out on the winning end was really good.”
Ebony Auten was 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Tigers.
Alden, who allowed just five hits, fanned 11.
The Tigers are 4-9 in league (4-12 overall) while the Panthers are 6-7 in league play (8-9 overall).
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 12, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 2
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 5, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 4
The Titans moved one step closer to clinching a share of the Continental Conference title, notching their second one-run win of the season over the Patriots. Both teams entered the game with identical 9-3 records in league play.
“This was a huge game for us,” said senior pitcher Kristyn Marinelli, who earned the win. “We came in knowing the huge opportunity on the line. It’s one of the biggest games we have had, especially with what’s at stake, so winning this game was special for us.”
With the win, the Titans are one-half game behind Hatboro-Horsham, which locked up a share of the conference title on Monday with a win over CB West in its conference finale. A win over Souderton on Wednesday would give the Titans a share of the crown.
“I think the most exciting part is we’re shocking everybody,” Marinelli said. “That’s almost sweeter than when you’re expected to win.
“Obviously, last year we had expectations, and that was great, but coming in with lower expectations and knowing we had to work hard, it’s even sweeter that we can come out and shock everybody.”
A pair of underclassmen came up big for the Titans. Sophomore Maddie Decker knotted the score 3-3 with her solo home run over the center field fence in the fourth inning.
“The home run really wasn’t my plan,” Decker said. “I was just trying to get a hit, and the home run was definitely a bonus.”
In the bottom of the sixth, it was sophomore Hope Darreff fighting off one pitch after another and delivering a double to left center that plated the go-ahead run. An insurance run crossed the plate on a wild pitch, and that run loomed large when the Patriots scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh.
“Especially Hope – and even Maddie too – sometimes they need a confidence boost,” Marinelli said. “We tell them to go up there and have confidence, and they came up big today. Timely hits are what you need. They happened to be the ones up, and they delivered.”
Decker also was involved in one of the game’s more interesting plays in the top of the seventh. With a Patriot runner on second and one out, Julia Schoenewald lined a single to center that plated a run, and when Decker threw home after taking the relay from center, Schoenewald broke for second. South catcher Sammi Myers fired a strike to Decker, who made the tag for the inning’s second out.
“As soon as I threw it home, I heard the entire crowd go, ‘No,’ but we ended up getting her out at second which kind of took the pressure off of me a little bit,” Decker said. “I was definitely relieved.”
Marinelli retired the next batter she faced, and the big win was in the books for the Titans.
Decker finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 while Darreff was 2-for-3. Hallie Bilker was 2-for-4.
“Bilker doubled early on and had two hits, but we really didn’t get a lot from the top of our lineup” coach Dan Hayes said. “But the bottom of our order and our young kids just stepped up big, which is really nice to see.
“This was really big. If we don’t win today, Wednesday’s game doesn’t mean too much. They’re a tough club. They swing the bats and hit the ball. It was another close game.”
Brady Tillotson and Jess Haug led the Patriots with two hits each.
While the Patriots fell to 9-4 in the league (13-4 overall), the Titans improved to 10-3 in the league (13-5 overall).
NORTH PENN 11, PENNRIDGE 5
Coach Rick Torresani gave his team a mandate heading into the final week of the regular season.
“I told the girls we needed to win our last three games in order to get into districts,” the Maidens’ coach said. “I felt we needed to get 12 wins, and we needed to get to .500 in our league.”
The Maidens did just that, capping a three-game winning streak with Monday’s no-doubt-about-it win over the Lady Rams.
“We were still struggling four games ago against Hatboro,” Torresani said of his team’s 11-5 loss to the Hatters. “This was really the first day I was able to put out the starting lineup that we had from last year in full and healthy.”
Back in the lineup was cleanup hitter Vicky Tumasz after a stint on the DL with a pulled hamstring. Becky Christoffers returned after a two-and-a-half week absence with a concussion, and designated player Alyssa Shoulberg was back after being sidelined for two weeks with a concussion as well.
Michelle Holweger led the charge offensively for the Maidens, delivering a three-run home run in the fourth inning to break a 2-2 tie. She also had a two-run double. She finished the night with six RBIs and also scored a run.
Tumasz also wasted little time before making her presence felt, ripping a two-run home run of her own. She finished the night 2-for-3.
“Her home run went over the second fence, which was 265 feet away,” Torresani said. “It was a shot. It was the biggest home run I have ever seen over the left field fence.”
Jackie Bilotti, who earned the win, was a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs while Erin Maher was 2-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored. Meghan Curley, who according to Torresani has pushed her average over .300, was 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly.
The game was a far cry from the initial meeting between the two teams that saw the Maidens manage just two hits off Paige DeCew and fall 1-0. This time around they had 13 hits.
“We really hit the ball well against a very good pitcher,” said Torresani.
The Maidens closed out league play with a 7-7 mark (12-7 overall) while the Rams are 8-5 in the league (12-6 overall).
