Confidence is key for Souderton’s offense
The Souderton offense has been on fire over its last three games.
In win-or-go-home matchups, the Indians scored 15 runs against Garnet Valley in the District 1 Class-6A fifth-place game, seven runs against La Salle in the first round of states and 11 runs against Plymouth Whitemarsh in the state quarterfinals.
Heading into the Garnet Valley game, Souderton was limited to seven runs in its previous three games.
“It all comes down to confidence with our hitting,” left fielder Moses Clemens said, comparing a 6-3 district loss against PW to Thursday’s 11-1 state win. “Last time I don’t think we had that confidence, but now, the past three games, we’ve been shutting teams down with their offense and we’re all confident with our bats. We’re just killing teams with the offense.
“The more reps we put in the more confidence we get. We showed up at our field 30 minutes before we were even supposed to leave and hit in the cages, then came here and hit some more in the cages. It all comes down to reps and confidence.”
“We’re rolling on confidence,” No. 2 hitter Luke Taylor added. “We’ve been doing it the past three or four games putting up a ton of runs, just mashing the ball. When we do that we’re going to get wins pretty easily.”
The Indians have been getting contributions throughout the lineup. At the top, Conlan Wall has a pair of multi-hit games during the successful stretch, including two doubles against PW, and Taylor has seven hits and five RBI. In the middle of the order, Clemens went 2-for-3 against La Salle and 3-for-3 against PW with a double, home run and two RBI and Dylan Kummery had two hits against Garnet Valley and two doubles against PW. At the bottom of the lineup, Jordan Morales and Hogan DeSpain have been getting it done. Morales has four hits, including a home run against La Salle, and four RBI over the last three games. DeSpain was 2-for-2 with two RBI and three runs against Garnet Valley, a homer against La Salle and a two-run single against PW.
“We’ve been mashing the ball through the lineup one-through-nine,” Taylor said. “Everyone’s been hitting and that’s been huge. If we can keep doing that I think we’re set.”
“We build off each other,” Clemens added. “If one of us gets a hit, we all get built up on that. It just keeps going. It’s an effect.”
Souderton has been manufacturing runs and hitting with power. Against Garnet Valley seven batters reached base from either walks or getting hit and six of them scored. Four batters earned free passes against PW and three scored. The Suburban One League Continental Conference champs hit three home runs against La Salle and totaled eight extra base hits against Plymouth Whitemarsh.
With the 1-2 pitching combination of Morales and Taylor limiting opponents to 11 runs through six postseason games and a surging offense, the Indians have to be feeling good about themselves heading into the state semifinals against Neshaminy Monday.
“Our defense was good,” Souderton coach Mike Childs said. “Our pitching was good. We have to keep working on the hitting. We’re barreling up balls, guys are confident and that’s what we have to do — we have to keep doing it. We have one more game to get to that final game. We have to keep focused and keep barreling up balls. These guys are focused and they’re hungry.”
Something has to give in the final four matchup. Souderton’s hot offense against Neshaminy’s dominant pitching. The Redskins allowed just one run in each of their four District 1 wins en route to a championship. In their first two state wins they shutout Hempfield, 3-0, and beat Downingtown East, 3-1.
“Can’t wait,” Taylor said. “Hopefully we go out there and keep hitting, doing everything. Everything is going our way, hope we can just keep it rolling.”
