Conlan, Souderton handle Upper Dublin in battle of the Walls

UPPER DUBLIN >> When coaches and captains met to go over ground rules prior to Friday’s non-league game between Souderton and Upper Dublin, familiar faces stared across home plate.

Souderton junior Conlan Wall shook hands with Upper Dublin players and his father, Upper Dublin head coach Ed Wall.

It was the second time the two have faced off, with the first coming in a game between the two schools last season.

For the second time, Conlan came out on top. The right-hander pitched the first two innings to help the Indians to a 16-1 win in five innings at Upper Dublin High School.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Conlan, who went 0-for-1 at the plate with a run scored, said. “We talk about it a lot at the house and stuff. It gets difficult sometimes because he knows my weaknesses because I’ve been with him since I started playing baseball, so he knows everything.

“We didn’t say anything about the game (Friday morning). We just acted like it was a normal game.”

In two scoreless innings of work, Wall struck out three batters to no walks and allowed one hit.

While Ed loves to see Conlan do well, that was not the case Friday afternoon and there was no conflict of interests while watching his son pitch from the third-base coach’s box.

“I’ve never ever allowed my son to just win,” Ed said. “I always want to compete against him. That’s what has built his competitive spirit I think. I wanted nothing more than for us to come out on top because we’re 0-for against that team and that kid the last two years. It’s not easy. I hate losing to begin with.”

Conlan played for his dad through his 12U season.

“I coached him until he was 12 and then I cut him loose,” Ed said. “He went and joined up with an academy and he’s been playing ball in the summer with them ever since. He has really grown with their help.”

Conlan hopes to play for his dad again this summer in the Carpenter Cup.

Souderton

The Indians are in excellent shape heading into the final stretch of the regular season. They’re ranked No. 2 in District 1 Class-6A and look primed to make a deep playoff run.

The Souderton offense scored in every inning Friday.

Dean Shaw led the team, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored, two doubles, a stolen base and an RBI.

The Indians got their reserves into the game and they posted an eight-run top of the fifth inning.

“We were able to give everyone an at-bat and this was the first game where the whole lineup one-through-21 hit,” Conlan Wall said. “It was a good confidence booster going into two big games against Pennridge and Neshaminy next week.”

Upper Dublin

The Cardinals are fighting for a District 1 Class-5A playoff berth. They sit at No. 15 in the rankings and need to be No. 16 or better to earn a spot in the postseason.

“We’re on the edge,” Ed Wall said. “We just need to hit, baby. Our pitching has done a really good job. Today was a little rough, but all season Sean (Curran) and (Karan) Acharya and Pete (Johnson) and (Jared) Lamberg and Elijah (Peck) have done a job. It’s just a matter of getting hits and trying to produce some more runs. We’ve been on the small side frequently during our conference games and it’s been hurting. I know Hatboro put a big number on us in one inning, but you take that away and they’re all really tight games where a key hit here, a ball put in play makes a difference. We’re just looking for that spark. It’s a great group of guys, I love coaching them. I know they’re still working hard and wanting it too. We’re ready to go.”