Seven SOL softball teams will be in action in district tournament play on Friday.
The District One Class AAAA Tournament will have a decidedly SOL flavor when the quarterfinals get underway on Friday (weather permitting). Six of the eight softball teams still standing are from the SOL, four are from the same conference.
At least two SOL teams are assured berths in the upcoming state tournament, thanks to a pair of all-SOL games. Central Bucks East will travel to Hatboro-Horsham for the third meeting between the two schools. The Hatters won the first two. North Penn will take on Pennridge at Druckenmiller Park. The two teams split their regular season contests – the first was a 1-0 Pennridge win and the second an 11-4 North Penn win.
Top-seeded Neshaminy will face Downingtown East while Pennsbury will host West Chester Henderson, setting up the possibility that – if the seeds hold true – there could be two All-SOL semifinal contests on Tuesday.
On the Class AAA side, American Conference champion Upper Merion will host Villa Maria Academy.
It promises to be an interesting day.
Class AAA
#8 DOWNINGTOWN EAST at #1 NESHAMINY
Neshaminy
- 18-1 overall, 14-0 SOL
- SOL National Conference champions
- Highlights of season included a regular season sweep of third-seeded Pennsbury
- Only loss came in a non-league game against Nazareth Academy
Road to quarterfinals: After a first round bye, the Redskins defeated 16th-seeded Boyertown 3-1 in Wednesday’s second round. The Bears took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the ‘Skins answered with three in the bottom of the inning. Highlighting the inning was a Julia McGovern two-run home run. Senior Lauren Quense allowed just two hits, both in the first inning, while fanning eight.
Coach Dave Chichilitti says: “We know at this point in the season every team is a good team. We are focused on doing the little things right because they often decide games between two good teams.”
Downingtown East
- 18-3 overall
- Ches-Mont runner-up
Road to quarterfinals: The Cougars, who had a first round bye, defeated ninth-seeded Spring-Ford 3-2 in Wednesday’s second round. Left-handed pitcher Casey Thompson allowed just three singles – all in the first four innings – while fanning seven. Offensively, freshman catcher Brigette Nordberg was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate.
#6 WEST CHESTER HENDERSON at #3 PENNSBURY
Pennsbury
- 17-3 overall, 12-2 SOL
- Finished second to Neshaminy in National Conference standings
- Highlights of regular season included a 5-2 win over New Jersey power Mount St. Dominic
- Only losses included a pair of games to top-seeded Neshaminy and the third to Immaculate Conception at the Mount St. Dominic Tournament
- Roster includes six seniors who have signed to play at the Division I level
Road to the quarterfinals: After a first round bye, the Falcons defeated Central League co-champion Upper Darby 3-1 in Wednesday’s second round. Christina Bascara’s two-run single proved to be the difference in the game. Val Buehler earned the win, allowing just three hits.
Coach Frank McSherry says: “Any team can beat any team – that’s all there is to it. If you have a little bit of a down day, you’re going to be beat. There’s so much parity, especially when you get to this point where there are eight teams left. West Chester Henderson has had success. They came out and won 1-0 (over Avon Grove). They had a good pitcher, and evidently, they play some tough defense. I heard the Avon Grove pitcher threw really well, so they beat a good pitcher. We’re going to have our hands full, there’s not doubt about it. Any team can beat any team.”
West Chester Henderson
- 19-2 overall
- Ches-Mont National Conference champion
- Led by pitcher Lauren Butts, who surpassed the 400-strikeout career milestone in late April
Road to the quarterfinals: Henderson, after receiving a first round bye, defeated 22nd-seeded Avon Grove 1-0 in eight innings. Senior Lauren Butts tossed a no-hitter, fanning four. Her counterpart, Avon Grove freshman Maggie Balint, allowed just four hits, but one of those was a two-out single in the eighth inning by Steph Wright. Balint, who had 289 strikeouts in 21 games for Avon Grove, struck out 14.
#13 NORTH PENN at #12 PENNRIDGE
Pennridge
- 12-8 overall, 8-6 SOL
- Fourth place team in SOL Continental Conference
- Highlights of regular season included a pair of wins over fourth-seeded Central Bucks South and a win over second-seeded Hatboro-Horsham
- Endured a tough five-game losing streak to close out regular season
- Split regular season series with North Penn, winning the first 1-0 and falling 11-4 in the second
Road to quarterfinals: Pennridge used three unearned runs and a stellar pitching performance by senior Paige DeCew to defeat fifth-seeded Owen J Roberts 3-0 in Wednesday’ second round game. Brooke Labs and Haley Taylor contributed RBIs. In Monday’s opening round game, the Rams needed a dramatic seventh inning comeback to eke out a 2-1 win over Conestoga. Alison Horne’s double to lead off the seventh ignited the comeback, and Labs had the game winning hit. DeCew earned the win on the mound.
