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Sadowski fans 10, Upper Moreland wins District 1-5A opener over Merion Mercy

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UPPER MORELAND >> The Upper Moreland Golden Bears softball team played the Merion Mercy Golden Bears for the first time in the PIAA District 1-5A softball playoffs in 23 years. The showdown, however, was nothing like a tight clash of the bears.

That is because Jenna Sadowski struck out 10 batters and allowed three hits in a complete game and her teammates collected 12 hits in a 10-1 rout of Merion Mercy at Upper Moreland High School.

Upper Moreland found itself down 1-0 after the first half inning but scored 10-unanswered runs. Eight Golden Bears from Upper Moreland had a hit and five different girls had at least one RBI.

“We just hit,” said Hughes said who went 3-of-4 with two RBIs and one run scored. “We just help and support each other the whole time. It’s not just one hit though. It’s everyone just hitting on top of each other and two-out hits Everything matters.”

Sadowski allowed a leadoff single, watched another girl reach on an error in that first inning and saw Merion Mercy score on a passed ball, but she was not rattled.

The junior instead turned her seven years’ experience as a pitcher and held the Merion Mercy Golden Bears to one run in the inning.

She struck out four in a row and kept Merion Mercy scoreless for the rest of the game.

“I feel like the first inning was definitely playoff jitters,” Sadowski said. “Last year when I was on varsity the same thing happened. I feel like we just have to brush it off. After that we just realized that this is playoffs and we all got our confidence back up.”

Three straight singles rallied Upper Moreland to a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first. Jocelyn Baumiester scored on a wild pitch and Gianna Fiorenza scored Brianna Hughes on a single.

The second inning kept both teams scoreless, but Jen Storbrauck’s 12-pitch at-bat worked a walk and drove up the pitch count of Merion Mercy pitcher Kiersten Krouse.

“We always talk about two-strike hitting,” Upper Moreland coach Scott Ludlow said. “She got down early 0-2, 1-2 and at that point it is really just about making the pitcher throw pitches.”

Hughes extended the Upper Moreland lead to 3-1 in the third inning when she hit a double-RBI to score Chloe Tice.

Baumiester followed up with a two-out-RBI-single in the fourth inning that scored Sadowski.

Upper Moreland batted around in last two innings sending 14 Golden Bears to the plate.

Jackie Martino, Tice, Storbrauck each earned an RBI in the fifth inning and Hughes led off the sixth inning with a towering home run. Storbrauck also reached on an error in the sixth inning that scored two runs.

“It was a perfect pitch,” Hughes said. “It was just a perfect pitch right down the middle.”

One of Merion Mercy’s lone bright spots was Leah McCray.

McCray walked and reached on a fielder’s choice against the seemingly unhittable Sadowski but connected on a single in the fifth.

She said that she was upset that her and her teammates were not able to back up Krouse who she believes always does her job.

“I saw the ball coming in slower than usual and I was able to see it,” McCray said. “I did pull it to the right side. It was not where I necessarily wanted it, but I saw it coming.”

Sadowski only labored once in the sixth when she was in a full-count with two outs in the sixth. She shook off the fatigue by striking out the final batter of the inning and sent Merion Mercy down in order in the seventh to finish the game.

Upper Moreland hosts Phoenixville Wednesday.

Upper Moreland 10, Merion Mercy 1
Upper Moreland 2 0 1 1 3 3 0 – 10
Merion Mercy 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 1
WP – Jenna Sadowski
LP – Kiersten Krouse
2B – UM: Chloe Tice, Brianna Hughes. MM: 0
3B – UM: 0. MM: 0.
HR – UM: Brianna Hughes. MM: 0.


DLN ALL-AREA: Softball First Team, Second Team, Honorable Mention & Coach of the Year

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First team

P — Natalie Beebe, So, Downingtown West

Beebe’s performance in the circle was a big reason for the Whippets’ resurgence this season.  She went 12-3 in 15 starts, with an ERA 2.66.  Beebe struck out 115 hitters, while walking just 33 in 120.2 innings of work. 

P — Rachel Butler, Sr., Avon Grove

Once Butler settled into a groove, she was one of the top hurlers in District  1, finishing the season with a record of 12-4.  Butler struck out 111, with an ERA of 2.53.   

C — Caitlin Coker, Jr., Downingtown West

One of the top defensive catchers in the state, the Boston University commit hit .457 out of the lead off slot, with a team-high 33 runs scored.  Coker notched 32 hits, 16 of which were for extra bases, and knocked in 20.

1B — Katie Mayock, Sr., Conestoga

Mayock led the Pioneers in both average (.480) and RBI (29).  A first team All-Central League selection, Mayock also had a team-high 32 runs scored, while knocking 14 extra base hits, including four home runs. 

2B — Olivia Kunitsky, Jr, Avon Grove

Great with the leather, Kunitsky posted a near spotless fielding percentage of .976, and with the bat in her hand, hit .492 with 10 doubles four homers and 30 runs batted in. 

SS — Casey Collins, Sr., Henderson

Collins was the consummate lead-off hitter for the Warriors, batting a team-high .538.  She led the team 42 hits in 24 games, and scored 32 runs. 

3B — Amanda Gomez, Sr, West Chester East

Gomez was a key cog in the Vikings’ line-up, batting .542 on the season.  Gomez led the team in hits  (39) and RBI (30), while also scoring 26 runs.

OF — Kayla Bock, Sr. Coatesville

Bock was the top hitter on arguably the league’s top hitting team.  The Red Raiders’ slugger hit .535 and slugged 1.093.  Bock had 18 extra base hits, including nine home runs, and drove in 30 Coatesville runs. 

OF — Analise Griffiths, Sr., Unionville

Griffiths, one of the top defensive centerfielders around, had a monster year at the plate, hitting .645 on the season.  Griffiths notched 49 hits in 21 games, including 15 for extra bases.  She knocked in 19 runs while scoring 35. 

OF — Paige Olson, Sr., West Chester East

Though injuries limited Olson to just 14 games, when she was in the line-up, she delivered.  Olson hit a team-high .583, averaging two hits a game for a total of 28.  Exactly half of those hits went for extra bases. 

SECOND TEAM

Pitcher — Jess Gomez, West Chester East

Catcher — Amanda Heins, Great Valley

First Base — Payton Landis, Coaatesville

Second Base — Kelsey McLaughlin, West Chester East

Shortstop — Maggie Kane, Coatesville

Third Base — Taylor Posner, Downingtown West

Outfield — Gianna Coyle, Oxford

Outfield — Kinzie Thompson, West Chester East

Outfield — steph Jacoby, Downingtown East

HONORABLE MENTION

Avon Grove: Allyson Wallauer, Lexi Barnhart, Carly Raymond

Bishop Shanahan: Katy Newton, Hannah Keiper, Casey McAllister

Coatesville: McKenna Sherman

Conestoga: Lauren Lofland, Claire Overton

Downingtown East: Lexi Hammer, Ally Meakim

Downingtown West: Nina Gallagher, Hannah Greider

Great Valley: Erin Bevec

Kennett: Carly Smith, Ainsley Albert

Octorara: Morgan Lee, Liv Ellingsworth

Oxford: Abby O’Connor

Unionville: Anna DeShaies, Sydney Horan

West Chester East: Amelia Lark

West Chester Henderson: Cam Trotter, Grace Abbonizio

West Chester Rustin: Maddie Fife, Sami LaRosa

Villa Maria: Alyssa Viscardo, Marissa Bruder, Fran Delviscio, Lisa Becker

Coach of the Year

Carly DiVirgilio, Unionville

DiVigillio kicked off her coaching career under rather difficult circumstances, taking the reins just days before the start of last season, after the previous coach walked out at the end of pre-season.  The Indians struggled through a difficult season, going 4-12. 

“I had to teach the girls how to be competitive,” said DiVirgilio.  “There was an expectation to lose, and we had to change the culture to one where the expectation was to win.” 

This season saw a dramatic turnaround, as the Indians tripled their win total to 12, battled to the end in their defeats, and won the Ches-Mont American after taking a one-game playoff over Rustin. 

“On the bus to that Rustin playoff  is when I knew that the attitudes had changed,”  said DiVirgilio.  “The girls were all talking about how there was no way they weren’t getting the division title; that there was no way Rustin could beat them.” 

Diamond gems: Presenting 2018 All-Main Line softball teams

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The Main Line high school softball scene this spring featured several squads that swung their way into contention for a title.
In the Inter-Ac, Academy of Notre Dame (10-4 overall, 8-3 league) and Baldwin School (11-6 overall) were among the contenders. Both teams advanced to the PAISAA tournament’s second round.
In the Central League, Conestoga (17-7 overall) finished sixth in the District 1 tournament, narrowly missing aPIAA state tourney berth. Haverford High (12-8) enjoyed a winning campaign, and along with Radnor qualified for Districts.
In the AACA, Villa Maria Academy (15-3 overall) entered the PIAA 4A District 1 tournament as the No. 1 seed. Merion Mercy Academy (9-8 overall) also qualified for the District 1 tourney.
The All-Main Line high school softball teams are selected by the coaches. Because Main Line Media News covers 19 high schools, the Main Line Media News sports staff limits the number of sports available to first team, second team and honorable mention – but follows the priority of the coaches’ selections.
What follows are the 2018 All-Main Line high school softball teams:
FIRST TEAM
Grace Jackson, Academy of Notre Dame – Sophomore pitcher, shortstop and outfielder was a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, batting .415 with nine RBI’s and only one strikeout in 46 at-bats. Posted a 1.13 ERA on the mound, striking out 77 batters in 59 innings. Was an excellent fielder also.
Sophia Marlino, Academy of Notre Dame – Senior catcher and shortstop, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, batted .412 with a fielding percentage of .989 while calling her own game behind the plate.
Lily Zelov, Agnes Irwin – Senior shortstop, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, batted .467 with 11 extra-base hits, two home runs and 11 RBI’s in 13 games. Also was a standout fielder.
Samantha Martin, Baldwin School – Senior shortstop, a two-time first team All-Inter-Ac selection, batted .635 with an OPS of 1.733, 19 extra-base hits, 29 runs scored, 21 RBIs and only one strikeout in 63 at bats. Will play for Franklin & Marshall in the fall.
Julia Kait, Baldwin School – Junior outfielder, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, batted .542 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs. Had 22 extra-base hits in 59 at bats for a phenomenal slugging percentage of 1.356 and OPS of 1.910.
Katie Mayock, Conestoga – Senior first baseman and captain, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection (led all infielders in votes), batted .489 with four home runs, seven doubles, 29 RBI’s and 30 runs scored. Was a fine fielder also.
Lauren Lofland, Conestoga – Sophomore pitcher struck out 116 batters, receiving second team All-Central League pitching honors. Was a valuable workhorse on the mound for the Pioneers.
Michele Meline, Friends’ Central – Senior catcher was considered a rock behind the plate for the Phoenix, posting a perfect fielding percentage while displaying an aggressive style of play. Swung a potent bat (.375 batting average, .444 on-base percentage, .594 slugging percentage).
Ali Murphy, Haverford High – Junior centerfielder and captain, a first team All-Central League selection for the third year in a row, was the Fords’ MVP, batting .531 with 29 runs scored, six extra-base hits and nine walks.
Leah McCray, Merion Mercy Academy – Senior outfielder, a three-time All-AACA all-star, batted .450 for the Golden Bears with five home runs. Was considered the steadying force on the Merion Mercy squad for the past four years.
Audrey Rosenblum, Radnor – Junior shortstop and captain, a first team All-Central League selection for the second year in a row, batted .458 with 27 hits, 23 runs, 16 RBI’s, nine extra-base hits (including four triples), eight walks and eight stolen bases for a 1.248 OPS.
Lexi Wojtelwicz, Shipley – Sophomore third baseman, a first team All-Friends Schools League selection, was the Gators’ MVP, batting .548 with an .871 slugging percentage, 11 RBI’s and 15 runs scored.
Alyssa Viscardo, Villa Maria Academy – Junior pitcher, the Hurricanes’ MVP and an AACA All-Star, struck out 184 batters, posted a 1.78 ERA, and held opponents to a .185 batting average. At the plate, she batted. 538 with 16 RBI’s.
Ana Ciarrocchi, Villa Maria Academy – Junior second baseman, an AACA All-Star, batted .455 with 16 RBI’s, and was a slick fielder at the keystone spot, posting a fielding percentage of .957.

