Fast start sends Upper Merion past Plymouth Whitemarsh

WHITEMARSH >> It didn’t take long for Upper Merion’s offense to get going against Plymouth Whitemarsh.

The Vikings first four batters tallied hits in the first inning and the team scored four runs. They added another run in the second inning and three more in the third.

That was more than enough in a 9-5 non-league win over the Colonials Monday afternoon at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.

Vanessa Hutchinson led off the game with a triple and scored on Lauren Del Giudice’s double. Kayla Warren followed with a single to score Del Giudice and Katelyn O’Brien knocked in Warren’s courtesy runner with a double. O’Brien scored on a Brianna Misseri single to make it 4-0 in the top of the first.

“They were really aggressive,” Upper Merion coach Missy Toto said. “We’ve been working on hitting a lot. We’ve been spending a lot of time on hitting and right away they came out and they showed they were ready to play and they hit the ball really well.”

“We’ve been practicing hitting all winter long,” Warren added. “I think doing all the drills in the gym really helped us. (PW), their pitcher was good. It was something that we just hit. We did pretty good with it.”

Warren doubled home Del Giudice to make it 5-0 in the second.

The advantage grew to 8-0 in the third. Misseri, Del Giudice and Warren each had an RBI to build a comfortable lead.

While the Vikings (2-2) offense was putting up runs, Warren was shutting down the Colonials. She kept PW off the scoreboard for two innings before surrendering four runs in the third. She picked up the win, throwing four innings and striking out two batters to no walks while allowing four runs on eight hits.

“It’s great,” Warren said of pitching with a lead. “I know my team has my back both in the field and batting. It relieves a lot of pressure.”

The Colonials (4-1) four-run third inning got them back in the game. Gianna Fazio had a two-run double to get the scoring started before Josee Tassoni and Emma Carney each knocked in runs.

“They did show some nice resiliency today,” PW coach Dana Moyer said. “I know my team can hit, they just weren’t making adjustments early on against the first pitcher.”

Fazio finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBI and two doubles. She also made a great play in the field, catching a scorching line drive at first base to save at least two runs.

“She’s awesome,” Moyer said. “Her senior leadership is very important. It also helps — Gianna catches as well when she’s not playing first — she played with (Warren) so she’s seen her. As a catcher I can tell you that when you catch a pitcher and then you have to hit against her, it’s a nice advantage to have. She’s awesome. She had some great, great cuts at the ball today and some really good at-bats.”

Upper Merion extended its lead to five, 9-4, in the fifth when Del Giudice scored on an error, but PW immediately answered when Tassoni tripled home a run to make it 9-5.

PW pitcher Lauryn Kane threw a complete game. She struck out four batters to three walks and allowed nine runs on 12 hits.

“(Kane) is a freshman pitcher and I think she was just settling in,” Moyer said. “I think it was kind of like, ‘Hello! Welcome to varsity level’ there in the first inning. She settled in and found different pitches that were working with the girls she was facing.”

Olivia Barr came on in relief for Upper Merion and threw the final three innings. She struck out two batters to no walks and allowed one run on four hits.

The non-league matchup served as an opportunity for both teams to get some experience and try new things. It also brought together two coaches with a linked past.

“I have a special place in my heart here (at Plymouth Whitemarsh),” Toto said. “We played in Suburban One for so many years. I played when I was in high school at Norristown, so I was playing Suburban One. My dad and Dana’s dad played baseball together at PW in the 1960s. We like to come here. We like to go to Upper Dublin. We like to revisit some of those Suburban One teams that we don’t get to see.”

“(Our dads) graduated a year apart,” Moyer added. “I think her dad is a year older than my dad, but my dad knows him. It’s funny that both daughters are back coaching softball. It’s really cool, just good people.”