Upper Darby scores 8 in 4th, rolls past Souderton in District 1-AAAA quarters

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UPPER DARBY >> KeriAnne McGee tries to adhere to one piece of hitting advice.

“My coach tells me not to try to kill it, because I like to kill it,” the Upper Darby senior said.

So when she stepped to the plate with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning and the Royals already up 6-0 on Souderton, McGee was not trying for anything big. But she did anyway, bring in all three runners by belting a triple to center field for her third hit of Friday afternoon’s District 1-AAAA softball quarterfinal.

“I was in a little bit of a slump for a little bit. So, to hit a triple to put us up 9-0 it was cool. I thought it was pretty cool. And I liked doing it for my team,” McGee said. “I was looking for a single, because those two that had (before) were singles.”

After taking advantage of errors by the visiting Indians to take 3-0 lead, Upper Darby’s offense got rolling in the fourth, collecting eight hits — including six in a row capped by McGee’s triple — to plate eight runs and finish off an 11-0 five-inning win, clinching the top-seeded Royals’ first PIAA berth since 2008.

“It took us a while to get the hang of it, but we just all hit together and it was beautiful, that inning,” McGee said.

After scoring 10 runs in its second-round win over Springfield Wednesday, No. 8 Souderton was shut out for just the second time this season. The Indians collected only five singles off UD right-hander Rebecca Sorrentino and had just one base runner in scoring position as Big Red missed on making the district semifinals for the second time in three years.

“I think the most disappointing fact is we’re going out like this,” Souderton coach Steph Rummel said. “I would of rather had a better game and a closer game and maybe finish they way that we know how to play. But the girls did turn it around, they did a great job this season to make it better and to make it as far as we went.”

Brooke Jones and McGee — Upper Dublin’s No. 7 and 8 hitters, respectively — each finished 3-for-3 as the Royals advanced to face No. 4 Perkiomen Valley in the district semis 4 p.m. Tuesday at Great Valley High School. Perk Valley topped No. 5 Quakertown 10-3 Friday.

“I just like to take it game-by-game, no game is bigger than any other game because every team can come in different every day,” Upper Darby coach Christine Tomczuk said. “I mean these guys beat Springfield 10-0 two days ago and their bats fell short today. So, you never know what’s going to happen.

“Just one game at a time. I like to keep my girls’ heads in it that way, not to think too far ahead.”

Carli Benozich and Alexandra Witmer were both 2-for-4 with Benozich hitting a two-RBI triple in the fourth for Upper Darby’s final two runs. Sorrentino earned the five-inning shutout, giving up five hits, striking out three and a did not walk a batter.

Souderton starter Melissa Gould took the loss, allowing 10 runs — seven earned — on 13 hits in 3 1/3 innings. She did not have a walk or strikeout.

“I think she did a good job. That’s her third game, I believe and she did a good job,” said Rummel of Gould. “Unfortunately, they got used to her pitching and they gave them more at-bats than we should have and they just going around to it.”

Missy Wiley was 2-for-2 for the Indians. She led off the top of the second with a single then went to third on a sacrifice bunt and ground out, but Sorrentino struck out Jen Klepfer to strand Wiley.

“We did have a rough game today,” Wiley said. “I wish we did better, but we’ve been working so hard throughout the season. We just were really stressed out today, just nervous and we let our nerves get to us.”

Upper Darby took a 1-0 lead in the first then tacked on two more in the second on Erin Redden’s two-RBI single.  Gould worked out of a two-out bases loaded jam in the third by getting Ashley Anderson to fly out to second to keep it 3-0.

Benozich led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, but was forced out on a Redden fielder’s choice. After Alexandra Witmer’s base hit, Samantha Witmer’s double brought home Redden to make it 4-0. Young, Sorrentino and Jones hit back-to-back-to-back singles — Young and Jones driving in runs with theirs for a 6-0 lead — to load the bases for McGee, who smashed a triple to deep center, plating three more runs.

“She’s got a big swing in general. I don’t think she’s always trying to hit it far, but her swing is just big — she’s got the long legs and everything,” said Tomczuk of McGee said. “It’s nice to she her shorten it up a little bit and still she that she can put it as far as she wants it.”

Souderton sent Klepfer to relieve Gould in the circle, but after an Anderson walk, Benozich lined a triple to left center to score McGee and Anderson.

In the bottom of the first, Redden reached on a one-out error with Alexandra Witmer dropping a single just inside fair territory in right field. An errant throw to second after Witmer’s base hit allowed Redden to score all the way from the base.

The Royals loaded the bases with one out in the second on consecutive singles by Jones and McGee and Anderson reaching on an error. Benozich flew out to right, but Redden singled in two runners for the 3-0 advantage.

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Mike Cabrey

Mike Cabrey
Mike Cabrey is the Assistant Sports Editor for The Reporter and Montgomery News. Email him at mcabrey@thereporteronline.com.

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