SECOND TEAM
Academy of Notre Dame – Caroline Adams, sophomore outfielder; Marissa Mycek, senior first baseman/shortstop.
Baldwin School – Tessa Pearlstein, freshman third baseman/first baseman/pitcher; Hanna Maier, sophomore catcher; Cara Guernsey, senior center fielder; Georgia Dahm, junior first baseman/right fielder.
Conestoga – Olivia Cepielik, junior shortstop; Claire Overton, sophomore outfielder; Rachel Lopez, senior second baseman.
Episcopal Academy – Hailee Moran, freshman catcher/center fielder; Grace Smith, junior third baseman/first baseman; Emma Tansky, freshman pitcher/shortstop; Belle Volatile, sophomore shortstop/pitcher.
Friends’ Central – Zoe Shoemaker, junior shortstop/pitcher.
Harriton – Anna Walsh, junior shortstop.
Haverford High – Amber Moscoe, junior second baseman; Morgan Marchesani, senior left fielder/third baseman.
Merion Mercy Academy – Brooke Loonstyn, senior shortstop/pitcher; Kiersten Krouse, sophomore pitcher/shortstop.
Radnor – Cate Remphrey, senior catcher.
Villa Maria Academy – Fran Delviscio, junior shortstop; Riley Miller, junior rightfielder; Marissa Bruder, senior centerfielder.

HONORABLE MENTION
Baldwin School – Maura Smith, freshman pitcher.
Barrack Hebrew Academy – Ruthie Meles, sophomore catcher; Lillian Bernstein, sophomore second baseman.
Conestoga –Jenny Noll, junior center fielder.
Episcopal Academy – Jackie Miller, sophomore center fielder.
Friends’ Central – Julia Nierenburg, junior center fielder.
Lower Merion – Hannah Charlson, junior pitcher; Kylie Pacchione, sophomore third baseman.
Radnor – Quinn Tobias, senior third baseman; Roni Hoover, sophomore outfielder; Libby Tewksbury, senior pitcher.
Sacred Heart – Isabella Chan, senior shortstop.

– Archbishop Carroll did not submit a completed All-Main Line softball ballot.

Miller outduels Viscardo as Shanahan edges Villa in extra inning gem

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Shanahan’s Emily Sano pulls into second safely behind Villa’s Fran Delviscio

MALVERN—With two of the county’s top pitchers in the circle, Tuesday’s non-league softball match-up of Bishop Shanahan at Villa Maria figured to be a low-scoring affair. The Eagles’ Devon Miller and the Hurricanes’ Alyssa Viscardo matched each other strikeout for strikeout, scoreless inning for scoreless inning just about all afternoon.

But in the top of the ninth, Hannah Keiper took a Viscardo offering to the right field fence, scoring Emily Sano, and Shanahan (7-2) handed Villa Maria (8-1) its first loss of the season, 2-1 in nine innings.

“I just came to the plate looking for the best pitch for me to hit,” said Keiper. “I was looking for a pitch I could drive, and I got one. Honestly, I was just looking for a single, whatever it took to get Emily (Sano) home.”

Hannah Keiper

The dueling aces were on fire in the early going. Through the first four scoreless innings there were just two hits—by Shanahan’s Alexis Peterson and from Miller (2 for 5, double) herself. Miller had struck out nine over that span, while Viscardo was right behind with eight.

Sano got the Eagles going in the fifth, working a lead-off walk. Alexa Peterson followed, making it first and second with nobody out when she beat out an infield single.

Then, with one out, Keiper came to the plate. Always a reliable source of power for the Eagles, Keiper showed she can do the little things, too, and executed a perfect squeeze bunt to plate Sano and make it 1-0 Shanahan.

Shanahan’s Emily Sano comes into score the game’s first run

“I knew how quick Emily was, and I read the defense and saw they were playing me kind of deep,” said Keiper. “I figured it would be a great time to drop one down and get us a run on the board. With Devon pitching, sometimes one run is all you need to get the win.”

While seeing a power hitter drop down a bunt might come as a surprise to some, Shanahan Coach Ron Savastio knew he could count on Keiper to come through for him in that spot.

“Hannah is probably the best bunter on the team, believe it or not,” said Savastio. “I see her in situations like that sometimes and I think it’s a shame not to use that power, but she only cares about doing what is best for the team.”

Villa tied the game in the bottom half of the sixth. Riley Miller led off, and was hit by a pitch, moving up to second on a sac bunt from Viscardo. After the Shanahan Miller struck out the next hitter, Ana Ciarrocchi put the Hurricanes on the board, delivering a double to the gap in left center to score Miller from second.

Ana Ciarrocchi

“These kinds of games are fun, and so important to get into,” said Villa Coach Nikki Hartshorn. “This team is mentally strong, and starting to know how tough they are. They can give up some unearned runs after making some errors, and just put it behind them. They know they can respond to adversity and score on one of the best pitchers around.”

Devon Miller

Miller went all nine to earn the victory. She allowed one run on five hits, while striking out 13 and not walking a single hitter.

“This was a tough battle,” said Miller. “I’ve always kind of had a grudge against this team, since they beat us in district finals when I was a freshman. I noticed pretty early they were standing back in the box, so I just took advantage of that and the wind and started working my curve a lot. It is great to come away with wins like this, because just about every game in our league is tough.”

Viscardo was just as impressive in taking the hard-luck loss. Viscardo also went the distance, allowing two runs on seven hits. She struck out 15, and walked four.

Alyssa Viscardo

“Alyssa was great,” said Hartshorn. “She has such great intensity, and is an amazing competitor. Softball is her life, and she loves the game and this team. They are really gelling as a team.”

Main Line softball teams looking to get into swing this spring

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The weather has been warming up the past few weeks, and so have the hopes of a number of Main Line high school softball squads who are off to a good start this spring. Conestoga was off to a 9-0 start as of April 15 (7-0 in the Central League); Episcopal Academy was 9-2, Haverford High was 6-1 in the Central League; Academy of Notre Dame was 5-2 (as of Tuesday); and Shipley was 4-0.
Here’s an early-season look at the Main Line high school softball squads:

Academy of Notre Dame
Head coach: Carl Ellis, fourth year.
Last year’s record: 12-3 overall, 9-3 Inter-Ac.
Key returnees: junior pitcher/shortstop Grace Jackson, junior pitcher/shortstop Caroline Adams, senior catcher Sophia Haub.
Others to watch: junior third baseman/first baseman Bianca Rosato, junior third baseman/first baseman Marissa Bruno, senior second baseman/centerfielder Samantha Mcgarvey.
Outlook: Ellis said, “Our biggest strength is our pitching duo of Grace Jackson and Caroline Adams. Our biggest key to success will ber the consistency of our offense.”

Archbishop Carroll
Head coach: Mike Lorine, second year.
Key returnees: senior second baseman Katelyn Barker, junior outfielder/second baseman Erin Boyle, sophomore third baseman/second baseman Sophia Spurio, sophomore shortstop/pitcher Julia Disands, sophomore catcher Christina Jackson, sophomore first baseman Nicollette Cashin.
Others to watch: freshman shortstop/outfielder/catcher Cheyenne Niehoff (“fast lefty slapper” per Lorine), freshman outfielder Maya Preston (“extremely fast lefty slapper” per Lorine), freshman pitcher Gianna Liciadello, freshman utility player Molly Devenney (“fast on the basepaths” per Lorine).
Outlook: As of April 15, the Patriots were 4-4,overall, 4-2 in the Catholic League. “Our strength is our mixture of speed and power at the plate,” said Lorine. “With a roster of 14 players that are either freshmen or sophomores we have a bright future ahead of us. Our challenges are with youth – playing clean, mistake-free defense is a must. Our greatest strength might be speed.”

Baldwin School
Head coach: Bryan Garrett, third year.
Last year’s record: 12-7 overall, 6-6 Inter-Ac.
Key returnees: junior catcher Hanna Maier, sophomore third baseman Alaina Donnelly, sophomore shortstop Tessa Pearlstein, freshman center fielder Blake Landow, sophomore pitcher Maura Smith, senior left fielder Julia Kait, senior first baseman Georgia Dahm, junior second baseman Alexis Loomis.
Others to watch: sophomore right fielder Presley Daggett, senior left fielder Azzaya Johnson.
Outlook: As of April 16, the Polar Bears are off to a solid start, with a 5-4 record. Garrett said, “The biggest strength of this team is how hard they play the game. Being a young team we need to work harder to continue proving ourselves as we build confidence as a team and individuals.”

Conestoga
Head coach: Pete Ricci, fourth year.
Last year’s record: 17-7.
Key rturnees: senior shortstop Olivia Cepielik, senior center fielder Jenny Noll, senior catcher Emme Rycyzyn, senior third baseman Faith Walker, junior pitcher Lauren Lofland, junior second baseman Claire Overton.
Outlook: The Pioneers were off to a 9-0 start as of of April 15 (7-0 in the Central League). In the pre-season, Ricci said, “We have playoff-tested veterans and good pitching. Our biggest challenge this season is replacing Katie Mayock and Rachel Lopez’s offensive production. The key to our success this season is winning close games – we’re a little different offensively than we were last year, so we need to take advantage of opportunities to score.”

Episcopal Academy
Head coach: Kelly Edwards, third year.
Last year’s record: 6-9.
Key returnees: senior first basemen Grace Smith, junior shortstop Belle Volatile, sophomore pitcher Emma Tansky, sophomore center fielder Hailee Moran,
Others to watch: senior third basemen Maddie Loughead (returning after a season off), sophomore catcher Elliana Hopple, freshman pitcher Karen Xiao.
Outlook: EA is off to a good start, with a 9-2 record as of April 15. In the pre-season, Edwards said, “The team looks great this year. They work well together and communicate like a team that has been playing together for years. Many of the girls play year round, which has made it easier to step on the field after a cold winter and look like we never stepped off last spring. Our biggest challenge will come in staying healthy. We have a small roster that fits together perfectly.”

Friends’ Central
Head coaches: Steve Colucci and Bob Bartholomew, third year.
Last year’s record: 4-8 overall, 4-6 Friends Schools League.
Key returnees: senior shortstop Zoe Shoemaker, senior center fielder Julia Nierenberg.
Others to watch: second baseman Hanna Benjet, third baseman Rore Anderson.
Outlook: Colucci said, “We’re looking to be a contender for the FSL title this year. We have a good core of returning players with a stronger defense and speed.”

Haverford
Head coach: Jill Marshall, fourth year.
Last year’s record: 12-8 overall, 10-6 Central League.
Key returnees: senior center fielder Ali Murphy, senior second baseman Amber Moscoe, senior infielder Anna Mefford.
Others to watch: senior utility player Mel Falotico, senior first baseman/catcher Farrell Everett, sophomore shortstop Tess Smiley, sophomore pitchers Annabelle Donato and Hannah Hermansen, sophomore catcher Haley Greenwald, sophomore outfielder Rachel Yocom.
Outlook: The Fords are off to a good start, posting a 6-3 record as of April 15 (6-1 in the Central League). In the pre-season, Marshall said, “We have a strong senior class and a lot of other returners in the line-up. We feel like we can be competitive in every game and are looking to continue to build off of last year.”

