Check out the TNT (Tuff ‘n Tuffer) recaps for SOL softball teams in action Friday in the District 1 Tournament. Souderton/Neshaminy photos provided courtesy of Kim Supko. Pennsbury/Haverford photos courtesy of Darryl Rule of J&D Photography. Check back for photo galleries. CLICK HERE to go directly to Suburban One Sports' SOFTBALL GALLERIES.
District 1 6A quarterfinals
#9 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 3, #1 NORTH PENN 0
This is why they play the game.
North Penn was a heavy favorite to not only win Friday’s quarterfinal game but also advance to the District 1 6A final and win it. It’s a position the top-seeded Knights had earned with their 20-1 record
“We knew people were looking at us as the lower seed,” PW’s Emily Dobrowolski said. “They expected us to lose, so we kind of threw that pressure off of us and just played our game.”
For nine intense innings, the Colonials played error-free softball.
“I told them coming in that we have to be flawless to win this game,” PW coach Mike Perez said. “We’ve been playing really good defense all year. We made some changes early in the season, we moved kids around, and it’s really worked. I’m very proud of them.”
The Colonials won because Liv Brodzinski – who typically shares time in the circle – was an iron woman Friday and spent the day baffling the Knights, who managed just five hits in nine innings.
“We’ve been riding her all season,” Perez said. “We’ve been very unconventional with our pitching because we have five pitchers on the roster, three who get regular time.
“We don’t normally go complete games for our pitchers, but she was in a groove today, and We come into every game planning on throwing her four or five innings depending how she’s looking, and then we like to change things up, but she was in a groove. I couldn’t take her out.
“We discussed it a couple of times. She wasn’t at a very high pitch count. She was efficient – she was getting them to chase pitches, she was getting them to mishit her pitches, and our defense played phenomenally behind her, so let’s just ride it out and see what happens.”
Brodzinski threw just 102 pitches in the shutout win.
“We normally do (split time), but he just kept asking me how my arm was feeling, and I felt good,” the PW ace said. “My team was backing me up, it was great.”
“I just mixed a lot of my pitches, and I felt like I kept them off balance a lot, especially with my defense just working behind me. I think this was the best defensive game we’ve ever played.”
Emotions were decidedly high when this one was over.
“This was such an incredible game,” Dobrowolski said. “I don’t even have words. There’s no experience like this.
“I am just on a high – I really can’t express it,” Brodzinski said. “I’m so excited for my team. We had a rough start to the season, but we’ve just gained so much momentum, and I can’t wait to keep playing with them.”
Neither team could muster a whole lot of offense. The Colonials loaded the bases in the first on back-to-back walks to Robinson and Lori Flannery as well as an infield single by Brodzinski. Connolly struck out the next batter she faced to end that threat.
The Knights had their best opportunity in the bottom of the eighth when Cailin Halfpenny hit a one-out single to left field and – with some heads-up base running – raced all the way to third on Gabriella Brigidi’s sacrifice bunt. Brodzinski, however, calmly retired the next batter she faced on a groundout to kill that treat.
In the bottom of the ninth, Brodzinski fell behind the first batter she faced 3-0 but came back to retire her on a fly ball to center field.
“My catcher, Gia Bono, came out to me – she always calms me down,” Brodzinski said. “I’ve thrown to her my whole life. She just has so much confidence in me, and she’s always the hype girl for me.”
In the ninth, Dobrowolski – who hits out of the nine hole – hit the first pitch she saw for a single to center.
“I was just thinking when I got in the box - I needed a hit,” she said. “I knew Zoe was going to get a hit to drive me in, so I was just focusing on getting on the bag.”
Robinson followed with a single.
“I’m thinking I’m scoring her 100 percent,” the PW leadoff batter said. “My goal was just to get a hit. No bunt. I wanted a real power hit.”
Dobrowolski didn’t score on Robinson’s single, but she did race home when - with runners on first and second - a botched attempt to throw her out at third got by the third baseman.
“I knew that I could beat the girl to the bag – she’s playing pretty far up, and I saw the ball get past her, and I knew that I could go home,” Dobrowolski said.
It turned out to be the game-winner, and the Colonials have advanced to the district semis and also punched their ticket to the state tournament.
“It’s definitely the most fun game I’ve ever played in,” Robinson said. “It was 0-0 for the longest time. I was like ‘We need to figure out a way.’. We did and it was a great feeling.”
By the numbers: Plymouth Whitemarsh: Zoey Robinson (2-for-4, 1R), Lori Flannery (2-for-4, 1R), Gia Bono (1-for-3, 2B), Emily Dobrowolski (1-for-4, 1R)
Liv Brodzinski (W) (9.0 IP, 5H, 0R, 1BB, 6K)
North Penn: Felicia Connolly (9.0 IP, 8H, 3R, 1ER, 4BB, 11K)
Key inning: Top of ninth – Emily Dobrowolski singled up the middle to lead off the inning, and Zoey Robinson followed with a single to right field. Lori Flannery was safe on an error that allowed Dobrowolski to score. Gia Bono was given an intentional walk to load the bases, and Anna Powel’s sacrifice fly to center plated Robinson. Flannery scored the inning’s third run on a passed ball, and the Colonials led 3-0.
