SOL/BAL softball cannot complete comeback against Burlco

PHILADELPHIA — All it took was one ball to get through the infield and the all-star high school softball team found some life. After five innings of being shut down by Burlington County’s best, the Suburban One League/Bicentennial Athletic League club crawled back to make it a ballgame.

The SOL/BAL bunch ultimately fell one run short on Tuesday at F.D.R. Park in South Philadelphia. The 6-5 loss puts the girls in a tough spot heading into the second day of the annual Carpenter Cup. After opening the day with a 4-0 win, the second-round loss forces the group coached by Upper Dublin’s Heather Boyer to win four games on Wednesday to reach the championship game on Thursday. They will start play at 9 a.m. back in the Park.

“There was things offensively where we wish we could have had an at-bat back,’ Boyer said. “We don’t want to come down here for two or three games. We are here to win.’

A leadoff triple came around to score in the first inning off Upper Merion’s Olivia Sborlino. The junior also pitched shutout softball in the first game on Tuesday, the win over Inter-Ac. She was replaced after allowing three runs in three innings, but was back in the circle again in the seventh innings as SOL/BAL brought the game within a run.

“I have seen Olivia since she was a freshman,’ Boyer said. “Seeing the growth she has made since her sophomore year, it’s obvious she worked very hard in the offseason and last season. She has good movement on the ball. Her composure is outstanding. She wants the ball.’

The big five-run sixth inning was started by sophomore Bri Battavio of North Penn. She was joined by her junior teammates on the left side of the infield with Melanie Lauro in left field and Katie Beer playing shortstop. Wissahickon’s Michaela Coleman drove in a run with a perfectly placed bunt single and represented the tying run. Burlington County got a big strikeout and stranded the Trojan at third base.

“To rally back in the sixth inning was pretty impressive,’ Boyer said. “They could have said game is over, let’s come back tomorrow.’