Lower Merion
Head coach: Jim LaPera. seventh year.
Last year’s record: 0-17.
Key returnees: senior pitcher Hannah Charlson, senior right fielder Zoe Kaplan, senior second baseman Emma Rosenau, junior center fielder Alyssa Holmberg, junior third baseman Kylie Pacchione.
Others to watch: freshman outfielder/catcher/pitcher Kelly Dougherty, freshman infielder/outfielder/pitcher Ava Holmberg, freshman catcher/utility Margot Oxman.
Outlook: LaPera said, “One of our biggest strengths is our veteran leadership – 3/4 of the team are seniors or juniors,” said LaPera. “One of our biggest keys to success this season is solid pitching from our senior and freshmen pitchers and more consistent hitting.”

Merion Mercy
Head coach: Al Poplawski, nine year.
Last year’s record: 9-8 overall, 7-5 AACA.
Key returnees: junior pitcher/infielder Kristen Krouse, junior shortstop Cara Keller, sophomore outfielder Grace Andrews, sophomore catcher Mya Mcgann,
Others to watch: sophomore catcher Gabriella Brignola, junior outfielder Audrey Deluca.
Outlook: Poplawski said, “We are a young team – eight freshmen and six sophomores – but we have a lot of talent. If the younger players progress as expected we can have a successful season. Pitching as always will be another key.”

Radnor
HJead coach; John Schaefer, fifth year.
Last year’s record: 9-9 overall.
Key returnees: senior shortstop Audrey Rosenblum (first team All Central League selection for past two years), senior pitcher Tess Massaro, senior outfielder Sophia Royle, junior outfielder/pitcher Roni Hoover, junior first baseman Grace Remphrey.
Others to watch: sophomore pitcher/infielder Lilah Demmy, junior outfielder/utility Emma Dalkin, sophomore infielder Amanda McGrath (returning from injury).
Outlook: The Raiders feature Rosenblum, a four-year starter at shortsop and lead off hitter, plus three solid starting pitchers (two righties and a lefty) in Massaro, Hoover and Demmy. Schaefer said, “Our biggest challenge is getting game experience for a lot of our younger players new to varsity who are filling spots in the infield, catching and outfield.”

Shipley
Head coach: Marin Kobb, third year.
Last year’s record: 4-6.
Key returnees: junior shortstop Lexi Wojtelwicz, senior center fielder Grace Spino.
Others to watch: sophomore pitcher/third baseman Abbie DeSantis, junior catcher Sarah Jane Whittemore, eighth grader third baseman/pitcher Cassandra Farrell.
Outlook: Shipley is off to a good start, with a 4-0 record as of April 15. Kobb said, “We are a young team with only one senior – which is both a strength and a challenge. We have strength in pitching, catching, and the shortstop positions. The key to success will be to stay healthy because we have a very small roster; in DeSantis’ success pitching; and in limiting errors in the field. Also in being aggressive hitting and baserunning.”

Villa Maria’s season ends in extra-inning district quarterfinal loss

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Malvern >> Villa Maria Academy, the No. 3 seed in PIAA District 1 5A softball, saw its season came to an end with a hard-fought 2-1 loss in 10 innings to Upper Merion in a District 1 quarterfinal Wednesday.
Twice the Hurricanes (13-6) loaded the bases with no outs and the score tied at 1-1 – once in the bottom of the sixth inning, then in the bottom of the ninth – but failed to score each time.
For No. 6 seed Upper Merion (14-8), its win means the Vikings get one of the four District 1 berths in the upcoming PIAA 5A state tournament.
“We just couldn’t get that one big hit at the right time,” said Villa Maria head coach Nikki Hartshorne. “This loss hurt. But every time we [failed to score], we came back harder, we raised the bar. Every inning I thought Alyssa’s pitching was the best I’ve ever seen. She earned every bit of success she had out there today.”
Villa Maria senior star pitcher Alyssa Viscardo, in the final game of her high school career, struck out 14 batters and allowed only seven hits and three walks. Of her 147 pitches, 96 were strikes, and she struck out many a Viking hitter on 3-2 and 2-2 counts Wednesday.
“It just hit me after the game that this is the last game I’ll be pitching for Villa Maria,” an emotional Viscardo said. “But I’m coming back here to visit after I graduate – it’s been a fun time. We really bonded this year.”
Viscardo, who will be pitching for the University of Hartford in the fall, struck out more than 500 batters in his Villa Maria career. Viscardo is one of five Hurricane senior starters who will be graduating in June – the others are Anna Ciarrocchi, Fran Delviscio, Riley Miller and Mary Willcox. Another graduating senior on the squad is Kevina Day.
“I will miss these seniors immensely,” said Hartshorne. “They were so much fun to play with, so much fun to coach – they were so dynamic as a bunch. I really believe that with all their strong personalities, they really well gelled well together – which is something that you can’t always get. They really set the tone for the team, and they had a season with which we can continue their legacy. They gave so much leadership and they gave the underclassmen what they need to carry on.”
Two of those seniors plated Villa Maria’s lone run in the bottom of the first inning Wednesday. The Hurricanes were trailing 1-0 when Riley Miller (which reached base her first three times up) beat out an infield hit. Two batters later, Delviscio banged a double to left-center, scoring Miller.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Viscardo led off with a double to left center. Delviscio grounded to shortstop, and Viscardo left second base, drawing a throw. While Viscardo got back safely to second, Delviscio was safe at first. Ciarrocchi bunted for a hit, and the bases were loaded. But the Hurricanes failed to score.
In the bottom of the ninth, Ciarrocchi led off with a double to right, then Natalie Bacallao beat out a bunt single to third. Willcox also beat out a bunt along the third base side, with Ciarrocchi holding at third.
With the bases loaded and no outs once again for the Hurricanes, a run scored here would have meant at least three more games for Villa Maria (and none for Upper Merion), but two force plays at the plate and a strikeout ended the rally.
Altogether, Villa Maria left nine runners on base, Upper Merion left eight. And in the first five innings, two batters were called out for being out of the batter’s box when making contact – one for Villa Maria, one for Upper Merion.
“It’s the details of the game; that one little missed signal, that one little missed play,” said Hartshorne. “Everything needed to be precise for today’s win, and that’s what happens when you go deep into Districts – everyone’s got to be on top of their game. [But] it was such an awesome game, it was such a pleasure to be here, in the moment. But this loss hurt.”
For Upper Merion, the memories of this game will be special.
“This is the first time in my 15 years at Upper Merion that we’ve gone to States,” said Upper Merion head coach Melissa Toto. “It might be the first time that Upper Merion [softball] has ever gone to States.
“We really played with heart today, played for each other. None of our girls would take personal credit for this win, because each of them could look at the girl next to her and say, ‘We wouldn’t be here without you.’”
Upper Merion scored a run in the top of the first inning. Vanessa Hutchinson and Lauren Del Giudice started the game with a couple of walks, then Hutchinson moved to third on Katelyn O’Brien’s fly out to right. When Del Giudice ran to second and drew a Villa Maria throw, Hutchinson raced home with the game’s first run.
On the mound, Viking starting pitcher Kayla Warren hurled seven innings, scattering six hits, allowing just one run and getting out of a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the bottom of the sixth with a double play and a strikeout. Olivia Barr pitched the final three innings, and facing a bases-loaded, no out situation in the bottom of the ninth, set the Hurricanes down 1-2-3.
“Kayla pitched great for seven innings, and then Liv came in to relieve and picked up right where Kayla left off,” said Toto. “They both did a great job pitching out of jams.”
In the top of the 10th inning, the Vikings’ Sammie Deskiewicz (Upper Merion’s last batter in the ninth) took second base to start the frame. Following two outs, Hutchinson singled past shortstop to score Deskiewicz to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the 10th, with a Villa Maria runner on second to start the inning, Barr got a strikeout, a groundout to first, and a fly ball to left, ending the game.
Toto said, “My girls wanted this game so bad, they weren’t letting anyone stop them. The whole team believed in themselves – they know how hard they worked to get here, and today they really delivered. We kept going and we didn’t get down on ourselves [in adversity]. Alyssa Viscardo did a great job, and [Villa Maria] backed her up, hit the ball well behind her.”

Seidel, Gwynedd Mercy shut out Upper Moreland in District 1-4A semifinals

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LOWER GWYNEDD >> With Upper Moreland and Gwynedd Mercy Academy both sporting 13-6 records, their matchup in the District 1-4A softball semifinals projected to be very close contest.

Gwynedd Mercy held the slight edge in total points according to the PIAA District 1 rankings, thus winning the right to host the playoff contest. With freshman Madison Seidel in the circle for the Monarchs and senior Jenna Sadowski operating on the mound for the Golden Bears, both teams boasted two of the finest pitchers in the district.

On Wednesday, they showed off their skills, but it was Seidel who bested Sadowski in the narrow duel. Riding a complete-game shutout from Seidel, Gwynedd Mercy defeated Upper Moreland, 2-0, to advance to the District One 4A championship.

In the first inning, Upper Moreland saw Seidel down two of its batters, but Brianna Hughes singled to center and stole second to put herself in scoring position. Unfortunately for the Golden Bears, cleanup hitter Jackie Martino went down swinging to end the threat.

Gwynedd Mercy capitalized and took an early lead. After Hailee Weiss advanced to second off a single and a stolen base, Seidel proved her chops at the plate by ripping a hard grounder toward Hughes, which she could not handle. Weiss made her way home, tallying the first score of the game.

The second inning proved to be more of the same for the Golden Bears at the plate. Sadowski provided a leadoff single, and pinch runner Erin Shaffert made it to second after a bunt by Brigid Ounan. But Upper Moreland failed to drive in the tying run as Gabrielle Wiley and Alexis McDermott struck out to strand Shaffert.

During the bottom half of the frame, Brigid Ounan made an impressive catch in right field, but Sadowski found herself in trouble with two outs as she walked Carley Andrews on four pitches, and Liz Held bunted to move Andrews to second. Held also made it to first base on the play. Queue a wild pitch, and Sadowski was pitching with runners on second and third. But she exited the jam by forcing Weiss into a groundout.   

In the following inning, Upper Moreland was once again denied at the plate by Seidel, while the Monarchs found another way to score. Jess DiBricida singled to kick off the action in the bottom of the third. She then stole second, and Meaghan McGoldrick followed with a well-hit grounder. Jess Baumeister could not handle the throw from shortstop, though, thus allowing McGoldrick to reach second and DiBricida to score.

From then on, no more runs crossed home as Seidel and Sadowski dazzled in the circle.

Sadowski struck out the side in the fourth and recorded an easy 1-2-3 inning in the sixth. The only threat she faced came in the fifth frame when runners once again made their way to second and third. But the senior showcased her poise under pressure, striking out Lauren Slovensky to end the inning.

“She has been tremendous for us for three years now,” said Upper Moreland head coach Scott Ludlow on Sadowski. “Today, unfortunately, was the end of her high school career. But she ended on an extremely high note in terms of the way she pitched and the way she played … Unfortunately, we made a couple mistakes behind her, and it cost us a couple runs.”

Meanwhile, the Golden Bear bats were held in check by Seidel. Upper Moreland placed runners on first and second in the top of the fourth, but Kacey Emmell could only muster a groundout to second, which ended the scoring opportunity.

Seidel notched a quick 1-2-3 inning in the fifth and then gave up a lone single in the sixth before putting down three more Golden Bears.

“She threw a great game,” said Gwynedd Mercy head coach Charlie Ball of Seidel’s performance. “She kept them off with her changeups, she kept them off with the different pitches she has, and she kept their big hitters off balance.”

Upper Moreland’s last chance came in the top of the seventh, and it mounted a valiant comeback attempt.

Wiley kickstarted the effort with a hard-hit grounder that allowed her to advance to first. Following an Alexis McDermott pop out, Allison Ludlow laid down a soft bunt. Wiley easily made it to second, and Ludlow barely beat the throw to first. With the tying run on first, Kramer bunted, putting Ludlow and Wiley on second and third, respectively. The game came down to the bat of Baumeister. The junior swung on the first pitch and launched the ball to center, but it was handled by Andrews in center field, which secured the victory for the Monarchs. 