HATBORO-HORSHAM 15, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 0 (3 innings)
The Hatters locked up at least a share of the top spot in the SOL Continental Conference, thanks to their big win over the Bucks. The Hatters closed out league play with an 11-3 record, and only Central Bucks South – a 5-4 winner over Central Bucks East – has a chance to take a share of the crown for itself with a win over Souderton on Wednesday.
Maria Spinosa (3-for-4, 2 RBIs), Daria Edwards (3-for-3, 3 runs scored, 2 RBIs) and Heather Lutz (3-for-3, 3 runs scored, 2 RBIs) led a potent Hatter attack. Also making important contributions were Carlie Johnson (2-for-3, three runs scored, 3 RBIs) and Jenn Cader (2-for-3, 2 RBIs).
The Bucks closed out league play 0-14 (0-19 overall).
SOUDERTON 11, QUAKERTOWN 4
Nikki Canfield had a monster night at the plate for the Indians, delivering a pair of home runs and six RBIs while going 3-for-5. Morgan Yoder was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk, and Paige Shelly was 1-for-3 with two walks and an RBI.
The Indians scored early and often, opening up a 4-1 lead at the end of one inning and never looking back.
Meg Roynan earned the win, allowing eight hits and four runs in six innings of work while fanning three. Salina Allebach pitched a scoreless inning in relief.
The Panthers finished league play with a 3-11 record (7-11 overall) while the Indians, who will host CB South on Wednesday, are 6-7 in the league (8-10 overall).
American Conference
UPPER DUBLIN 3, UPPER MERION 1
The Flying Cardinals put a damper on the Vikings’ Senior Night, taking an early lead and holding on for the duration.
“Their kids came to play,” Upper Merion coach John Whitney said. “They got a well-pitched game, and they made the plays.”
Kristin Ganderton allowed just three hits while fanning four and walking two. The Vikings’ only run was unearned.
“Kristin pitched a very, very good game,” Upper Dublin coach Heather Boyer said. “The strike zone was a little inconsistent for both sides, and that can be frustrating for a pitcher. She really stuck with it and tried to hit the spots that were being called consistently.
“She did a good job of getting Upper Merion to chase some of her big breaking pitches early in the at-bat, and she could work ahead. They hit up and down the lineup. The first time we faced them, although it was only a 4-1 loss, they hit the ball hard. She did a good job of keeping them off balance.”
The Cardinals plated a pair of runs in the first inning with Nichole Moran and Courtney King delivering RBI singles. The Vikings answered with an unearned run in the bottom of the inning to make it a 2-1 game.
“We took advantage of a couple of good pieces of hitting in the first inning,” Boyer said. “A blooper here and there is usually what goes against us, but we scored a couple of runs early.
“I really do give credit to Nichole Moran. She had a couple of tough balls in the first inning, and sometimes when a player has a miscue like that, it’s easy to get out of the game completely, but she had a good night offensively.
“She kind of made up for it with her bat. She had an RBI single in the first and another hit later in the game. I definitely give her credit for staying in and really settling down. She made some good plays later in the game that kind of sealed the deal.”
In the fifth inning, Ashleigh Sharp, who had a pair of hits, scored an insurance run when Ana Cubit delivered an RBI single. Cubit was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and Rachel Hyman also was 2-for-4 with one run scored.
Nikki Ross absorbed the loss for the Vikings, allowing nine hits while striking out three.
“Nikki Ross pitched a real good game for us,” Whitney said. “We had a couple of errors in the first inning that let them get a couple of runs early.
“We got one back, but we just didn’t hit the ball. Their pitcher did a good job. It was just one of those nights.”
The Vikings, who already clinched sole possession of first place in the American Conference, fell to 11-2 in league play (12-4 overall). The Flying Cardinals are 7-6 in league play (7-10 overall).
“We talked about how at this point of the season you just try and finish the year off on a positive note,” Boyer said. “We have PW on Wednesday, and we have a chance to finish above .500 in the league, which would be respectable. We’re playing for that positive note and for our own pride to go out and play hard and find a way to win.”
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 14, SPRINGFIELD (MONTCO) 13
The Colonials won a slugfest with the Spartans, pounding out 18 hits that resulted in 14 runs. PW trailed 13-10 heading into the bottom of the seventh but won it with a four-run outburst that saw Jordan Katz deliver the game-winning hit.
“Though we had our defensive issues today, the girls compensated with their bats,” coach Dana Moyer said.
Offensive standouts for PW included Courtney Konowal (2-for-4, two runs scored, RBI), Corinne Watson (3-for-5, double, triple, two runs scored, RBI), Susan Janfrancisco (3-for-5, one run scored, two RBIs), Michele Taunton (3-for-4, one run scored) and Katz (2-for-5, one run scored, two RBIs). The Colonials also received a triple and two runs scored from Laura Berman.
Earning the win on the mound was Tricia Link, who allowed just six hits and three earned runs. Alison Spinella threw 1.2 innings, allowing two hits and one earned run.
The Colonials are 6-7 in league play (6-8 overall) while the Spartans closed out league play with a 2-12 record (5-13 overall).
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