Plymouth Whitemarsh coach Mike Perez:
--Dobrowolski delivers: “That (hit to lead off the ninth inning) was huge but not surprising. That’s what she’s been doing. She’s been our nine hitter for three years now, and everyone underestimates her. She just steps up and does what she needs to do. “
--Robinson a weapon out of leadoff spot: “Zoey is not the most prototypical leadoff hitter, but she gets timely hits and finds ways to get on base. I had never seen Felicia (Connolly) throw, but you hear stories about Felicia, you read articles about Felicia. I don’t think any of the girls had ever seen her. (Robinson drew a leadoff walk, and the Colonials loaded the bases), and to get some runners on base the first inning and realize she’s human, she’s beatable was huge.”
Up next: Plymouth Whitemarsh will travel to #4 Souderton for Tuesday’s District 1 6A semifinals. North Penn will host #5 Neshaminy in a playback game with the winner advancing to the state tournament.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 000 000 003 3-8-0
North Penn 000 000 000 0-5-3
#4 SOUDERTON 7, #5 NESHAMINY 1
The Indians opened up an early lead and never looked back in Friday’s all-SOL district quarterfinal, notching a win that not only vaulted them into Tuesday’s District 1 6A semifinals but also ensured them a berth in the state tournament.
“From the very beginning, I knew this was our chance to go far,” Souderton senior Kathryn Jones said. “I’m a senior – it’s this year or nothing. Last year we were pretty good, but we were young. This year, we’re more experienced, we’re older, and all the pieces are just kind of coming together.”
The duo of freshman Katie Straub and sophomore Madi Mott combined for another gem in the circle. Straub started and threw four scoreless innings to notch the win while Mott threw the last three.
“I started a freshman pitcher tonight,” Souderton coach Tyler Bui said. “People probably think – ‘Are you crazy?’ But we have to go with what’s worked for us all season long, and the combination of Katie and then Madi – they haven’t had any varsity pitching at all until this year, and here they are.
“They are on the biggest stage they’ve ever been on, and they get a chance to get into the state tournament. They pitch like it’s just another game.”
Making their contributions especially significant is the fact that the Indians were without senior Skyler Byrnes – the standout pitcher on last year’s squad - for a major part of the season. She is coming back from a shoulder injury and has seen limited action in the circle but is contributing in a big way as the designated player.
“It’s sad that Skyler got injured and couldn’t throw much,” Jones said. “It’s so good that Katie was able to step up, the same thing with Madi.”
The Indians seized control of Friday’s game from the outset. After Straub retired the Redskins in order in the first, the Indians put three runs on the board in the bottom of an inning highlighted by Jones’ two-out, two-run, no-doubt-about-it home run to left field.
“I was running down to first base with my finger up in the air – I was like, ‘It’s gone,’” Jones said. “It felt so good. Especially since I was in a very similar situation Wednesday where I was up, and I could have scored a run early. We were all struggling to hit that day, so it really just felt good for all of us to start hitting.”
The three-run first set the tone for the Indians.
“I think from the first inning, we brought a lot of energy, which was good because we can build off that as a team, and Katie (Straub) with the leadoff walk kind of gave us that boost of energy we needed,” junior Emma Lewis said. “With runners on base, we just put a couple balls into play and Kathryn (Jones) hit a moonshot, so I think that gave us a lot of energy for the rest of the game.”
The Indians added three runs in the bottom of the second. Straub drew her second walk in as many at-bats, and Kiera Fadden singled. With runners on the corners, Straub scored on a double steal. With one out, Lewis ripped a double to the fence in center, plating Fadden, and Jones brought home the sixth run with a single to left field.
Sophomore Kendal Nelson led off the third inning with a solo shot to center field that gave the Indians a 7-0 lead.
“I can’t say enough about our young girls,” Bui said. “They do such a great job. Kendal hit her first home run tonight. She’s been able to hit a lot of home runs during practice, and we’ve been working on her swing. She’s done a phenomenal job, and now it translates in the game.”
Neshaminy – or more specifically the McCafferty sisters – broke up Souderton’s shutout bid in the sixth. Kendall McCafferty continued her torrid offensive production with a one-out triple to right field. With two outs, Riley McCaffferty singled to center to plate her sister for the 7-1 final.
By the numbers: Souderton: Kathryn Jones (2-for-3, HR, 3RBIs, 1R), Emma Lewis 2-for-3, 2B, 2RBIs), Kiera Fadden (2-for-4, 2R)
Katie Straub (W) (4.0 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 3BB, 6K), Madi Mott (3.0 IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 3K)
Neshaminy: Kendall McCafferty (1-for-3, 3B, 1R), Riley McCafferty (1-for-3, 1R)
Adriana Superka (1.1 IP, 8H, 6R, 6ER, 3BB, 1K), Molly Ambrosius (4.2 IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 6K)
Key inning: Bottom of first – Katie Straub drew a leadoff walk, and Kiera Fadden followed with a single. Straub was thrown out attempting to steal by Neshaminy catcher Maddie Jacoby, but with two outs, Emma Lewis lined a single to center that plated Fadden, and Kathryn Jones hit a rocket over the center field fence for a two-run round tripper. Just like that, the Indians led 3-0.
