Pennsbury softball opens with a win over Central Bucks West

FALLS TWP. – Pennsbury got its softball season off to a great start, topping Central Bucks West Thursday afternoon (March 30) on its home field behind a complete game pitching effort from junior righthander Alyssa Hileman.

In her first varsity start since returning from a midseason shoulder injury last year, Hileman limited tCB West to a pair of runs, tossing a four-hitter while striking out five and walking none.

“Alyssa pitched a great game,” said Lady Falcons head coach Frank McSherry. “She walked zero batters so she was throwing strikes,”

Offensively, the Pennsbury batters pounded out nine runs on nine hits including back-to-back 2-run doubles by infielders Anna Downs and Sierra Daley in the second inning that put the Falcons ahead, to stay.

Pennsbury worked Lady Bucks pitchers Angelina Sherba – a junior lefthander, and freshman righthander Kayla Gallagher for eight free passes in the contest including three walks in a five run second inning and two more in a three-run fourth.

“We saw a lot of pitches, that’s for sure,” added McSherry. “We took a couple of called third strikes that we’re not crazy about but we saw a lot of pitches and really worked the counts.”

Leading 5-1 facing Gallagher in the circle for CB West, the Falcons scored another run in the fourth when Daley crossed the plate on an error on a ball tapped to third by rightfielder Carleigh Parsons. Then catcher Arden Rabiger crushed a frozen rope to left field that scored shortstop Sydney Jacimowicz and Parsons for an 8-2 Pennsbury margin.

The Falcons closed out the scoring in the sixth when outfielders Olivia Mauro and Alex Richel reached on back-to-back one-out singles. Both runners advanced on a double steal and Mauro scored on a wild pitch.

CB West took a 1-0 lead in the contest in the top of the first inning after shortstop Sam Trafford slapped a one-out single up the middle, reached third a single to third base by infielder Cara Hatzinger and scored when a popup was dropped at third base.

Hatzinger scored leadoff hitter Emma Dryden from second base when she stroked a two-out single to right field in the third inning. The Bucks’ third baseman was out trying to reach second on the throw home but was cut down before she got there. Still, she was 3-for-3 at the plate, though only one other player for CB West recorded a hit.

“We had too many walks, too many errors,” said second-year Bucks head coach Geoff Thompson. “You’re not going to win games doing that.”

For both teams, this was the first action of any type that had taken place outside of the gym. Be it the March 14 snowstorm or the incessant rain that has besieged Bucks County since, neither side had a chance to get a single scrimmage in before the season opener for both sides.

“For both teams, there were some cobwebs to shake off,” admitted McSherry. “I think our kids – considering that this was the first time we were playing against another team, not scrimmaging ourselves in the gym – they did a really nice job.”

A solid performance made even more so, adding in the fact that Pennsbury is also playing without the services of shortstop Bailee Zaccaro, who hit .564 last season

“That was the highest in Pennsbury history or at least since I’ve been here and I’ve been here a lifetime,” quipped McSherry. “She was our best hitter last year so it was nice scoring nine runs today, missing a big bat like that.”

Last season, the Falcons were sidelined by a midseason injury to Hileman, who had to shut it down in the circle because of soreness in her pitching shoulder. Pennsbury came on strong at the end of the season, winning six out of its last seven games but an 8-10 record wasn’t good enough to qualify for districts, the first time in a dozen years the Falcons failed to make the postseason.

With Hileman back in the circle and a year’s worth of experience for a youthful squad that returned just about everybody, Pennsbury thinks it can return to prominence in the current campaign.

“Our team goals are always the same – it’s win the last game,” said McSherry. “That’s always our mantra.

“Very seldom do you do that because if you win the last game, it’s the state championship.

“But that’s always our goal.”

Pitchers Megan Dressel – who did not come out for softball this season – and Rachel Kitchenman held down the pitching duties until Hileman’s return late in the 2016 campaign. Alyssa was there for the Falcons’ stunning 6-5 comeback victory over previously unbeaten Neshaminy at Bristol Memorial Ballfields.

“Last year, we played young throughout the season but now, we’re a year older,” stated the coach. “We came on pretty strong so we want to pick up where we left off last year.”

“We want to make it to playoffs, win every game we can – do our best,” said Hileman.

If Pennsbury plays the way it did in the season opener, that goal certainly seems reachable.

Despite having to knock some rust off, the Falcon batters had little trouble running the counts deep. All told, Pennsbury drew eight walks in the contest.

“I think everybody came to the plate aggressive. Nobody looked at pitches but they were selective,” said Hileman. “They waited for their pitch.

Both Downs and Rabiger ran the count deep on their 2-run hits. Hileman explains the reason for batters exercising patience.

“When you get up to the plate, you need to be patient for your pitch,” said Alyssa. “The pitcher comes out and is going to throw you a lot of junk until they need to throw you a strike.”

Conversely, CB West stroked a lot of balls early in the count. And there was a reason for that, however, said McSherry.

“Alyssa also threw a lot of strikes so she kind of took that out of their hands,” he said.

With Hileman back in the lineup, Pennsbury should be set for the season.

Pennsbury 9, CB West 2

(March 30 at Pennsbury)

CB West 101 000 0 – 2 4 2

Pennsbury 050 301 X – 9 9 2

WP — Hileman (1-0) 7IP, 2R 3H, 0BB, 5SO.

LP — Sherba (0-1) 2IP, 5R, 4H, 3BB, 2SO.

DOUBLES: P — Anna Downs, Sierra Daley; CBW — none.

RBIs: CBW — Hatzinger; P — Carleigh Parsons, Arden Rabiger 2, Downs 2, Daley 2.

MULTIPLE HITS: P — Olivia Mauro 3-for-3, Daley 2-for-3; CBW — Hatzinger 3-for-3.

RECORDS — Pennsbury (1-0); CB West 0-1.