Coach Paul Koehler says: “We’re obviously very excited about having another home game. North Penn is one of those teams that everybody loves to play. They’re obviously on a roll and hitting on all cylinders. It’s going to be a challenge for us. We’re going to take a look at what we did the first time we played them because it was a very different outcome than the second time and try and replicate what we did in our first outing down there. The kids set a goal at the beginning of the year to get further in districts than they did last year. Now we won two games, and we’ll make them realize they’re one win away from the state tournament. That will give them a whole new set of things to work for. It’s going to be the most challenging game we’ve had all year. I think we’re playing ball the way we need to, so we’ll see. Our kids are very excited.”
North Penn
- 15-7 overall, 7-7 overall
- Fifth place team in SOL Continental Conference
- Highlights of regular season included wins over fourth-seeded Central Bucks South and 12th-seeded Pennridge and a pair of wins over 19th-seeded Souderton
- Won five of six games to close out regular season after upset loss at hands of Quakertown.
- Team only recently had its full lineup back after battling through some injuries.
- Split regular season games with Pennridge, losing first 1-0 and winning second 11-4.
Road to the quarterfinals: The Maidens, who have been scoring runs in bunches, exploded for eight runs in the second inning and six more in the third in Monday’s 14-3 second round win over Central Bucks South in a game that was halted after five innings because of the mercy rule. Every player in the Maidens’ lineup contributed a hit with five players each contributing a pair. In Monday’s 7-4 opening round win over Garnet Valley, sophomore Becky Christoffers had three RBIs to lead the Maidens and delivered a two-run single in the sixth to give the Maidens breathing room. Alexa Gable led the Maidens with three hits. Sophomore Jackie Bilotti was the winning pitcher in both games.
Coach Rick Torresani says: “We’re going against another Continental Conference team that we’ve played already. We lost to them early 1-0, and Paige pitched a great game. We beat them the last time 11-4, but you’re talking playoffs now. I have the utmost respect for Paige (DeCew). She pitched for us in the Carpenter Cup, and I love her to death. She’s such a great kid and such a great pitcher. In fact I e-mailed her after they lost to Council Rock North, and I told her – you’ve taken your team to districts, you have to be proud of what you’re doing and you’ll get it back, not knowing we would have to face her.”
#7 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST at #2 HATBORO-HORSHAM
Hatboro-Horsham
- 17-3 overall, 11-3 SOL
- Captured sole possession of SOL Continental Conference crown
- Nine of Hatters win came against district tournament teams, including a pair of wins over 13th-seeded North Penn and a split with 12th-seeded Pennridge
- Won both regular season meetings against Central Bucks East (9-4, 7-4)
Road to quarterfinals: The Hatters needed a dramatic comeback to defeat 18thseeded Perkiomen Valley on Wednesday. The Hatters took an early 3-0 lead only to watch the Vikings plate five in the fifth. The Hatters tied it up in the sixth and won it in the seventh when Carlie Johnson, who hit a leadoff double, scored on Nicole Casagrand’s grounder to the right side. Casagrand earned the win on the mound.
Coach Joe DiFilippo says: “East is one of the tougher teams we have played all year. I’m sure it will be a great game between two of the better teams in the state.”
Central Bucks East
- 15-4 overall, 10-4 SOL
- Tied for second with Central Bucks South in the SOL Continental Conference
- Highlights of the regular season included a pair of wins over both 12th-seeded Pennridge and 13th-seeded North Penn
- Lost both regular season games to Hatboro-Horsham (9-4, 7-4)
Road to the quarterfinals: Freshman pitchers Theresa Haugh and Kayla Ventura combined to toss a three-hit shutout, leading the Patriots to a 1-0 win over Methacton in eight innings. The Patriots won it in the eighth inning when – after loading the bases – Caroline Schoenewald’s grounder to second was misplayed. East collected just five hits off Villanova-bound Jordan Prutzer.
Coach Erin Scott says: “They have the ability, and I know they can play Hatboro stronger than we have previously. It’s more mental preparation. Hatboro is intimidating, and they are a strong team, and mentally, they get themselves out of it before the game starts. At this point, I just want to get them mentally prepared.”
Class AAA
#6 VILLA MARIA ACADEMY at #3 UPPER MERION
Upper Merion
- 13-4 overall, 12-2 SOL
- SOL American Conference champions, the first conference championship in program history.
- Lost first conference game of season and then won 12 conference games in a row
Villa Maria Academy
- 10-7 overall
- Log in to post comments
