Check the results for SOL softball teams in action Monday. To view photos of the Bensalem/CR North game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 5, BENSALEM 4 (8 innings)
H
ollie Woodard was concerned her seniors might come out flat after their senior class trip to Florida last week. She needn’t have worried. Rock North’s seniors were on fire, accounting for 10 of their team’s 11 hits in Monday’s thriller.
“I was nervous for my seniors that they were going to come out flat after being at Disney World for five days,” Woodard said. “They just took it upon themselves – there was just so much heart. They were not going to lose this game.”
Marketa Cruz was 3-for-4 with two doubles, Bailey Bigler was 3-for-4 with a double, Hannah Mumber was 3-for-4 with two doubles, and Tatum Kelly was 1-for-3.
It was Mumber, who also earned the win on the mound, delivering the hit that won it in the bottom of the eighth when she hit a shot down the line that would have been extra bases to plate Bigler, who had singled, with the game winner.
“Right now we know that the SOL National is wide open,” Woodard said. “Neshaminy and Pennsbury both have one loss, and it’s the first time ever that first and second aren’t locked down.
“This all transpired while the seniors were on vacation, and I said, ‘Listen, this is the first time ever we have a shot at first, second or third place. We usually have to fight, beg and borrow to get third place – six teams fighting for third place. This is the first time it’s wide open. This is an opportunity. We can’t have any excuses at all.
“Bailey is a four-year starter and the rest of them have started for three years, and they know what it’s like to be that fourth place team that doesn’t make it to districts. They know how important it is to seal up that first, second or third place spot, and for the first time, they believe it’s possible.”
The Indians needed a heroic two-out rally in the seventh to extend the game to extra innings. Senior Tatum Kelly got things started with a one-out single but was forced out at second on a fielder’s choice. Marisa Gergel kept the inning alive with a clutch two-out single, and Cruz delivered a huge two-out single to plate Kelly with the tying run, setting the stage for extra innings.
Early on, it was the Owls plating single runs in the second and fifth to go on top 2-1. The Indians cut that lead in half in the fifth with a single run and went on top 3-2 in the sixth when they plated a pair. A huge play in the sixth inning came when – with Bigler on second – Mumber hit a slow roller to second.
“(Mumber) hustled it out and beat out the throw to first, and Bailey kept going,” Woodard said. “I told Bailey at second – we’re looking to score on everything, and she scored uncontested from second on a slow ground ball to second base to put us ahead.
“The name of the game today was absolute hustle. It’s that type of heart that comes with the senior leadership, knowing how much this means and knowing you have to go 110 percent to have a shot in this league.”
The Owls answered with two runs in the top of the seventh, going on top 4-3 when Katelyn Reiss delivered a two-run double. Reiss led the Owls with three RBIs.
“I thought it was going over (the fence),” Woodard said. “It was probably a foot and a half short of going over.”
Woodard lauded the performance of Mumber on the mound in a winning effort.
“She pitched her heart out,” Woodard said. “She was outstanding. There wasn’t a single walk in the entire game by either team. Both pitchers were outstanding.
“Their pitcher (Jackie Morell) is so good.”
The Indians upped their league mark to 2-1 (3-2 overall) while the Owls, fresh off a big win over Archbishop Ryan, fell to 0-3 in the league (2-3 overall).
Bensalem 010 010 20-4
Council Rock North 000 012 11-5
PENNSBURY 11, HARRY S TRUMAN 6
Marguerite Salamone had a big day for the Falcons, finishing the day 3-for-5 with a double, home run and four runs scored.
“Everything she hits – it’s hit hard,” coach Frank McSherry said. “Even her outs are hard.”
Dani Litwin (2-for-3), Fiona Link (2-for-3, double, 2 RBIs), Casey Boltersdorf (2-for-4) and Mia Pitt (2-for-4) also had big days for the Falcons, who pounded out 16 hits.
“We really hit well,” McSherry said.
The Tigers didn’t go down quietly as Mary Cairns hit a grand slam in the seventh inning for the 11-6 final. Steph Wolf hit a solo home run to spot the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
The Falcons upped their record to 3-1 in the league (3-3 overall) while the Tigers fell to 1-3 in the league (1-6 overall).
Harry S Truman 100 010 4-6
Pennsbury 204 320 x-11
WILLIAM TENNENT 5, ABINGTON 4
Jackie Heim delivered a clutch two-run single and Katie O’Toole tripled and scored in a three-run fourth inning to turn a 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 lead the Panthers would not lose. Casey McMahon delivered an RBI single to plate O’Toole in the pivotal fourth.
The Ghosts plated single runs in the first and third innings to go on top 2-0 only to watch the Panthers rally to knot the score in the third. Casey McMahon had an RBI single in the third.