“I’ve come to understand that we really never give up. We talked about whatever was going to happen, we were going to go down with a fight,” said Ludlow about his team’s rally. “We weren’t going to roll over. I’m certainly proud of the way we fought—we put two runs in scoring position, and we were a hit away from tying the game.”

Gwynedd Mercy has now booked a trip to District 1-4A championship where it faces top seed Nazareth Academy Wednesday.

“It’s the first time since I’ve been here that we got to the district championship,” said Ball. “It feels good.”

Despite the loss, Ludlow is proud of what his team has accomplished.

“This is a really special group for me because I’ve coached many of them since they were eight or nine years old. They’re a pleasure to coach and a pleasure to be around. It’s a disappointing way to end, but I’m proud of the way we fought and I’m proud of the way the season concluded.”  

Gwynedd Mercy falls to Nazareth Academy in District 1-4A final

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HORSHAM >> Gwynedd Mercy Academy faced a tough task in the District 1-4A softball final.

After shutting out Upper Moreland in the semifinal, the Monarchs were pitted against the No. 1 seed, Nazareth Academy. The Pandas finished the regular season with a 15-2 record, but they were still a vulnerable opponent. After all, six of Nazareth’s victories were come-from-behind wins, and it only eked by a sub-.500 opponent in Villa Joseph Marie during the semifinal, 6-5.

Still, the Pandas beat Gwynedd Mercy in both of their regular season games. The Monarchs fell in the first contest at home, 9-5, and then lost a narrow decision on the road, 4-3.

Unfortunately for Gwynedd Mercy, Wednesday’s contest was not decided in its favor. The Monarchs battled throughout, but a three-run swing in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the difference as Gwynedd Mercy was defeated by Nazareth, 6-3, at Hatboro-Horsham.

With the holiday weekend providing time for their teams to rest, Monarchs head coach Charlie Ball and Pandas head coach Danielle Vittitow could each trot out their star pitchers. Freshman Madison Seidel came into the circle for Gwynedd Mercy, and senior Devyn Dydak drew the start for Nazareth.

The top of the first inning saw Dydak walk leadoff batter Hailee Weiss, but she retired the next two batters before facing first baseman Meaghan McGoldrick. During the at-bat, Weiss stole second, and McGoldrick capitalized. She hit a blooper over shortstop Mac Tobler’s head, scoring the first run of the game.

Seidel, fresh off a shutout over Upper Moreland last week, could not replicate her dominant form in the early going. The freshman allowed the first three batters to reach base. Following a single from Tobler, Stephanie Marino laid down a routine bunt, but the throw to first was too high, and Tobler rounded the bases to knot the game.

Natalie Minitti then singled, putting runners on first and third, and she then advanced to second off a wild pitch. Next up was Megan Dignam, who hit a hard grounder toward first — one that McGoldrick could not handle — which scored the Pandas’ second run and gave them the lead.

At this point, runners occupied the corners, and Seidel had failed to record an out. Thanks to Weiss, though, Nazareth’s scoring outburst came to an end. Cait Ferry drilled a line drive in Weiss’ direction. The junior captain made the catch and also got the tag-out at third. After Seidel walked Timoney Lamplugh, she struck out Julianna Nocito to escape the inning without any further damage.

“Hailee Weiss has been doing that all year,” Ball said regarding the junior’s double play. “She’s probably the premier shortstop in our league.”

The next two innings passed by without much incident as Seidel and Dydak began to settle in the circle.

Dydak pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the second and stranded one runner at first base during the third. Meanwhile, Seidel worked around an early walk to down the next three batters in the second frame before stringing together a 1-2-3 inning of her own in the third.

Gwynedd Mercy missed out on a prime opportunity to score in the fourth. Seidel reached first on a single, and she proceeded to steal both second and third. With Lauren Slovensky also on second, Lily Panunto grounded out but appeared to drive in a run as Seidel crossed home. But as she was running to third, Slovensky interfered with the Tobler, who made the throw to first. That interference combined with the out at first would result in three outs.

But after a lengthy discussion, officials placed Panunto at first and Seidel at third with two outs. The interference by Slovensky resulted in a dead ball. The score still stood at 2-1, and Carley Andrews came to the plate. She flew out to left field, squashing the scoring threat.

“I didn’t want to argue,” Ball said referring to the call. “I told them that was the wrong call when I went out there, and (the officials) told me I was wrong. I didn’t want to belabor the issue that early in the game.”

The Pandas extended their lead in the same frame. Seidel drew an early out, but Nocito reached first after beating the throw by Weiss. She stole, and McGurk was fanned by Seidel. Dydak then displayed her prowess at the plate, blasting a double off the wall to tally the team’s third run. The ensuing batter — Tobler — hit one through the middle. Dydak rounded third to try to score, but she could not beat the throw home, which held the Pandas at three runs.

In the fifth, Dydak began to unravel. Liz Held lined out to shortstop to kick off the inning, but Dydak proceeded to walk the next three batters. Seidel appeared at the plate with the bases loaded, and Dydak walked her counterpart in four pitches, cutting Nazareth’s lead to just one. That lead soon vanished when McGoldrick launched a sacrifice fly to knot the game at three apiece.

Seidel rebounded in the bottom of the frame. Aside from a Marino bunt, Seidel denied the Panda bats. Dydak more or less did the same in the sixth. The senior gave up a single and a walk, but she stranded the runners at first and second thanks to Marino, who made a diving catch in center to record the third out.

The final turning point came in the bottom of the sixth. Seidel notched a quick out and looked to have a second following a Nocito strikeout, but Nocito reached first as a result of a dropped third strike. Gianna DiBello came in as a pinch-hitter, and she moved herself and Nocito up a base with a hard grounder. Dydak then came up to bat, and she gave herself a lead to work with, earning her second RBI double of the day to drive in Nocito. Tobler then blasted a double of her own. This time, Dydak safely made it home along with Marie Dignam, who was pinch-running for DiBello. This three-run scoring outburst gave the Pandas a comfortable edge heading into the seventh.

In the last inning, Dydak made quick work of the Monarchs. Jess Dibricida reached first, but Seidel then flew out to Dydak. Megan Dignam wrapped up the contest by recording a game-ending double play as she handled a liner from McGoldrick and tagged out Dibricida.

While Gwynedd Mercy’s season ended just short of an appearance in the state tournament, Ball is confident about his team’s future.

“(The Pandas) beat us three times. You got to tip your hat to them. But they are senior-loaded. I graduate one senior from the starting lineup. I have juniors, sophomores and freshmen coming back. Our turn’s coming. I congratulate them and wish them all the best at states.”


Vote for the Delco Times’ Athletes of the Year in our Instagram contest

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Once upon a time and an era ago, there was a little thing called the All-Delco banquet.

OK, let’s not make it sound that mystical. It was held in a hotel ballroom with seating charts, check-your-choice dinner plates and nervous sportswriters remembering why public speaking wasn’t listed on their resumes. But what assembled in that room each June for 26 straight years was something quite special — a yearly accounting of the best and brightest high school athletes in Delaware County. The list of attendees has only grown more illustrious in retrospect, as those athletes have gone on to great success, in college and the pros, on the field and off, literally the world over.

The days of banquet programs and featured speakers are long gone. But the spirit that event fostered — one that we recognized in the late 1980s and informed us more than we informed it — continues. With the school year wrapped up, then, we wondered if we could find a way to bring it back in some small way.

One of the cornerstones of the banquet each year was the Male and Female Athletes of the Year. As reporters, we consulted coaches and assembled teams of the best athletes in each sport, the All-Delcos that populated the banquet. But part of the night’s festivities allowed athletes to pick for themselves who they thought was the best athlete of the year, an award determined by their peers.

Like any other year, the candidates are plentiful. On the girls side, two athletes took home multiple player of the year honors – Olivia Dirks of Episcopal Academy in lacrosse and soccer, and Strath Haven’s Grace Forbes in track and cross country. The backbone of the Springfield lacrosse state championship squad and Garnet Valley’s District 1 Class 6A basketball squad will be well represented.

The boys’ candidates include a slew of distinguished scorers in basketball, from Player of the Year Christian Ray to 2,000-point scorer Isaiah Wong to Vinny DeAngelo of Sun Valley, one of the top 15 scorers in Delaware County history. Two soccer teams played for state titles in the fall, and a thrilling football season produced a bevy of records.

These days, our shared conversation space is social media, so we’re taking the Athletes of the Year there.

For the next three weeks, we’re going to let you, the readers of Delaware County and its sports teams, pick the Male and Female Athletes of the Year via our Instagram page. Here’s how to vote:

Follow our Instagram account, @delcotimessports. On Monday through Thursday starting July 8, we’ll post each morning to our “stories” (click the circle with the logo at top left of the profile) to narrow down a list of the top 16 male and top 16 female athletes in head-to-head votes. The first round for the girls will be July 8-9 (4 poll questions each day), with the boys July 10-11. You can also follow along with the hashtag, #DelcoAOTY.

Winners will advance to the next week (again girls on Monday and Tuesday, July 15-16; boys on Wednesday and Thursday, July 17-18), and by July 24 and 25, we’ll have our finalists. Make sure to check in and vote every day, since the stories are only up for 24 hours; we’ll have them up in the morning, perfect for when you finally get to the beach for the day or when you take your lunch break to get some fresh air.

We’ll feature the winners in the paper, and while we don’t have the budget for plaques that we once did, you can’t like a plaque on Instagram. Nominees will be provided by our All-Delco teams and in consultation with our sports department.

So get ready to log on and join us as we relive the highlights of the high school year … and maybe make some new traditions in the process.

