Freshmen Powel, Perez help Plymouth Whitemarsh cruise past Abington

ABINGTON >> Just to be sure, Anna Powel hustled around the bases. But the Plymouth Whitemarsh freshman catcher was confident she put a good enough swing on a pitch in the top of the sixth inning to send it out for her first varsity home run.

“I ran the bases thinking it was inside and I knew it felt right, it hit the sweet spot – I just knew it,” Powel said. “I didn’t really have anything going through my mind I was just like ‘Wow.’”

Powel launched a ball over the fence in left center field for a three-run homer, the blast a part of a five-run frame that capped the visiting Colonials’ scoring as they cruised to a 14-0 sixth-inning victory over Abington in Wednesday afternoon’s Suburban One League Liberty Division contest.

“It think just having a positive mindset,” Powel said. “Our team has this thing called top third and you have a bottom third where you’re not as positive, you have a middle where you’re either positive or negative and everyone was just top third today.”

Fellow freshman Joslyn Perez also helped PW (2-1, 1-0 division) pull away, her bases-loaded double in the fifth resulting in three runs coming home for an 11-0 lead. The second baseman, who batted ninth in the Colonial’s lineup, went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and scored twice while Powel was 2-for-3 with a walk, three RBIs and two runs scored.

“Those two have been playing at (a) high level for a long time and they’ve been playing with some of these girls for a bunch of years so I think the comfort level that both of them have is definitely there,” PW coach Mike Perez said. “And I think that helps for sure. Anna’s one of the hardest working kids I know so I was happy for that, to bust out there – that was her first start today, so that was exciting.

“And then I think having her sister (Marissa Perez) at shortstop with her really helps Joslyn calm down and stay focused. There’s a lot of pressure on (a) kid as a freshman starting here but both of ‘em were able to step up and I’m really happy for ‘em today.”

Plymouth Whitemarsh jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first before adding a run in the fourth on Jenna Yablon’s RBI single. The Colonials extended the margin to 9-0 with a four-spot in the fifth before tacking on another five in batting around in the sixth.

“I think a big thing was confidence, just having motivation coming into the game,” Joslyn Perez said. “We had a good game against Perk Valley, we hit well so I think it just carried into this game and we just continued to perform.”

Madison Moran was 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and run scored while Marissa Perez finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored as PW posted 14 total hits.

“I think our lineup’s strong and no matter who’s where it just works,” Joslyn Perez said. “And we just have the team to produce runs.”

Starting pitcher Molly Moore, meanwhile, gave up just one hit – a two-out single to Lauren Everitt in the bottom of the first – and a walk while striking out nine as she threw five shutout innings to earn the win.

“She’s crazy good,” said Powel of Moore, a senior right-hander committed to Holy Family. “Her riseball was outstanding and her curveball.”

Both teams play SOL Liberty games Thursday. Plymouth Whitemarsh hosts Quakertown at 3:30 p.m. while Abington (0-4, 0-2) visits Hatboro-Horsham at 3:45 p.m.

“It doesn’t matter what part of the season, Suburban One’s always a tough league and there’s never an easy game no matter who you’re playing,” Mike Perez said. “But Quakertown tomorrow will be a big test for us for sure. Again, we just gotta keep pitching, keep playing defense and keep swinging the bat like we’ve been and I think we’ll be OK.

“I think the big part is just the girls staying together on the bench and staying supportive of everyone I think really helps.”

Marissa Perez led off the top of the first inning by getting hit by a pitch and scored the opening run on a wild pitch. With runners on the corners and one out, Samantha Skivo tripled to right to plate both while Moran followed with an RBI double to put PW up 4-0.

In the top of the third, Kalina Childers – running for Powel after her leadoff walk – stole second then scored as Yablon could not get down a bunt but ended up connecting on a RBI single for a 5-0 lead.

With two outs in the top of the fifth, Moran and Powel hit back-to-back singles while a Childers walk loaded the bases for Joslyn Perez. The freshman second baseman doubled to right to bring in two runs while an off-target throw home allowed Childers to score for an 8-0 lead and Joslyn Perez to take third.

“Just an opportunity to perform and move some runners,” Joslyn Perez said. “Just base hit, just one pitch at a time and just do what you can.”

Marissa Perez followed on the next at-bat with an RBI single to push the Colonials’ advantage to nine.

In the top of the sixth, an error on Skivo’s one-out fly ball to right scored Maddie Carr – who started the inning with a walk – from second. After a Marissa Caroluzzi single, Powel belted her three-run shot to left center to make it 13-0.

With two outs, Joslyn Perez and Marissa Perez hit consecutive singles with Joslyn Perez scoring the afternoon’s final run on Caelin Kosvitch’s RBI double.

Plymouth Whitemarsh 14, Abington 0 (6)

Plymouth Whitemarsh 400 145 — 14 14 1

Abington 000 000 — 0 1 1

WP: Molly Moore 5 IP 1 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 9 SO.

LP: Sam Wenhold 0.0 IP 0 H 3 R 3 ER 2 BB 0 SO 1 HB.

2B: PW-Caelin Kosvitch, Madison Moran, Joslyn Perez; 3B: PW-Samantha Skivo; HR: PW-Anna Powel.

Plymouth Whitemarsh: Moran 2-3, RBI, R; Joslyn Perez 3-4, 3 RBI, 2 R; Powel 2-3, 3 RBI, 2 R; Skivo 2 RBI, R; Marissa Perez 2-4, RBI, R.