Souderton scores 3 in 6th, shuts out North Penn in pitcher’s duel

LOWER SALFORD >> Souderton’s Jordan Morales and North Penn’s Joe Valenti traded strikeouts and zeroes on the scoreboard for five innings Wednesday afternoon.

But the bottom of the sixth, Conlan Wall finally ended the stalemate, the Indians shortstop ripping the first pitch he saw from Valenti into right field for a two-out RBI triple.

“Guy on first and two outs, so I was looking for a pitch to drive cause we were tie game, needed that one leadoff run,” Wall said. “So I got that, I was able to take it the other way.”

Three batters later, Jacob Horton extended the advantage with a two-RBI single. The three late runs made the difference in the pitcher’s duel between the left-handers as Souderton stayed perfect in the Suburban One League Continental Conference with a 3-0 win over the Knights at Vic Alderfer Memorial Ball Park.

“Watching Valenti, who pitched awesome, you almost feel bad for him but you’re happy for us, obviously cause both pitchers pitched awesome,” Indians coach Mike Childs said. “Jordan on the mound, once again, did two games now — I think someone said he had 12 strikeouts, so he’s got the two back-to-back games of 12 and 14 (strikeouts), which how do you as a pitcher and a senior leader, as a coach, you love it.”

Morales and Valenti both put together outstanding efforts on the mound, but it was Morales who ended up claiming the victory. The La Salle University commit struck out 12 – three each in the first, fourth and sixth frames – gave up two hits and walked three in six innings.

“Their lineup is pretty good. I mean, even though they’re missing Zack Miles right now, they don’t swing out of the zone or anything like that, they’re good, competitive hitters,” Morales said. “That all goes to them. Honestly, I just tried to work everything, whatever was feeling good. Curveball’s feeling pretty good today and we just came out with the win.”

With Morales keeping North Penn bats quiet Valenti did about all he could to keep the Knights (2-5, 0-3 conference) even until the Indians finally got to him with two outs in the sixth. Valenti gave up two runs – both earned – on five hits, walked two, hit two batters and struck out 10 in 5 2/3 innings.

“Obviously it was two extremely good high-school pitchers on the mound today,” North Penn coach Kevin Manero said. “I’ve seen Joe Valenti since he was a little kid, seen him throw a lot of baseball games and this was — I fully believe — the best baseball game I’ve ever seen him throw. And we’re asking our pitcher to do a lot, to throw a complete-game shutout in order to win the game. We got to get some offense going.”

In the bottom of the sixth, Billy Norbeck hit a one-out single to center but his courtesy runner Aaron Groller was forced out at second on a Dylan Kummery fielder’s choice. Wall – who reached base on all four of his plate appearance, going 2-for-2 with a hit by pitch and an intentional walk – wasted little time breaking the 0-0 tie, sending Valenti’s first pitch into right for a triple to plate Kummery.

“He was able to spot his curveball really well,” said Wall of Valenti. “We kind of struggled with that a little bit. We ended up getting to him eventually.”

Valenti day was done after the triple and the Knights brought Christian Stevens but after two walks to load the bases, Ethan Weber came in to face Horton. Big Red’s designated hitter proceeded to single to left, scoring both Wall and pinch runner Evan Bromley for a 3-0 lead.

Erik Ritchie picked up the save pitching a scoreless seventh for the Indians (6-1, 4-0), but North Penn made things a little interesting in the final frame.

With two outs, pinch hitter Jake Morello singled while Jake Drelick walked to bringing the tying run to the plate. Ritchie, however, got Griffin Juckniewitz to fly to left as Souderton avenged last season’s two losses to the Knights by a combined score of 26-4.

“They got us good last year and I just remember I just wanted to stick it to them a little bit, said Morales. “But one of our team goals this year was to beat North Penn and we had good team win today and we were able to do that.”

The win was the fifth straight for Souderton, which sits in first place in the SOL Continental as the conference’s lone unbeaten heading into Thursday’s 3:30 p.m. contest at Pennridge.

“It’s way too early. I’ve been doing this a long time and this is way too early,” Childs said. “I told them, ‘Listen, you got to be hungry and never be satisfied.’ So that’s what we ended our huddle with today is, ‘Are you satisfied?’ and they said, ‘No way.’”

North Penn was shutout for the second time this season as the Knights lost their fourth straight, putting them 0-4 in SOL play that determines the District 1-6A postseason.

“I told the guys that there’s panic and there’s urgency. And we don’t panic cause when you panic, you get nervous and tight and things like that,” Manero said. “So we’re not going to panic, but there’s definitely a sense of urgency. We’re 0-4 in the league right now and there’s an urgency to start winning game right now because if we don’t we’re going to quickly find ourselves out of the picture.”

North Penn has yet to score more than four runs in a game this year but Manero still has plenty of confidence the Knights can quickly turn things around. NP gets a chance to stop its skid 3:30 p.m. Thursday hosting CB West.

“I believe that this team is maybe the best 0-4 team that I could see,” Manero said. “I know that they’re one tick from going 0-4 to 4-4 and driving the ball over the field. I fully believe that. And I hope it’s tomorrow.”

Souderton left 11 runners on base Wednesday, including leaving the bases loaded in both the first and fourth.

In the bottom of the fourth, Wall was intentionally walked to pack the bases with two outs. Luke Taylor lofted a ball at NP shortstop Connor Ertel, who bobbled it for a moment before firing to first to end the inning.

North Penn had eight runners left on base, with the fourth the only other inning beside the seventh the Knights left a pair stranded.

Kolby Barrow began the top of the fourth with a double. Morales struck out the next two before walking Ryan Feiser but the Souderton lefty avoided any more trouble with another strikeout.