Diamond gems: Presenting 2019 All-Main Line softball teams

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The Main Line high school softball scene this past spring featured a strong lineup of team. Conestoga (20-4) won the Central League title and advanced to the PIAA state tournament for the first time since 2007. Haverford (18-7 overall, 14-2 Central League), like Conestoga, advanced to the PIAA state tourney.. The Inter-Ac featured Episcopal Academy (15-6), Academy of Notre Dame (13-6, second place in Inter-Ac and PAISAA tournament) and Baldwin School (9-8). Other strong teams included Villa Maria Academy (13-6) and Shipley (11-3), which posted an 11-1 record in the Friends’ Schools League and advanced to the FSL championship final.
The All-Main Line high school softball teams are selected by the coaches. Because Main Line Media News covers 19 high schools, the Main Line Media News sports staff limits the number of sports available to first team, second team and honorable mention – but follows the priority of the coaches’ selections.
What follows are the 2019 All-Main Line high school softball teams:
FIRST TEAM
Grace Jackson, Academy of Notre Dame – Junior pitcher, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, struck out 137 batters with an ERA of 2.11, and was a potent hitter, batting .688, with 42 hits, 14 walks and only three strikeouts.
Caroline Adams, Academy of Notre Dame – Junior shortstop, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, batted .533 with 32 hits, seven walks, 16 runs scored and 11 RBI’s, with only six strikeouts. Also displayed a fine glove at shortstop.
Hanna Maier, Baldwin School – Junior catcher, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, batted .344 with slugging percentage of .643 and was noted for her timely hitting. Gave up only five stolen bases all season, blocked the plate well and picked off numerous runners.
Olivia Cepelik, Conestoga – Senior shortstop, a first team All-Central League selection, was the Pioneers’ best defensive player, and batted .405 with five doubles, three triples and three home runs along with 18 RBIs. Batted .545 in the postseason.
Lauren Lofland, Conestoga – Junipr pitcher, a first team All-Central League selection, posted a 17-4 record and 1.67 ERA, striking out 139 batters while allowing only 13 walks.
Hailee Moran, Episcopal Academy – Sophomore center fielder/shortstop/catcher, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, was noted for her excellent versatility, and was a fine leadoff hitter, batting .400 with an on-base percentage of .478. Moved from center field to shortstop with no dropoff in defensive excellence.
Emma Tansky, Episcopal Academy – Sophomore pitcher, a first team All-Inter-Ac pick, posted an ERA of 1.26, striking out 59 and walking only 10 while displaying an excellent repertoire of pitches. Batted .377 and was second on the team in stolen bases (behind Hailee Moran).
Belle Volatile, Episcopal Academy – Junior third baseman/shortstop, a first team All-Inter-Ac selection, batted .367 with three doubles, three triples and 17 RBIs, posting an on-base percentage of .426. A two-time Carpenter Cup selection.
Ali Murphy, Haverford High – Senior center fielder and captain, a first team All-Central League selection for the fourth year in a row, was the Fords’ MVP, batting .610 with a slugging percentage of .896 and 14 stolen bases. For her Ford career, she compiled 150 hits, 121 runs scored, only 13 strikeouts and .513 batting average.
Emma Taylor, Haverford High – Freshman pitcher posted 14-5 record with 2.22 ERA, striking out 82 batters in 119 2/3 innings. Batted .295 and received second team All-Central League honors.
Audrey Rosenblum, Radnor – Senior shortstop and second-year captain, a first team All-Central League selection for the third year in a row, batted .375 as a leadoff hitter with seven extra base hits, 11 stolen bases and 17 runs scored. Earned 11 varsity letters at Radnor, five as captain.
Abbie DeSantis, Shipley – Sophomore pitcher, a first team All-Friends’ Schools League selection, was the Gators’ MVP, posting a 1.64 ERA and striking out 93 batters in 64 innings pitched. Batted .500 with 17 hits, 16 RBIs and a .765 slugging percentage.
Lexi Wojtelwicz, Shipley – Junior shortstop and captain, a first teawm All-Friends’ Schools League selection, batted .405 with 15 hits, 19 runs scored, 11 RBIs and a .649 slugging percentage.
Alyssa Viscardo, Villa Maria Academy – Senior pitcher received the Hurricanes’ Most Valuable Player award, striking out 181 batters (including her 500th career K), posting a 2.31 ERA and earning 13 wins. An All-AACA first team selection, she also batted .333 with 21 hits and 11 RBIs. Will play softball for the University of Hartford.
Riley Miller, Villa Maria Academy – Senior center fielder, a first team All-AACA selection, batted .500 with 21 runs scored and 11 RBIs. Was an excellent base stealer, nabbing 10 bases for a steal percentage of .833.

SECOND TEAM
Academy of Notre Dame – Bianca Rossato, junior first baseman/third baseman; Marisa Bruno, freshman third baseman; Sophie Haub, senior catcher.
Baldwin School – Blake Landow, freshman outfielder/slapper; Tessa Pearlstein, sophomore shortstop/third baseman.
Barrack Hebrew Academy – Dayna Felger, freshman shortstop.
Conestoga – Libby Winters, freshman first baseman; Jenny Noll, senior center fielder; Claire Overton, junior second baseman.
Episcopal Academy – Elliana Hopple, sophomore catcher; Karen Xiao, freshman pitcher/outfielder.
Friends’ Central – Zoe Shoemaker, senior shortstop/pitcher.
Harriton – Xochitl Krumbiegel, senior center fielder.
Haverford High – Amber Moscoe, senior second baseman; Tess Smiley, sophomore shortstop; Haley Greenwald, sophomore catcher.
Merion Mercy Academy – Madison Boylan, senior second baseman; Kiersten Krouse, junior pitcher/outfielder/second baseman.
Shipley – Grace Spino, senior center fielder.
Villa Maria Academy – Fran Delviscio, senior shortstop; Ana Ciarrocchi, senior second baseman.

HONORABLE MENTION
Baldwin School – Georgia Dahm, senior first baseman; Maura Smith, sophomore pitcher/shortstop; Julia Kait, senior outfielder.
Barrack Hebrew Academy – Ruthie Meles, junior third baseman.
Conestoga – Emme Rycyzyn, senior catcher; Faith Walker, senior third baseman.
Harriton – Anna Walsh, senior shortstop; Ava Paternoster, junior pitcher.
Haverford High – Brooke McKeown, sophomore left fielder.
Lower Merion – Hannah Charlson, senior pitcher; Kylie Pacchione, junior third baseman; Margot Oxman, freshman catcher.
Radnor – Sophia Royle, senior centerfielder; Emma Gibbons, sophomore outfielder.

– Archbishop Carroll did not submit an All-Main Line softball nomination ballot.

The post Diamond gems: Presenting 2019 All-Main Line softball teams appeared first on Softball.

Introducing the All-Delco Database …

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“Many may disagree with the choices herein, but no writer is infallible and it is our opinion that the players selected are standouts in their positions.”

Those words graced the pages of what was then The Chester Times in the fall of 1933, an introduction to (and preemptive apology for) the paper’s all-star football team. Nearly a century later, the lead it set still resonates.

For nearly 100 years, the Daily Times and its antecedents have in one form or another picked teams that we’ve called All-Delcos. For a paper that has long elevated coverage of local (particularly high school) sports, in a place as uniquely proud and independent as Delaware County, it has been a perfect match. But for too long, that history was only hinted at, in occasional reminders in print, in the collective memory of those involved, in the hard-to-access recesses of archives and filing cabinets.

That changes today. Over the last couple of years, since the Daily Times move from our offices in Primos to our new digs in Swarthmore, we’ve been trying to wrangle our All-Delco history into an operable form, something accessible as more than just microfilm or dusty old clippings. We’re happy to present the product of that work: A searchable, interactive database of All-Delcos dating back as far as we can find them.

A little history

All-Delcos have in one name or another been picked for decades. The football teams, sprouting from All-Suburban teams, date to the 1930s. Basketball squads came into bloom in the 1950s, and the selection of girls teams started in the 1970s, as the Daily Times was a pioneer in the area of giving girls sports the attention they deserved.

The main inflection point came in 1987, when sports editor Chic Riebel conceived of the All-Delco banquet, annually honoring the best in high school sports. It spurred an explosion in the number of All-Delcos named, codifying our blanket coverage of Delco sports. Though the banquet has gone by the wayside, it peaked in the mid-1990s at more than 700 attendees.

“Looking at that and the fact that we were into the 1980s, with the proliferation of girls sports and all the other sports growing, it didn’t seem fair that all we did was represent a couple of traditional sports and that was it,” Riebel, a Delco Athletes Hall of Famer, said recently. “It seemed like a good way to honor more kids that were really good in sports.”

The changes deepened the meaning of the All-Delco label. Through the years, one thing has remained consistent: The schools we cover are clearly demarcated, stopping at the county’s borders. No matter how good the schools outside that line get, there’s no changing the population eligible for All-Delco. That constancy lends the award its authority, what Riebel called being the “king of your backyard.” Even as school jurisdictions shifted or consolidated, the award remained the same. Being an All-Delco is as recognizable to athletes now as decades ago, a constant for kids as their parents and even grandparents.

“Riebel wanted to do something more than run the All-Delco teams in the paper,” assistant sports editor Terry Toohey wrote in 2009. “He wanted being named All-Delco to be a memorable experience, an honor the athlete and his or her family would remember for a lifetime.”

Consider this project a way of grafting those memories into the digital present.

A couple of things to remember

The database that follows is interactive. (For more information on navigating Tableau software, this page has helpful links.). You can search through lists of past All-Delco winners; in many cases, you can sort by an individual name, school or year. We’ve also manipulated the data to tease out trends and tell a little bit of our story.

The first slide, “An All-Delco History,” offers a more in-depth history lesson. The second, “The All-Delco Database,” is the crux of the information: A searchable list of both All-Delcos and Players of the Year that allows you to sort by different parameters.

The third and fourth visualizations are where we have some fun with the data. “All-Delcos by Schools” breaks out selections based on school, sport, and players of the year. The data is also mapped across the county.

The fourth visualization starts “Digging into the Data.” We tease out a couple of special groups, looking at gender balance and multi-sport All-Delcos. For the three sports with most robust history of selections – football and boys and girls basketball – we also look at trends in which schools have filled the teams through the years.

The database we’ve built is anything but perfect, and failure points in documenting such a tract of time are myriad. Some teams weren’t archived in the panoply of technologies we’ve shuffled through. Some weren’t picked as the paper wasn’t printed due to labor strikes. In other cases, there are inconsistencies in when or if teams were picked, and the lines between teams picked explicitly by coaches as opposed to by the Daily Times in consultation (as has become standard practice) are blurry. It is important to note that only first-team selections are included, a cohort that includes nearly 8,000 honorees, and the names are as they appear at the time, not altered by any changes later in life.

All that is to say that this project is a starting point more than a finished product. There are holes in the data that require plugging, and putting this out into the world will let us continue that process (direct any questions to mdegeorge@21st-centurymedia.com). Our hope is that the database can be not only a resource to answer a specific question but something that brings up answers you didn’t know you were looking for. It would be only fitting if we could continue the conversation that All-Delco has kept going for so long.

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The post Introducing the All-Delco Database … appeared first on Softball.

The decade that was: The All-Delco database in the 2010s

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The end of the 2010s is upon us. (Yes, we see your decade pedantry, and we don’t need it today.)

A lot of Delco sports have happened since the calendar flipped from 2009 to 2010. You could catch an NBA game featuring Delco natives Derrick Jones and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, both All-Delcos this decade. The 2020 Olympics are nearing, where Delco natives like Shane Ryan and Darrell Hill are poised to make return appearances on the world’s biggest athletic stage after competing in Rio four years ago. Who knows which stars of the 2010s could end up joining them? The number of NCAA championships won by Delco players in the last decade is, frankly, incalculable, so take our word when we say it’s a lot.

One of the projects that marked our 2019 was the All-Delco Database, an accounting of some 80 years of accomplishments by players we’ve deemed All-Delcos in 20-plus sports. (The original database has been updated with the fall 2019 All-Delcos, bringing the number of honorees over the 8,000 mark.) That collection of data from the last 10 (and a half) academic years offers a window into what a decade it’s been.

For instance, Shane Ryan is one of six athletes in the last decade to be named an Athlete of the Year on three occasions. Three of those six are swimmers, with Ryan and Baturka joined by Haverford School’s Alex Boratto.

Haverford School also produced a three-time wrestler of the year in L.J. Barlow – and the decade ends with Sun Valley’s Hunter Catka, who has been named Wrestler of the Year twice, vying for a third nod as a senior. The other two are track stars: Grace Forbes of Strath Haven, a two-time track AOTY and once the cross country runner of the year, and Olivia Arizin, twice winning in cross country and once in track.

READ: Introducing the All-Delco Database

The race for the schools with the most All-Delcos since the start of the 2009-10 academic year was decided by a scant one spot: Garnet Valley had 211 athletes named All-Delco in the decade, one more than Episcopal Academy, in its first full decade within county limits.

Take a look through the other schools’ All-Delco outputs this decade at the view below:

Interestingly, neither of those most prolific providers of All-Delcos created the largest number of players of the year this decade. EA was third, with Garnet Valley tied for fifth. Instead, the honor went to Haverford School, with 27 POYs.

The driving force for the Fords was their swimming team, garnering six athlete of the year nods, followed by five from its vaunted lacrosse program. It’s not a bad haul considering that Haverford’s girls sports have, well, lagged significantly behind.

Below, you can scroll through the All-Delco database, sorted to show all the honorees in the last decade. As a special visualization, take a look at how the proportion of All-Delcos have morphed by school by year with the pie chart animation (use the arrows at bottom right to toggle between years). The map of All-Delco honorees is also updated for the last decade.  

Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media Softball Team of the Decade Tournament

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Area softball would be hitting the stretch run about now, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, all of the PIAA spring sports season was cancelled.