Heim and O’Toole led the Panthers 10-hit attack with two hits each. Jamie Gosselin and Rachel DeCarolo both had a pair of hits for the Ghosts.
Nikki Alden earned the win on the mound for the Panthers, who remain alone atop the National Conference standings with a 4-0 mark (6-1 overall). The Ghosts are 1-4 in league play (4-4 overall).
Abington 101 200 0-4
William Tennent 002 300 x-5
NESHAMINY 4, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 2
The vastly improved Golden Hawks threw a scare into the Redskins when they opened up a 2-0 lead in the second inning on back to back singles by Jackie Schneider and Mikayla Becker.
The ‘Skins got one of those back in the third after Sophie Beretski doubled and scored on a Jen Walker single. In the fourth inning, the Redskins knotted the score when Sarah Snider-Leonhauser doubled and scored on a wild pitch. They won it in the sixth, benefitting from a walk to Walker, a single by Mackensie Compton as well as a sacrifice fly from both Snider-Leonhauser and Nikki Wild.
Snider-Leonhauser had two hits to lead the Redskins, who managed just five hits.
Jenny Rakita earned the win on the mound, going the distance and allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out seven.
The Redskins upped their record to 3-2 in league play (6-2 overall) while the Golden Hawks are 2-2 in the league (2-3 overall).
Council Rock South 020 000 0-2
Neshaminy 001 102 x-4
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 8, QUAKERTOWN 6 (10 innings)
Jenn Young – who is blessed with speed - seemed like she might be a natural fit to become a slap bunter from the left side for the Patriots, but so far this season, the experiment had limited success.
Coach Erin Scott elected to allow the senior who hits out of the nine hole to swing away late in Monday’s game at Quakertown, and Young came through in a big way, contributing a triple in a three-run sixth and then delivering a two-out, two-run home run in the 10th inning that proved to be the difference in the game.
“She hit a bomb,” Scott said. “I knew she could hit because she had hit like that for jayvee.
“You want a senior like Jenn on your team. She’s really fun. She just has fun being there. Before the game, she’s making up songs about the game, and it’s nice because we have such a young team. You need someone who brings that energy and excitement but at the same time is low key. She works hard, and I’m excited she had that much success.”
Earlier in the top of the 10th, with the international tiebreaker in effect and a runner on second to open the inning, Theresa Haug hit an RBI groundout. With two outs, freshman Darien Dempsey drew a walk, setting the stage for Young’s blast.
“That definitely took a lot of pressure off of us,” Scott said. “Going into the bottom of the 10th, it took the wind out of their sails.
“Now they’re coming back from a three-run deficit. They can’t just bunt the runner over and try to get her in. It completely changed the game plan from a one-run lead to a three-run lead.”
The Panthers got one of those runs back in the bottom of the 10th, but it wasn’t enough as the Patriots held on for the win.
“I told (coach Rich Scott) that honestly I think they’re one of the best teams we’ve played, if not the best team,” Scott said. “He’s done a phenomenal job. They’ve worked hard, and they’re really good.”
It looked like the Patriots were on their way to an easy win after a three-run outburst in the sixth put the Patriots on top 5-1. Highlights of the inning included a leadoff single by Haug and a two-run home run by pitcher Kayla Ventura. Young delivered a one-out triple, and she scored on Danielle Marzetti’s sacrifice fly.
That four-run lead was anything but secure as the Panthers – who had just two hits off Ventura through five innings - answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, sparked by a three-run double by Becca Robison.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers knotted the scored when Meghan Klee’s popup to shallow right field bounced by the outfielder and turned into a solo home run. They might have scored more, but the Patriots caught a break when – with a runner on first - a left-handed slapper was ruled out for stepping on the plate for the inning’s second out, taking away a base hit. Instead of runners on first and second with one out, the Panthers had a runner on first with two outs.
The Panthers had a pair of runners on board with two outs in the eighth, but Ventura slammed the door on that potential rally with a three-pitch strikeout. Neither team threatened in the ninth, but all that changed in a dramatic 10th inning.
“Both teams had opportunities, and it could have gone either way at any point,” Scott said. “With a young team, I was happy to see we produced runs, and it wasn’t the people who have stepped up to this point. It was other people stepping up and getting the job done offensively.”
Ventura, who had a team-high three RBIs, Young and Tillotson led the Patriots with two hits each. Tillotson doubled to lead off the second and scored the first run for East. She led off the fourth with a single and scored.
“Just baserunning-wise, Brady was really aggressive but smart,” Scott said. “She scored runs in both innings, and to me, that’s huge.