Souderton coach Tyler Bui:
--A fast start: “That’s just big for us to get out in front of the pack with our team. We obviously are a very good hitting team, but we haven’t been able to jump on teams early like we want to, and when we do, it’s hard for teams to play catch up because we have such an explosive offense all the way up and down the lineup.”
--High expectations: “”This year was different for us because last year, I think we sneaked up on a lot of people. They didn’t expect it because we only had one senior, and we lost 10 seniors from the year before, so no one expected anything. We were really playing with house money, no pressure out all. We just came out and played every single day.
“We told the girls, ‘Listen expectations are different. You are going to have an ‘X’ on your back. Teams are going to want to come after you, so you have to be able to play under pressure and know that every time a team comes to play you, they’re gonna bring their best. So there,’s no more saying ‘This is just a Souderton team.’ They know what they’re coming to and they’re going to want to beat you.’
“This year was different. Our expectations were that we needed to get over some humps, but the girls have made really good progress, and this was a big game for us tonight because I feel like this was the game that we needed to just keep us rolling and getting into the next stage of the postseason.”
--Credit to Neshaminy: “I told our girls, ‘You can’t let up on them because they’ve come back in game. They don’t give up. This team – they fight. You can’t tell that they’re down six or seven runs because they never give up. They’re always encouraging each other and cheering each other on. I’ve got a lot of respect for that team and their coaching staff.”
Souderton senior Kathryn Jones:
--Game mindset: “I always feel somewhat nervous before games, but I didn’t feel any different coming into this game. I just come in with the thought process of – we’re a very good team. There are only two teams that we’ve lost to in these past two years that we’ve played – it’s only been North Penn and OJR (Owen J Roberts). But obviously, anything can happen like we saw on Wednesday (a 4-3 win over Council Rock South in eight innings) when we almost lost.”
Souderton junior Emma Lewis:
--A team together: “At the beginning of the year, we knew had a good shot to make a run. The girls on this team – everyone wants it, everyone works hard. We have girls staying after practice every single day, girls coming early, so everyone puts the work in, and I think it shows on the field. Everyone wants it, and when you have a team that plays together and everyone’s contributing – it’s fun, and that’s really what brings us energy and kind of leads us to these big victories.”
--State bound: “It’s really exciting because I’ve never been to states before. I don’t think anyone on this team has been to states, so everyone is really excited. We’re excited to keep working hard.”
Up next: Souderton will host #9 Plymouth Whitemarsh in Tuesday’s District 1 6A semifinal, and Neshaminy will be on the road at #1 North Penn in a battle for a state playoff berth.
Neshaminy 000 001 0 1-4-1
Souderton 331 000 x 7-9-1
#11 HAVERFORD 5, #3 PENNSBURY 3
The Falcons never could find their offensive strike against Haverford’s Alli Daly, who allowed just two hits in Friday’s upset win in a District 1 6A quarterfinal.
The visiting Fords scored two runs in the first on a home run buy Brooke O’Connell and upped their lead to 3-0 in the third before the Falcons scored a run in the bottom of the inning when freshman Kaelyn Crocker hit a solo home run.
Haverford upped its lead to 5-1, and in the bottom of the sixth, the Falcons pulled to within two when Liv Czerniak hit a two-run home shot. That’s as close as they would get as Daly retired the side in order in the seventh.
Up next: Pennsbury will host #10 Methacton in a playback game. The winner will earn a state tournament berth.
Haverford 201 020 0 5-8-0
Pennsbury 001 002 0 3-2-1
District 1 Class 5A semifinal
#2 SPRINGFIELD-DELCO 6, #3 UPPER MORELAND 0
The Golden Bears managed just one hit – a two-out single in the sixth by Taylor Pagano – off Cougar hurler Payton Feeney. The Marist-bound senior struck out 11 and walked two.
The Cougars scored all the runs Feeney would need in two-run third and added runs in each of the next three innings on their way to the shutout win.
Up next: Upper Moreland will face #3 Upper Dublin Tuesday in a contest for state seeding purposes.
Upper Moreland 000 000 0 0-1-2
Springfield-Delco 002 211 x 6-9-1
#1 WEST CHESTER EAST 10, #4 UPPER DUBLIN 0 (5 innings)
Ava Ferri had a big day in the circle and at the plate, limiting the Cardinals to just one hit in the abbreviated shutout while also going 3-for-3 at the plate with a triple and two RBIs.
Paige McKenna accounted for UD’s only hit – a leadoff single in the second inning.
Up next: Upper Dublin will travel to #3 Upper Moreland Tuesday for a contest for seeding in the state tournament.
Upper Dublin 000 00 0-1-2
WC East 420 04 10-11-2
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