Shearer pitches North Penn to shutout win over rival Souderton

FRANCONIA >> North Penn’s Julia Shearer was perfect through four innings, didn’t allow a hit through five, and was dominant from start to finish.

The left hander fired a complete-game two-hitter Thursday, as the Knights shut out rival Souderton 8-0 in a Suburban One League Colonial Division showdown.

“We’re on a streak and we were just trying to keep it going today,” said Shearer, whose performance on the mound helped ensure a 6-0 division record for the Knights. “A win over Souderton is always big for us. So this was key to keeping our momentum going. And I think we’re all really happy with how we played today.”

North Penn, the top-ranked team in District 1-6A, raised its unbeaten record to 10-0, with a home game against Bensalem up next on Tuesday. Souderton, now 8-2 overall and 5-2 in the Colonial, hosts Pennsbury Friday.

Shearer allowed just two hits while striking out five and walking just one in earning the shutout victory.

“It’s great when you put up zeroes against a really good team like this but I was just trying to go out there and do my thing and not let them score,” said Shearer. “I was just spotting my pitches. I was trying to move my curveball and I was keeping my change-up down. I was just trying to hit my spots and get to know the batters as the game went on and use that to my advantage.”

Shearer retired the first 12 batters she faced. A leadoff walk by Souderton’s Kendell Clemmer to start the fifth was the first base runner she allowed, with North Penn in control and ahead 3-0.

The Knights’ lefty didn’t allow a hit until there were two outs in the sixth, when Megan Kummery legged out an infield single.

“Julia pitched a great game,” Knights coach Rick Torresani said. “These kids have been playing really well together. They enjoy each other. The chemistry’s good and that’s a huge part of it. They’re continuing what they did last year (in winning the PIAA-6A State Title). They knew chemistry is what got them to where they were last year, and they wanna continue that. That’s huge for them.”

The Knights took a 1-0 lead in the first against Souderton right hander Abby Burns, with Shearer leading things off by ripping a single up the middle and then coming in to score on a throw to first after a dropped third strike on Annabelle Smink.

NP extended its lead in the third, when Shearer (three runs scored) reached home on an RBI single by Brie Wilmot and Sarah Sabocsik scored on a ground ball by Gianna Cimino to make it 3-0.

The Knights further padded their lead in the fifth and seventh.

RBI hits by Smink and Cimino made it 5-0 after five. In the seventh, Wilmot knocked in another run and Sophia Collins belted a two-run home run to right center to widen the gap to 8-0.

Shearer retired the side in the seventh to close things out.

“We’re in a tough division so staying at the top brings a lot of pressure, but we’re just gonna keep playing our game and try to keep it going,” said the lefty.

Kummery and Kayley York had the hits for Big Red.

“(Shearer) is a phenomenal pitcher,” Big Red coach Carol Atkinson said. “They have a great defensive team. It’s always a pleasure playing North Penn. We know what we have to work on and we have Pennsbury (Friday). We don’t have any time to relax. It’s time to go out again.”

North Penn 8, Souderton 0
North Penn 102 020 3 – 8 10 0
Souderton 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
WP: Julia Shearer (7IP, 0R, 2H, 5K, 1BB).
LP: Abby Burns (8R, 6ER, 10H, 6K, 3BB).
HR: NP-Sophia Collins. 2B: NP-Maddy Gronback.
Multiple hits: NP-Sarah Sabocsik 2-for-4, R; Brie Wilmot 2-for-4, R, 2RBI.