But, there is still plenty of competition ahead.

The Reporter, Times Herald and Montgomery Media will be presenting The Team of the Decade Softball Tournament.

On Sunday, May 10, the 16-team bracket to decide the top squad from seasons 2010 to 2019 will be unveiled in The Reporter and Times Herald and online at papreplive.com.

Polls to vote on each of the tournament matchups will be posted on Twitter @ReporterSports.

The criteria used to create the 16-team bracket includes overall records along with strength of schedule, league, district and state titles, talent on the field, memorable moments and even more.

Have suggestions?

Fans, coaches, players both past and present, and anyone else interested in suggesting a team should email sports@thereporteronline.com.

Several area squads jump to mind when recalling this past decade of softball.

Souderton Area captured the 4A State Title in 2014, and Hatboro-Horsham stood atop 4A in 2011.

Just last spring, North Penn was the District 1-6A Runner-Up and a state quarterfinalist.

The Knights also won districts in 2012 and were the runner-up in 2014.

Lansdale Catholic made it all the way to the 2014 3A Semis, and was also Philadelphia Catholic League Runner-Up that year.

St Basil reached the PIAA Semis in 2015 and was crowned the District 1-2A Champion that same spring.

Upper Merion won the Suburban One League American Conference in 2016 and made it to the District 1-3A Semis.

Dock has been a regular in the postseason, including a trip to the A State Quarters in 2010. 

There were several other memorable teams on the diamond this past decade.

To suggest a team, send in your nominations and after the bracket is unveiled Sunday, the competition will begin.

The Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media Softball Team of the Decade Bracket is set

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The field is set.

The 16-team Softball Team of the Decade bracket is ready to go, with a pair of State Champions set atop the field.

Souderton Area, the 2014 4A State Champ, is seeded first, and Hatboro-Horsham, the 2011 4A Champ, is on the other half of the bracket, poised to go at No. 2.

The Softball Team of the Decade Tournament is brought to you by The Reporter, Times Herald and Montgomery Media.

It is also available online at papreplive.com.

Polls to vote on each of the tournament matchups will be posted on Twitter @ReporterSports.

Top-seeded Big Red will take on No. 16 Springfield Montco of 2018 in the first round while the Hatters meet No. 15 North Penn of 2018 in the opening matchup.

North Penn and Hatboro-Horsham each have three entries in the tournament while Souderton, Lansdale Catholic, Dock and Spring-Ford each have two.

Springfield Montco and St. Basil each have one team in the bracket.

The Knights had quite a decade on the diamond.

The 2013 team, seeded third in the tourney, caught fire in the postseason that year.

The Knights made it all the way to the District One semifinals, losing to Neshaminy.

North Penn then went on a tear in states, beating Northhampton 1-0 and Central Bucks East 11-1 before falling to Neshaminy in the semifinals, 3-2.

Jackie Bilotti led the way for NP on the mound, with center fielder Erin Maher and first baseman Vicky Tumasz also making key contributions.

It’s a crosstown battle in the first round, as the Knights take on No. 14 Lansdale Catholic of 2011.

Erelle Sowers pitched Souderton to a state title in 2014, and Big Red will again try to make it through a tough field to capture all the glory.

No. 9 St. Basil of 2015 takes on No. 8 Dock of 2011 in a first-round battle, while No. 5 Hatboro-Horsham of 2010 meets No. 12 Souderton Area of 2011.

Filling out the top half of the bracket, No. 4 Spring-Ford of 2019 takes on No. 13 Hatboro-Horsham of 2012.

Another crosstown battle takes place in the No. 7-10 matchup, as Lansdale Catholic of 2014 meets Dock of 2010.

No. 6 Spring-Ford of 2017 will go at it in the first round against No. 11 North Penn of 2019.

That Knights team finished 22-3, captured the SOL Continental title for the third year in a row, and reached the District 1-3A Final.

Mady Volpe racked up 266 strikeouts for the Knights that spring.

Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Softball Team of the Decade Bracket: The Elite Eight is set

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There were several home runs, ground-rule doubles, line-drive snares and pick-off plays at first…

But when it was all counted up and finalized, the Softball Team of the Decade Tournament had boiled down to its final eight.

The Softball Team of the Decade Tournament is brought to you by The Reporter, Times Herald and Montgomery Media.

It is also available online at papreplive.com.

Polls to vote on each of the tournament matchups will be posted on Twitter @ReporterSports.

There were eight matchups in the first round.

The most tightly-contested matchup pitted 2017 Spring-Ford against 2019 North Penn, and the Knights came together to win 52.3 to 47.7 in the voter percentage.

North Penn’s other two squads also punched their tickets to the quarters.

2018 NP edged 2011 Hatboro-Horsham 55-45, and 2013 North Penn got by crosstown rival 2011 Lansdale Catholic 72-28.

In a tightly-contested battle, 2014 LC battled past 2010 Dock 59.9 to 40.1.

That sets up two interesting quarterfinal matchups in the bottom half of the bracket.

No. 3 2013 North Penn takes on No. 11 2019 North Penn, and No. 7 2014 LC meets No. 15 2018 North Penn.

2015 St. Basil is in the quarters, courtesy of a 59.3-40.7 victory over 2011 Dock.

2010 Hatboro-Horsham also advanced, thanks to a 64.5-35.5 win over 2011 Souderton Area.

Big Red’s other squad came out with the win though, as the 2014 Indians prevailed 64.7-35.3 over 2018 Springfield Montco.

2019 Spring-Ford is still alive, as the Rams won 64.9-35.1 over 2012 Hatboro-Horsham.

That sets up two more intriguing matchups, as top-seeded Souderton takes on No. 9 2015 St. Basil, and No. 4 2019 Spring-Ford meets No. 5 2010 Hatboro-Horsham.

St. Basil, 2019 North Penn and 2018 North Penn all came through with road wins in the first round.

There could be a lot more drama in store.

Voting for the quarterfinals take place this week on Twitter.


Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media Softball Team of the Decade Tournament: Quarterfinals heating up

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It’s finally starting to feel like softball weather, and just in time as the Team of the Decade Tournament hustles into the quarterfinal round.

The tournament is brought to you by The Reporter, Times Herald and Montgomery Media and is also available online at papreplive.com with voting on The Reporter Sports Twitter account (@ReporterSports).

Souderton is the lone State Champ still alive, and Big Red looks to defend its home turf against St. Basil.

It’s an all-North Penn battle in one of the four matchups, but it will be the 2013 Knights that will play as the home team against 2019 NP.

North Penn has a third squad still alive, on the road, under the lights, against area rival 2014 Lansdale Catholic.

All eight teams will be vying for a spot in next week’s semis, which will be played at a neutral site to be determined.

(1) 2014 Souderton vs. (9) 2015 St. Basil >> Big Red pounced in the early innings of its first-round matchup with Springfield Montco and never looked back.

The State Champs now get a battle with underdog St. Basil Academy, which won the 9-8 matchup in the first round over 2011 Dock.

Erelle Sowers’ arm is rested and ready to go for the Indians.

The Souderton Area High School Softball team celebrate their 8-3 victory over Lower Dauphin for the PIAA AAAA State Championship at Penn State on Friday June 13,2014. Photo by Mark C Psoras/The Reporter

(4) 2019 Spring-Ford vs. (5) 2010 Hatboro-Horsham >> A pair of state semifinalists lock horns in this quarterfinal bout.

The Rams have been known to put a big inning together, and Julia Haney, Maddie Little and Bri Peck – the PA. Gatorade Player of the Year for 2019 – come into this one on a hot streak.

For Spring-Ford, it’s another battle with the Hatters – the Rams ousted the 2012 version last week. 2010 Hatboro got past 2011 Souderton in its opener.

(3) 2013 North Penn vs. (11) 2019 North Penn >> Rick Torresani has been successfully cloned in order to coach each of these squads in the quarterfinal battle.

It could come down to the late innings.

Look for Jordan Pietrzykoski or Amanda Greaney to come through with the clutch hit for the 2019 Knights, although Jackie Bilotti has been hard to hit.

2013 North Penn was a winner over 2011 LC last week while the 2019 Knights prevailed over 2017 Spring-Ford.

Lansdale Catholic pitcher Ashley Seal in the second inning of the Crusaders’ PIAA-3A semifinal against Bethlehem Catholic on Monday, June 9, 2014. (Geoff Patton/MediaNews Group File)

(7) 2014 Lansdale Catholic vs. (15) 2018 North Penn >> If the Knights pull this one out, there will be an all-NP semifinal next week.

But the Crusaders will be tough. Amanda Bradley is swinging a hot bat for LC while Elia Namey is doing the same for the Knights.

North Penn was fired up in its first-round battle, a victory over 2011 Hatboro-Horsham, while LC fought past crosstown rival 2010 Dock.

DLN SPRING ALL-AREA: The 2020 Daily Local News All-Area Softball Team

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EDITOR’S NOTE: When COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 spring season, we at the Daily Local News felt we needed to honor a senior class that never received a proper farewell.

As we remember the strangest high school season in history, our All-Area teams will include every senior on every Chester County high school roster.

AVON GROVE

Alexis Barnhart

Megan Kristman

Brooke Salisbury

Lorelei Sandland

Sydney Skrzypiec

BISHOP SHANAHAN

Cecilia Grahn

Emily Sano

COATESVILLE

Kayla Bock

Phoebe Clemens

Ashly Dowlin

Rebecca Kibler

Meghan Scott

Nicole Wuertz

CONESTOGA

Sophia Brightman

Lauren Lofland

Claire Overton

DOWNINGTOWN EAST

Morgan Dey

Kaitlyn Lammers

Devyn Lindelow

Sela McEvoy

Valerie Ponto

DOWNINGTOWN WEST

Natalie Beebe

Victoria Martin

Erin Sporn

Gemma Dorczuk

Hannah Singer

Emma Eadie

GREAT VALLEY

Corine McCarthy

Marina Nadwodny

Katie Olafson

KENNETT

Ainsley Albert

Jordan Barish

Amelia Ehrgood

Katherine LaCosta

Kara Murphy

Aleena Schannauer

OXFORD

Mia Morris

Cameo Powell

Alexis Pearson

UNIONVILLE

Rachel Denton

Madeline Marsh

VILLA MARIA

Jill Abel

Sarah Gosselin

Siani Ruley

WEST CHESTER EAST

Kylie Dickson

Sydney Jarrett

Paige Olson

W.C. HENDERSON

Grace Abbonizio

Nicole Capuzzi

Megan Mcafee

W.C. RUSTIN

Emily Bassick

Emma Southern

Hope Geissler

WESTTOWN

Lilly Jacobs

Jahniya Kiliru-Liontree

Cheryl Leigh

Hannah Quenga

Daniela Uribe

Honoring the seniors: Presenting the 2020 All-Main Line softball team

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Looking back on what could be possibly the strangest season in Main Line high school sports history, after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 spring sports season, the Main Line Times & Suburban wanted to honor a senior class that never received a proper farewell. Therefore, for this unique (and unfortunate) situation, we are presenting a unique version of the traditional spring All-Main Line teams.

For this spring season, each All-Main Line sports team includes every senior on the team rosters of the 19 high schools in our traditional coverage area – Academy of Notre Dame, Agnes Irwin, Archbishop Carroll, Barrack Hebrew Academy, Baldwin School, Conestoga, Devon Prep, Episcopal Academy, Friends’ Central, Harriton, Haverford High, Haverford School, Lower Merion, Malvern Prep, Merion Mercy Academy, Radnor, Sacred Heart, Shipley and Villa Maria Academy.

