SOL/BAL Splits Pair In Carpenter Cup Play

The SOL/BAL squad dropped its opener but rebounded to win a rain-shortened game in Monday’s Carpenter Cup play. To view photos of the action, please visit the Photo Gallery. To view a video by PhillyBurbs.com video journalist Jen Wielgus, please click on the following link: http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/high_school/rough-start-for-sol-bal-in-softball-carpenter-cup/html_0b101e0f-2dcc-5e86-8de9-01196aac0adb.html

By Mary Jane Souder

Farryl Groder had a simple motivation when she tried out for the SOL/BAL Carpenter Cup team for the first time this year.

“It seemed like a great experience to play with people I was playing against and get to know them,” said Groder, who recently completed her junior year at Pennsbury. “It is fun to get out there and play with people you’ve played against and see how they play. That’s what I’ve been enjoying about it so far.”

Groder is the lone Falcon on the squad, but she is one of five SOL National players on the team, joining William Tennent junior Whitney Delagol, Bensalem sophomore Jackie Morell, Neshaminy sophomore Sarah Snider-Leonhauser and Abington sophomore Elizabeth Lloyd.

North Penn is represented by juniors Erin Maher and Vicky Tumasz as well as sophomore Jackie Bilotti. Also representing the Continental Conference are Central Bucks West junior Jessica D’Agostino and Souderton junior Haley DeLany.

“I love playing with different people from the conference,” said D’Agostino, who was part of last year’s championship squad. “All year long, you’re playing against them, but you don’t really know who they are.

“At Carpenter Cup, you get to meet them and see how they play.”

Representing the American Conference are Wissahickon sophomore Brittany Gelman, Upper Merion junior Maddalana Ghanayem, Upper Dublin junior Rachel Hyman, Springfield-Montco junior Kimberly Machalette and Cheltenham juniors Erika Winter and Nina Jackson. Delco Christian junior Tabitha Mulholland completed the roster.

Do the math – that’s 17 players from 14 different teams, and with limited practice time, logic suggests it could take some time for the squad to come together. That may have been the case in the SOL/BAL’s opener on Monday morning against Olympic-Colonial, an 11-0 loss that put the defending champions in the loser’s bracket.

‘That first game is so critical because you want to get out with a win,” said Upper Dublin coach Heather Boyer, the head coach of the SOL/BAL. “Even though we get the kids together for a couple of practices to try and get to know each other, it’s just human nature with people - they don’t always feel comfortable in a new setting with people they don’t know.

“The success of the tournament really hinges on how willing you are to step out of your comfort zone and get to know the people around you so you can all mesh together to work toward that common goal.”

In Monday’s opener, the Olympic-Colonial plated an unearned run in the second inning and then staged a two-out rally in the fourth inning, plating four runs to go on top 5-0.

“They were finding holes,” Boyer said. “They strung five hits together.

“Our hits were scattered around. In some cases, we hit the ball hard, but they just made some good plays. Their shortstop and third baseman made some really good plays.”

The Olympic/Colonial held a 13-9 advantage in hits.

“Sometimes you have games like that,” Boyer said. “You have to let it go. (North Penn coach) Rick Torresani said it best when he said, ‘You’re representing the SOL. Go out there, give it your all, and represent your league well.’ I think that was a really important message he gave the girls.”

Highlights of the opening game included a 2-for-3 effort at the plate by Maher, who finished the day 4-for-6. Defensively, Groder came up with a pair of highlight reel plays in right field, throwing a girl out at first and also robbing a player of a base hit with a diving catch.

“I love how she plays the outfield,” Boyer said. “She’s a very quiet leader, and I like how she plays the game.

“She’s very intelligent and is a really talented player. She really played well, and she hit the ball hard. She hit a laser that their shortstop made a great play on.”

Last year, the SOL/BAL lost its third game but went on to win the title. This year, they will need quite a winning streak if they hope to repeat as champions.

“It was a tough start, but you have to see what you have to work with, and you have to make adjustments and work for the best,” D’Agostino said. “You have to get a feel for your teammates, and I think we worked really well in the second game. We felt each other out, and we balanced each other out in the second game.

“It is a completely new team this year. We had to make adjustments.”

“I’m sure it’s really tough for the coaches to find the right lineup,” Groder added. “We’ve had a few practices to get to know each other, and I think we’re starting to blend really nicely.”

In the second game of the day, D’Agostino and Groder were both part of a four-run uprising by the SOL/BAL in the first inning after the Philadelphia Public League/AACA jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.

Maher got things started with a hustle double, and Groder drew a walk. D’Agostino singled to left, plating Maher.

“If I could put 10 of her on my team, I would clone her in a heartbeat,” Boyer said of D’Agostino. “She’s a very savvy player.

“She’s very versatile. I started her at third base and then moved her to second base and also had her play shortstop. She’s just so smooth and is a really aggressive hitter. She was an integral part of last year’s success as a sophomore.”

The fun was just getting started for the SOL/BAL. Tumasz followed with an RBI single, and one out later, Groder raced home on Morell’s sacrifice bunt. Hyman followed with an RBI single to center, and Winter delivered the fifth hit of a productive inning.

“It was very important to come back,” Groder said. “At this point, you have to win or go home because it’s double elimination, and we’ve already lost a game. We have to go out and keep winning.”

In the fourth. Delagol opened the inning with a single to left, and Maher legged out a bunt single. The bases were loaded when Groder, who doubled in the second, was safe on an error. A walk to D’Agostino brought a run home, and DeLany’s two-out RBI single put the SOL/BAL on top 6-2.

That turned out to final margin of victory as the game was halted with one out in the top of the fifth.

“When you get down in a game, you don’t know necessarily who has your back and who doesn’t,” Boyer said. “It’s definitely a risk, so that’s why we went with the motto – water under the bridge, just let it go, and let’s get a win under our belts.

“A couple of kids really stepped up. We learned some things as coaches too – different combinations, where we wanted to put kids in the lineup offensively, and that helped us as well too.”

The SOL/BAL went to a pitching rotation that included giving each pitcher two innings. Tumasz worked the first two innings, allowing a pair of runs. Morell threw two scoreless innings, and Lloyd entered the game when it was halted for lightning. An hour later, the game was called.

“Right out of the gate, we scored four runs, which changed the tone and the karma of the game and put us in the right direction,” Boyer said. “Unfortunately, they decided to forfeit.

“We got the win, which is nice, but I wanted to finish the game. I feel bad for half the kids who didn’t get a chance to play. We had just made the switches, and they stopped the game for lightning. I’m disappointed. I wanted everyone to have their shot, but I can’t control the weather, and I can’t control the Public League deciding not to come back.”

The SOL/BAL will return to action on Wednesday, 12:30 p.m., facing the winner of the Philadelphia Catholic League/Berks game earlier in the day. If they win that contest, they will play again at 2:30 p.m.

“I think the second game was a great momentum starter for the Wednesday game,” D’Agostino said. “Since we ended with a strong win, we can keep it going.”

“I’m excited to play again Wednesday,” Groder said. “I’m sure the rest of the team is too.”