“My philosophy is Caroline (Schoenewald) can’t do it all, Brady (Tillotson) can’t do it all. We’re going to need other people to produce. That was part of our success last season. I know in practice these kids can hit and produce for us, and to see them step up today was really great to see.”
Scott also acknowledged the solid play of Marzetti behind the plate, filling in the shoes of Julia Schoenewald after playing second and third base.
“I can’t say enough about Danielle - just working with Kayla and doing such a great job,” the Patriots’ coach said. “She is filling a void for us. We needed someone to step up, and she’s doing a great job.”
The Patriots improved to 3-2 in league play (3-3 overall) while the Panthers are 2-2 (4-2 overall).
Central Bucks East 010 103 000 3-8
Quakertown 001 003 100 1-6
NORTH PENN 3, HATBORO-HORSHAM 2 (8 innings)
Sophomore Jovanna Alfonsi admits she felt some pressure stepping into the batter’s box with the winning run standing on second base and two outs in the eighth inning of Monday’s SOL battle.
“I was just trying to drive it to the outfield so I could get the runner in,” Alfonsi said. “There was a lot of pressure, but you just have to focus and drive the ball.”
Alfonsi’s strategy paid big dividends as she singled to center, and Becky Christoffers just beat the tag at home plate with the game winner.
“I was praying that it was going through,” Alfonsi said. “We had a fast runner in Becky.”
The door was opened for Alfonsi’s heroics when Christoffers was safe on a one-out error. Vicky Tumasz followed with an infield single to put a pair on board, but it looked as though the Hatters could see their way out of the inning when the next batter was retired on a fly ball to right field.
Alfonski had other ideas, delivering the game winner.
“The games we have lost we have made errors and given them away,” coach Rick Torresani said. “Today we got the breaks against a good team.
“We got a clutch hit, and we scored the run. It was going to take a mistake.”
The Hatters took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth when Daria Edwards, who had a pair of hits, delivered a two-run home run.
“I called a bad pitch on the curveball that she hit out,” Torresani said. “I knew it as soon as she threw it that it was a bad call. Jackie (Bilotti) put it where I wanted it, but she’s a good player, and she hit it out.”
The Maidens got both of those runs back in the bottom of the inning, benefitting from a pair of walks and Bilotti’s two-run single.
Neither team scored again until Alfonsi delivered the two-out single to win it in the eighth.
“She’s going to be a big time player,” Torresani said of his sophomore catcher. “She just needs to learn the game. She’s done a great job behind the plate, and she has a good arm, and she can hit.”
With three players – Hannah Uhler, Nicole Yanni and Erin Maher – sidelined with injuries, Torresani decided to go back to square one.
“Saturday’s practice was a tryout,” the Maidens’ coach said.
The new look Maidens featured Bilotti at shortstop, Tumasz on the mound and shortstop Becky Christoffers in center field.
“We’re trying everything until Erin gets back,” Torresani said. “Erin is such a huge part of this team.
“She’s our leadoff hitter. We had 12 putouts last year in right field, 17 in left field and 54 in center, so that tells you how many balls Erin gets to.”
Bilotti replaced Tumasz on the mound in the fifth and – after allowing a home run to Edwards – shut the Hatters down the rest of the way.
“Our infield – Jackie Bilotti played great a short and Vicky (Tumasz) made a couple of plays, and Jackie made some great plays on the mound,” Torresani said.
The Maidens improved to 3-2 in league play (3-3 overall) while the Hatters also are 3-2 in the league (4-2 overall).
“At our practices, we’re really trying to sort some stuff out,” Alfonsi said. “We have been practicing really hard.
“We have so many people injured, but we’ll get there hopefully.”
Hatboro-Horsham 000 020 00-2
North Penn 000 020 01-3
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 8, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 1
SOUDERTON at PENNRIDGE (Ppd.)
American Conference
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 1, NORRISTOWN 0 (9 innings)
The Colonials found their ‘missing link’ on Monday, notching their first win of the season when senior pinch hitter Tricia Link came off the bench in the ninth inning and singled up the middle to plate Erin Ryan – who had walked - with the winning run.
“We call her the ‘missing link,’ and she came off the bench – hadn’t thrown, hadn’t done anything,” coach Dana Moyer said. “I said ‘Be smart. She just walked two batters. We just need base runners.’
“The first pitch she got on it, and it was right up the middle. We definitely needed this win, and the girls were ready, and they stayed in it all nine innings. I was happy to see that.”
Link wasn’t the only hero in Monday’s win. Freshman Haley Fink tossed a gem for the Colonials, scattering four hits and walking just three in nine strong innings.
“I was really just surprised by the poise of this freshman,” Moyer said. “We actually have four pitchers, and we were seeing who works, who doesn’t.
