Carpenter Cup: SOL/BAL cruises past Inter-AC

PHILADELPHIA >> Ronnie Marie Falasco’s first at-bat provided a two-run double that quickly pointed her Suburban One League/Bicentennial Athletic League in the right direction.

Her second at-bat — coming with the bases loaded in the third — was a deep shot to center that barely stayed within the confines of spacious FDR Park.

“I didn’t think it was gonna go over because the fence here is very deep,” the versatile star from Delaware County Christian School said with a smile afterwards, “but I knew it was a good hit.

“In the last game (a come-from-behind 6-5 win over Delaware County at 9 a.m.), it was kind of a pressure situation at the end, so it was nice to have that pillow at the end.”

SOL/BAL had their pillow — maybe an entire bed set, as Falasco’s five RBI along with a winning effort on the mound by North Penn product Bri Battavio keyed a 13-2 victory over Inter-AC to advance to Tuesday’s 5 p.m. winner’s bracket contest.

“I was just trying not to drop under because that’s what we were doing the first game (Tuesday morning),” said Falasco, who finished 3-for-4 with a walk, five RBI’s and a pair of runs scored in Tuesday’s 1 p.m. clash. “We had to adjust to the slower pitching because it was a very big difference from the last game.”

Falasco’s double off the bottom of the wall in center cleared the bases and broke the game open at 6-1. Additional RBI hits from Jackie McMenamin (Upper Dublin) and Taylor Marinelli (CB South) were part of a robust offensive display for SOL/BAL, as the locals racked up 13 hits and drew nine walks.

Battavio was sharp for SOL/BAL, retiring the side in the first and yielding one run off a pair of hits in the second in her two innings of work.

“These girls are awesome. A lot of us played together last year, so it’s a comfort, knowing they’ll do whatever to get the out,” Battavio said.

“Last year, it was nerve-racking coming down here for the first time, but coming down this year, it’s an awesome experience.”

Battavio also reached base twice, scoring both times and knocking in a run.

“It was good because (in the first game), it took us a while to win, a come-from-behind win,” she said, “so to come out and score first and keep scoring, it felt great.”

Lucy Lamb (Springside Chestnut Hill) drove in a run for Inter-AC in the second, and then Brigitte Gutpelet (Penn Charter) tripled and scored on a groundout in the sixth.

SOL/BAL capped things off with a double play in the bottom of the seventh, with Falasco making a nifty tag at home plate to end it.