In this issue, we are presenting the 2020 All-Main Line softball team. The Main Line Times & Suburban would like to thank the softball coaches for providing this info for the 2020 All-Main Line softball team (Note: Haverford High and Sacred Heart had no seniors. Radnor did not provide position(s) for the players):

 

Academy of Notre Dame

Grace Jackson, pitcher/shortstop

Caroline Adams, shortstop/pitcher

Bianca Rosato, first baseman/third baseman

Katie Bradley, right fielder/second baseman

Kelly Pyott, first baseman

Caragh Brown, right fielder

Sophie Sheffer, second baseman

Alex Murray, right fielder

Catherine Speers, shortstop

 

Agnes Irwin

Dayna Thomas, infielder/utility

Shreya Mathawan, left fielder

Molly Cordray, second baseman

 

Archbishop Carroll

Erin Boyle, center fielder

 

Baldwin School

Alex Loomis, second baseman/shortstop

Hanna Maier, catcher

Talia Viroslav, outfielder

 

Barrack Hebrew

Belle White, pitcher/second baseman

Ruthie Meles, first baseman/third baseman/left fielder

 

Conestoga

Lauren Lofland, pitcher

Claire Overton, second baseman/shortstop

Sophie Brightman, third baseman

 

Episcopal Academy

Belle Volatile, third baseman/pitcher

Jackie Miller, center fielder

Caroline Vander, left fielder

 

Friends’ Central

Bradleigh Bell, center fielder

Eva Bartholomew, first baseman/pitcher

Julia Dani, right fielder

Jade Halpern, second baseman

 

Harriton

Ava Paternoster, pitcher

Kira Farmer, right fielder

 

Lower Merion

Jessica Polskey, shortstop

Anastasia Kolker, third baseman/outfielder/pitcher

Emily Bovarnick, first baseman

 

Merion Mercy

Alyssa Oreskovich, third baseman

Cara Keller, shortstop

Audrey DeLuca, right fielder

Kiersten Krouse, pitcher/second baseman/center fielder

 

Radnor

Allegra Colonna

Emma Cooper

Emma Dalkin

Kristin Faralli

Veronica Hoover

Grace Remphrey

Mary Schrems

 

Shipley

Lexi Wojtelwicz, shortstop

Liv Hamilton, outfielder

Max Brandt, manager

 

Villa Maria

Sarah Gosslin, center fielder

Siani Ruley, pinchhitter

Jill Abel, catcher

 

Gwynedd Mercy falls to Nazareth Academy in District 1-4A final

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HORSHAM >> Gwynedd Mercy Academy faced a tough task in the District 1-4A softball final.

After shutting out Upper Moreland in the semifinal, the Monarchs were pitted against the No. 1 seed, Nazareth Academy. The Pandas finished the regular season with a 15-2 record, but they were still a vulnerable opponent. After all, six of Nazareth’s victories were come-from-behind wins, and it only eked by a sub-.500 opponent in Villa Joseph Marie during the semifinal, 6-5.

Still, the Pandas beat Gwynedd Mercy in both of their regular season games. The Monarchs fell in the first contest at home, 9-5, and then lost a narrow decision on the road, 4-3.

Unfortunately for Gwynedd Mercy, Wednesday’s contest was not decided in its favor. The Monarchs battled throughout, but a three-run swing in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the difference as Gwynedd Mercy was defeated by Nazareth, 6-3, at Hatboro-Horsham.

With the holiday weekend providing time for their teams to rest, Monarchs head coach Charlie Ball and Pandas head coach Danielle Vittitow could each trot out their star pitchers. Freshman Madison Seidel came into the circle for Gwynedd Mercy, and senior Devyn Dydak drew the start for Nazareth.

The top of the first inning saw Dydak walk leadoff batter Hailee Weiss, but she retired the next two batters before facing first baseman Meaghan McGoldrick. During the at-bat, Weiss stole second, and McGoldrick capitalized. She hit a blooper over shortstop Mac Tobler’s head, scoring the first run of the game.

Seidel, fresh off a shutout over Upper Moreland last week, could not replicate her dominant form in the early going. The freshman allowed the first three batters to reach base. Following a single from Tobler, Stephanie Marino laid down a routine bunt, but the throw to first was too high, and Tobler rounded the bases to knot the game.

Natalie Minitti then singled, putting runners on first and third, and she then advanced to second off a wild pitch. Next up was Megan Dignam, who hit a hard grounder toward first — one that McGoldrick could not handle — which scored the Pandas’ second run and gave them the lead.

At this point, runners occupied the corners, and Seidel had failed to record an out. Thanks to Weiss, though, Nazareth’s scoring outburst came to an end. Cait Ferry drilled a line drive in Weiss’ direction. The junior captain made the catch and also got the tag-out at third. After Seidel walked Timoney Lamplugh, she struck out Julianna Nocito to escape the inning without any further damage.

“Hailee Weiss has been doing that all year,” Ball said regarding the junior’s double play. “She’s probably the premier shortstop in our league.”

The next two innings passed by without much incident as Seidel and Dydak began to settle in the circle.

Dydak pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the second and stranded one runner at first base during the third. Meanwhile, Seidel worked around an early walk to down the next three batters in the second frame before stringing together a 1-2-3 inning of her own in the third.

Gwynedd Mercy missed out on a prime opportunity to score in the fourth. Seidel reached first on a single, and she proceeded to steal both second and third. With Lauren Slovensky also on second, Lily Panunto grounded out but appeared to drive in a run as Seidel crossed home. But as she was running to third, Slovensky interfered with the Tobler, who made the throw to first. That interference combined with the out at first would result in three outs.

But after a lengthy discussion, officials placed Panunto at first and Seidel at third with two outs. The interference by Slovensky resulted in a dead ball. The score still stood at 2-1, and Carley Andrews came to the plate. She flew out to left field, squashing the scoring threat.

“I didn’t want to argue,” Ball said referring to the call. “I told them that was the wrong call when I went out there, and (the officials) told me I was wrong. I didn’t want to belabor the issue that early in the game.”

The Pandas extended their lead in the same frame. Seidel drew an early out, but Nocito reached first after beating the throw by Weiss. She stole, and McGurk was fanned by Seidel. Dydak then displayed her prowess at the plate, blasting a double off the wall to tally the team’s third run. The ensuing batter — Tobler — hit one through the middle. Dydak rounded third to try to score, but she could not beat the throw home, which held the Pandas at three runs.

In the fifth, Dydak began to unravel. Liz Held lined out to shortstop to kick off the inning, but Dydak proceeded to walk the next three batters. Seidel appeared at the plate with the bases loaded, and Dydak walked her counterpart in four pitches, cutting Nazareth’s lead to just one. That lead soon vanished when McGoldrick launched a sacrifice fly to knot the game at three apiece.

Seidel rebounded in the bottom of the frame. Aside from a Marino bunt, Seidel denied the Panda bats. Dydak more or less did the same in the sixth. The senior gave up a single and a walk, but she stranded the runners at first and second thanks to Marino, who made a diving catch in center to record the third out.

The final turning point came in the bottom of the sixth. Seidel notched a quick out and looked to have a second following a Nocito strikeout, but Nocito reached first as a result of a dropped third strike. Gianna DiBello came in as a pinch-hitter, and she moved herself and Nocito up a base with a hard grounder. Dydak then came up to bat, and she gave herself a lead to work with, earning her second RBI double of the day to drive in Nocito. Tobler then blasted a double of her own. This time, Dydak safely made it home along with Marie Dignam, who was pinch-running for DiBello. This three-run scoring outburst gave the Pandas a comfortable edge heading into the seventh.

In the last inning, Dydak made quick work of the Monarchs. Jess Dibricida reached first, but Seidel then flew out to Dydak. Megan Dignam wrapped up the contest by recording a game-ending double play as she handled a liner from McGoldrick and tagged out Dibricida.

While Gwynedd Mercy’s season ended just short of an appearance in the state tournament, Ball is confident about his team’s future.

“(The Pandas) beat us three times. You got to tip your hat to them. But they are senior-loaded. I graduate one senior from the starting lineup. I have juniors, sophomores and freshmen coming back. Our turn’s coming. I congratulate them and wish them all the best at states.”

After year away, Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media softball teams ready for return

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A handful of practices, a couple scrimmages and a lot of what ifs were all Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media softball teams got in the spring of 2020.

While COVID-19 cost the entire state a spring’s worth of competition last year, local teams are preparing to get this season underway starting Friday. Understandably, area squads aren’t quite sure what to expect with rosters that look quite different than the last time they played in 2019 but all are eager just to get back on the field.

North Penn has eyes on big things this spring with all-state pitcher Mady Volpe back for her senior season. The Coastal Carolina recruit heads a deep Knights lineup that has won back-to-back SOL Continental Conference titles and played in the 2019 District 1 6A title game.

The rest of the SOL Colonial figures to be tough as usual, with Souderton returning a solid core, CB South always a difficult out and programs in CB East, CB West and Pennridge that always have quality players.

As in other sports in the SOL, some teams are in new homes with Lower Moreland and New Hope-Solebury joining the league to form four conferences. William Tennent, which lost three seniors to college but believes it has a strong core, joins Cheltenham, Lower Moreland, New Hope-Solebury, Upper Moreland and Springfield Twp in the Freedom conference.

Quakertown, usually a top team in the district, comes to the Liberty and will contend with Upper Dublin, Abington, Wissahickon, Hatboro-Horsham and Plymouth Whitemarsh. All of those teams will be looking to some younger players getting their first crack at varsity as they get back to the routine of playing games and practicing.

Archbishop Wood and Lansdale Catholic will be on the younger side, but both teams have been contenders in the PCL in recent years. Both have scheduled some challenging opponents out of the league and hope to round into form by the postseason.

Earlier this week, the PIAA announced it hopes to run a normal postseason for all spring sports instead of the small, district-champion only brackets it used for fall and winter sports.

ABINGTON
Coach: Bob Baginski
Players to Watch: Seniors: Julia Brustle INF, Madison Cornell INF, Jenna Doyle INF/OF, Mackenzie Marcotte C/INF, Bella Oquendo INF, Annie Sokolski OF/C, Jess Sokolski P/OF Meghan Strange OF. Juniors: Anessa Rohrer INF/OF. Mia Scheuer INF, Sydney Stiener C, Sophomores: Lauren Everitt C/INF, Shauna Rakus INF, Leanna Schenk OF/P, Ellie Pierce OF
Players Lost: Julia Burkhardt C (Alvernia Univ.), Sophia Dupoldt OF, Kierstan Gant 3B (Keystone College), Sam Marasheski OF (Rowan Univ.), Alexandra Metz 2B
Outlook: “With the season being cancelled last year due to Covid, we are excited as are the athletes to start the season for the Varisity and JV teams at Abington. Our coaching staff has been working to build our program with skill level advancement and situational awareness for game play. Our players have shown tremendous dedication to the sport along with great energy, effort, prepartion and respect. We expect a solid season of progress and development for Abington in 2021.”

ARCHBISHOP WOOD
Coach: Jackie Ecker
Returning Players: Abby Windish Jr 1B, Gianna Anzideo Jr P, Kiersten Reeser  Jr OF
Players to Watch: Dakota Fanelli  So  P/3b, Paige Ross So C, Maggie Devlin So SS, Riley Nolan So OF , Parker Kraus  Fr P/OF/1b, Maura Yoos  Fr  2b, Julia Yogis Fr 3b/C
Outlook: “We are a young team with a ton of talent. Our goal this year is to grow as a team and to win the PCL.  We play some very strong non-conference teams that will put us to the test.  The competitiveness and drive these girls have will take us far this season.”

DOCK MENNONITE ACADEMY
Coach: Wayne Benner
Players to Watch: Sr Jocelyn Pfleiger 1B, Sr Kaci Alderfer C
Players Lost:  CF Serena Tan
Outlook: “With only two seniors and three juniors, we are looking for our younger players to step up and into varsity starting roles.”