“She pitched the other day for us and did a fantastic job (in an 8-4 loss to Haverford). We just didn’t play defense behind her.”
Moyer also credited sophomore shortstop Elena Iannuzzelli for her standout defensive play.
“She played half of the season last year, and she came back out this year, which I was really happy to see,” Moyer said. “She is just phenomenal and arguably the best defensive shortstop in our league.
“She is so smooth and just amazing. Defensive plays that 90 percent of shortstops wouldn’t be able to get to or make – she’s just amazing. She’s so softball smart. Her softball IQ is off the charts, and I see really great things in the future.”
Both teams had their chances – the Colonials stranded 10 base runners while the Eagles stranded nine. The Colonials had their best chance to get on the board when catcher Susan Janfrancisco, who hit a round tripper last week, hit a double that might have been a home run on any other day.
“It was a double, but I guarantee you – if there was no wind, she would have had two out in two games,” Moyer said.
Janfrancisco accounted for two of the Colonials’ four hits.
While the Eagles fell to 0-5 in league play (0-6 overall), the Colonials are 1-3 in the league (1-4 overall).
“We had a huge loss with (the graduation) of Corinne Watson last year,” Moyer said. “Not only offensively and defensively, but she was the team leader.
“With her loss at first base, we’ve been trying different people. We were struggling with that decision and different situations. Our rightfielder is out, so there are a lot of different things in the works.
“We’ve been hitting the ball hard at people, and they’re making the plays. I told the girls – keep plugging away because at some point they’ll fall. Today that happened.”
Norristown 000 000 000-0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 000 000 001-1
CHELTENHAM 3, UPPER MORELAND 0
Grace DeRosa once again stole the spotlight for the Lady Panthers, tossing a two-hit shutout and fanning 11 to earn the important win in a battle of two of the conference’s unbeaten squads.
“It was another strong, strong outing,” coach Ron Perlstein said. “The hits she gave up – one was a bunt and the other was a blooper to first that took a bounce backwards.
“Today was one of those days – with the wind, it felt like we were in a dust bowl in Oklahoma. Grace was able to cut through the wind. She didn’t let the conditions bother her at all. It was a very impressive outing.”
The Lady Panthers plated all the runs DeRosa would need in the second when Erica Winters, who had doubled, scored on a single by Maddie Baer. Both Winters and Baer were 2-for-3 to lead the Lady Panthers.
Cheltenham added a single run in the third and one more in the fifth. Jamie Austin led off the fifth with a single, and sophomore Madison Gianelle delivered an RBI single to drive in the insurance run.
Perlstein acknowledged the defensive effort of Allie Williams.
“They tested us with small ball, and she made a lot of nice plays from third base,” the Panthers’ coach said. “There was also a situation when they had first and second, and it was a hard-hit grounder to third, and she was able to run and quickly tag third and get that lead out for the second out of the inning. It was a nice play by her.
“She played very aggressively and made a lot of nice defensive plays for us.”
The Lady Panthers upped their record to 4-0 in league play (5-1 overall) while the Golden Bears are 3-1 in the league (4-1 overall).
“They were tough,” Perlstein said. “They’re a scrappy, tough team.”
Cheltenham 011 010 0-3
Upper Moreland 000 000 0-0
SPRINGFIELD (MONTCO) 6, UPPER DUBLIN 0
Jen Hammons tossed a three-hit shutout to lead the Spartans to the win, fanning five and walking just one while going the distance.
The Spartans plated the only run Hammons would need when they scored a single run in the top of the first. They added single runs in the third and fourth innings and then sealed the Flying Cardinals’ fate with three runs in the seventh.
Alyssa Ard led the Spartans with a 2-for-4 effort and three RBIs. Jewell Ringgold was 1-for-3 with three runs scored.
Rebecca Matricardi absorbed the loss, allowing seven hits while walking four and fanning four.
The Spartans are 3-1 in league play while the Cardinals are 2-3 (2-5 overall).
Springfield 101 100 3-6
Upper Dublin 000 000 0-0
UPPER MORELAND 12, WISSAHICKON 2 (5 innings)
Abby Volpe led a potent Viking attack in Monday’s abbreviated contest, finishing the day 3-for-4 with two triples and two RBIs. Dez Kandy was a perfect 2-for-2 while Maddalana Ghanayem and Allie Moffet were both 2-for-3. Ghanayem had a double and RBI while Moffet had a triple and a game-high four RBIs.
Olivia Sporlini earned the win on the mound, allowing five hits while fanning five.
With the win, the Vikings improved to 4-0 in league play (5-2 overall) while the Golden Bears are 0-4 (0-7 overall).
Wissahickon 000 11-2
Upper Merion 423 21-12
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