Neshaminy holds off William Tennent, secures SOL National title
WARMINSTER >> William Tennent likely will not be going to District 1-AAAA playoffs this season, but a win Wednesday against Neshaminy, the best team in the Suburban One League National Conference, would have helped those chances. And if not, it could have been a highlight win for the year.
The Panthers gave the Skins all they could handle behind a steady defensive effort and solid outing from its top arm Kalisi Taufalele. It took until the final inning for Neshaminy to put Tennent away, as an RBI ground out from Amber Brugger scored Devon Masciulli for their second and final run of the game for a 2-1 win to clinch the outright SOL National title.
“I told the kids I thought we played very well,” Tennent coach Biz Keeny said. “That’s how we should’ve played against some of the other (teams) we just haven’t really responded against some of the other teams.”
The Panther were able to strike first after leading off the second inning with back-to-back singles from Jackie Heim and Jocelyn Flores. Taufalele then sacrificed the runners over with Kate Clark hitting into a fielder’s choice that resulted in a play at the plate. With Heim coming hard into home, her slide dislodged the ball from Neshaminy catcher Paige Metz’s glove, giving Tennent the 1-0 lead.
With the way Taufalele was pitching it looked for a little bit like the one run might be enough. But a couple of infield hits and a well struck RBI single by Masciulli tied the game up in the top of the fourth.
“I thought Kalisi throw really, really well,” Keeny said. “She moved the ball on both sides of the plate.”
Tennent got some baserunners throughout the game, but could never get the timely hit it needed to get another run on the board. The Panthers stranded eight runners on base. In the bottom of the fifth, they left the bases loaded after Neshaminy switched its pitcher from Sarah Dowalo to Brugger after Dowalo got the first batter of the inning, Cassidy Hubmaster, to ground out.
“We’ve been struggling a little bit with key hits and we left too many people on today,” Keeny said. “You get opportunities and you got to make them count and we didn’t and that’s why you’re on the losing end.”
The potent pitching combination was not what the doctor ordered for the struggling offense of Tennent. The Panthers scattered eight hits throughout the game, however, most of them were bunt and infield singles.
“They throw two real good pitchers at you. They don’t throw stiffs at you,” Keeny said. “(Brugger) is good. I’ve been impressed with her for two years now. I don’t know what she does but she throws a good ball.”
The season can still end on a high note for the Panthers as it has one SOL National game remaining against a disappointing Abington team. A win would put Tennent with a 8-6 conference record, which could put them as high as a third place finish in the conference and no lower than fifth where it currently stands.
“I don’t think we’re sitting any where good,” Keeny said. “I don’t know how many teams they take to the playoffs. Last year it was 23 and we’re not in that 23. You got to win games like this that’s what separates the playoff teams from the non-playoff teams.”