GERMANTOWN ACADEMY
Coach: Sarah Zimmerman
Returning Players: Senior captains Colleen Gibbons and Charlotte DiLello in the outfield, Junior pitcher Ang Sannicandro
Other Players to Watch: Sophomore pitcher Clarissa Smith, catcher Emily Spillane, sophomore outfielder Malia Walton
Players Lost: Sarah DiLello (shortstop)
Outlook: “This softball program has grown a lot in the past few years. We have solid pitching and catching this season, along with strong experience and team leadership in the outfield. In the infield, we have some players shifting positions, and are really working on building each athlete’s mental approach and knowledge of the game. We plan to win games by thinking small – good throws and catches, solid execution at the plate, and smart base running. By doing those the little things well, we’re hoping to set ourselves up for the first of many strong seasons to come.”

GWYNEDD MERCY ACADEMY
Coach: Charlie Ball
Returning Players: Maddie Seidel Jr P, Lauren Solensky  Sr 3B, Jordan White Sr 1B, Carly Andrews Sr RF
Players Lost: Haley Weiss, Jess DiBricida, Liz Held, Lily Panunto, Meaghan McGoldrick
Outlook: “With the returning players and the incoming freshman we believe that we can be in contention for the league title, the District championship and maybe get into states. This could be hard to do with a lot of young players.  We believe that the talent is there but we may have a lot of young players in some key positions. With the bigger bench and a lot of changes that can be done during the season to try and keep players fresh we believe it could happen.”

HATBORO-HORSHAM
Coach: Kelly Krier
Returning Players: Jr Kendal Lietner P/INF, Jr Megan Mills P/OF, Jr Marissa Rapino INF, Sr Kayla Tauber INF
Other Players to Watch: So Tess Kearney OF, So Amya Lundy INF, Fr Alyssa Tooley INF, So Abby Waeltz C
Outlook: “Our goal this season is to compete in our divison and have success with a tough out of division schedule. It will be important for our younger players to learn from our upper classmen and step up when we need them in big games. We know our pitchers will keep us in games, so our bats will need come alive and score runs when we had runners in position. Most importantly, we want this season to bring back some normalcy to our players, coaches and families.”

LANSDALE CATHOLIC
Coach: Paul Suder
Players Lost: Mary Picozzi, Megan Burns, Casey Meenan, Claire Clauss
Returning Players: Kaitlyn Leshak, Julia Marozzi
Outlook: The Crusaders will have a new look, most notably in the pitcher’s circle where Megan Burns and Mary Picozzi threw every inning as sophomores and juniors. Kaitlyn Leshak, a two-year starter and 2019 All-PCL selection, headlines the returning players for veteran coach Paul Suder. LC will look to contend in the Catholic League while putting new pieces in place during the season.

METHACTON
Coach: Cathy Miller
Returners: Seniors – Haley Chapman OF, Caraline Newman 3B, Olivia Terry C, Paige Deal P/1st, Casey Biglin P/OF, Serena Goodridge 1st, Lisetta Coppa OF Juniors: Tori Bockrath SS, Nicole Timko OF
Other Players to Watch: Juniors – Kendall Besly SS, Katie Hull OF, Kayla Kaufman OF, Caitlin Woolbert C, Soph. – Riley Kairer 2B/3B, Avery Schwartz SS/2B
Outlook: We have a nice mix of juniors and seniors who have varsity playing experience. The two sophomores are talented players who versatile skills that are a welcome addition. They are looking forward to competing in the PAC 10 this year and hopefully qualifying for districts.

NORTH PENN
Coach: Rick Torresani
Returning Players: Sr Mady Volpe P, Sr Carley DiGiuseppe OF, Sr Rachel Lowry 2B, Jr Sophia Collins SS, Jr Kellie O’Brien OF, Jr Mikcki Secoda OF, Jr Lizzy Stark INF, So Julia Shearer OF/P, So Sarah Sabocsik C, So Annabelle Smink 3B
Other Players to Watch: So Reyna Doherty OF, So Lacy Drosbaugh OF/P, So Brianna Wilmont 1B, Fr Gianna Cimino INF/OF
Outlook: “The returning players from 2019/20 have won 44 games against nine losses, two straight conference championships, played in a district final and have reached the state quarterfinals two straight years. For the first time I can honestly say that we have nine starters with players just as good behind them who at any time could compete for a starting spot throughout the season.”

PENNRIDGE
Coach: Wendy Iadonisi
Returning Players: Seniors Madi Silber, Mac Owens, Cassandra Schillo, Chloe Coughenour and Memory Harrington.  Juniors Catelyn Thrush, Danae Luecke, and Anna Hensler.
Others Players to Watch: Sophomores Grace Helbling, Reagan Bauman, Olivia Crognale, Sophia Vargo and Anja Puketza.
Outlook: “Madi Silber brings a lot of experience behind the plate and will be a great mentor for Grace. I’m excited to see them perform this season. Our infield will be led by junior Catelyn Thrush and our outfield will be supported with the experience of senior Mac Owens and sophomore Reagan Bauman.
With missing out on last season I think the girls are soaking up every minute of the 2021 season and are very eager to get started.”

PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH
Coach: Mike Perez
Players Lost: Kammy Kropinski (Bloomsburg), Kaitlyn Wakefield, Skyla Ruck
Returning Players: Emily Caffrey, Sr, OF/1B, Regan Gehman, Sr, OF, Carly Rosenberger, Sr, 2B/SS, Lauryn Kane, Jr, P/3B, Hanna Suh, Jr, 1B/OF, Talia Carr, Jr, OF/SS/P, Marissa Dudek, Jr, OF, Molly Lynch, Jr, OF/2B, Molly Moore, So, P/3B, Charley Tassoni, So, C
Other Players to Watch: Lila Fitzgerald, Fr, C, Haylie Lindley, Fr, P/OF, Marissa Perez, Fr, SS/2B, Julie Price, Fr, P
Outlook: “With a new coaching staff and many new players entering their first full season of play, PW’s goal is to compete for the division title while laying the foundation for a softball program that expects to compete for playoff positions for many years to come.”

SPRINGFIELD-MONTCO
Coach: Jeannine DePaul
Players Lost: Sydney Zimmerman, Jessica Kaercher, Elyssa Luce
Returning Players: Sr Chloe Morales 3B, Sr Mikayla Quinn CF, Sr Alli Hastings P/OF, Sr Lexi Gaul C, Sr Kate Wojeck OF, Jr Anna Posluszny 2B
Other Players to Watch: So Lauren Hussie P, So Taylor Schultz C
Outlook: “We are poised for a strong season with a core of players who have been playing together for years. They have great respect and friendship for one another, which translates to great chemistry on the field. They are fiercely competitive and want to win, so very little motivation is needed from the coaching staff to get them to play all out.”

SAINT BASIL ACADEMY
Coach: Steve Sonneborn
Returning Players: Jadlyn Domico sr. (OF), Regan Bentley sr. (1b) , Zoey Wilkins sr. (P/2b), Allison McCann sr. (C/OF).
Others to Watch: Brynn Cooney sr. (C), Bria Mahoney Soph (ss), Clare O’Donnell soph (P/2b), Jade Wilkins fr. (P/IF), Kate Sonnie fr. (3b/ss)
Players Lost: Kelly Grant (OF), Maria Storck (C), Kendall Szor (OF), Jules Constanzo (3b), Faith Quaintence (P), Ally Bryne (C).
Outlook/Goals: “We are looking forward to competing in a tough AACA league. Pitching should be a plus but scoring runs could be a challenge. Our goals are to have each student/athlete improve by years’ end and to send the team out on a positive note for its final season.”

SOUDERTON
Coach: Carol Atkinson
Players Lost: Jess Lepore, Sam Nuneviller, Madison Stewart, Erica Stover, Naila Neely
Returning Players: P Abby Burns, Ryan Zimmerman 3B, Riley York OF
Other Players to Watch: Kayley York, McKenna Schroding, Lily Ponce, Olivia Plinke
Outlook: Souderton returns a solid nucleus headlined by a standout pitcher in Burns and two strong hitters in Zimmerman and York. The Indians have been hard at work all year and will look to be a factor in the usually strong SOL Colonial conference.

UPPER DUBLIN
Coach: Heather Boyer
Players Lost: Taylor Avery – Outfield, Korynn Bischoff – Outfield, Julia Wolf – Pitcher/DP
Returning Players: Gretchen Wolpert – 12th grade, 1st Base, Captain, Lauren Carboni – 12th grade, Catcher, Captain, Dani Lucidi – 12th grade, Infield (3B), Ally McDaid – 12th grade, Outfield (LF/CF)/SS, Chloe Foster – 11th grade, Pitcher, Brianna Kesslick – 11th grade, Outfield (RF)
Other Players to Watch: Avery Lennon – 11th grade, Outfield (CF), Anna Levin – 10th grade, 2B, Kaelin Penna – 10th grade, SS
Outlook: “Upper Dublin softball came off of a very successful 2019 season, returning to the District I playoffs for the first time in a number of years.  We were excited to make a powerful statement in 2020, but unfortunately that season wasn’t to be.  Now, the girls are back with the goal of not only being competitive in every SOL matchup, but also to return to the playoffs and achieve more than a first round win.  There is a lot veteran experience on the field since many of these players have committed to playing the sport of softball year-round, and their work ethic has been readily evident early in the preseason.”

UPPER MERION
Coach: Missy Toto
Returning Players: Valentina Marino 12,C; Vanessa Hutchinson 11,OF
Other Players to Watch: Alex Miller 12, IF; Reese Doan 10, P; Michele Maas 10, OF, Maren DeStefano 10, IF; Kasha Canale 11, IF; Cady Legerton 11, IF/OF; Ivy Golson 12, IF/OF, Sarah Kelly 11, IF; Ava DiDonato 9, P/IF/OF; Emma Ricci 9, IF; Rebecca Shuler 9, IF/OF; Jianna Kielkopf 10, IF/OF
Players Lost: Olivia Barr; Samme Deskiewicz; Brianna Misseri; Moira Ryan
Outlook: “With two returning starters, Valentina Marino and Vanessa Hutchinson, things will look a little different this season for the Vikings. A committee of younger pitchers look to fill the shoes of Olivia Barr on the mound. Senior Alex Miller returns to the team after a few seasons with the track team and group of talented younger players round out the roster. We are off to a promising start and hope to build on this momentum moving forward.”

WILLIAM TENNENT
Coach: Rich Clark
Players Lost: Brianna Koonce, Caitlin Mitros, Hannah Reimel
Returning Players: Sr Mackenzie Clee P/CF, Sr Meghan Curtis P/INF, Sr Sarah Cummins C
Other Players to Watch: Fr Katie Laplaunt P, So Olivia Clee INF, So Gigi Demito INF/C
Outlook: “This is a young team with plenty of up-and-coming talent. They will benefit tremendously from our three returning seniors who will undoubtedly be excellent role models for them and show them how to be good stewards of the game. They need to believe in themselves and know they can win. We talk about being aggressive and making things happen, getting ahead and staying ahead.”

WISSAHICKON
Coach: Mike Borkowski
Players Lost: Rory Goodrich (C), Ashly Radell (1B), Chloe Nunan (P,2b), Josie Johnston (CF), Rebecca Silverian (3b)
Returning Players: Sr Emma Clayborne P/1B/3B, Jr Danielle Ciliberto P/SS/OF
Other Players to Watch: Charlotte Horvat(SS), Grace Franczyk (C), Katelyn Fitzgerald, Luca Penna (OF)
Outlook: “We are scrambling a bit numbers wise. 2 players that we expected back are not playing as well as others that chose not to play this year. We have 9 starters who are good players that will be getting better as the season goes along. We lost 5 Senior starters from last year that basically played for us since they were Freshman so we’ll need a little adjustment time. The new players have all played travel ball at various levels so they’re used to good competition. As long as no one gets hurt we think we can be a potential playoff team. I really like the character of this team. They are a great group of kids. They make it very easy to come to practice every day.”

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