Mercury Roundup (May 10): Owen J. Roberts softball snags final PAC playoff position

SOFTBALL

Owen J. Roberts 15, Pottstown 0, 4 inn.

Natalie Alldred and Ashlyn Kunkle combined on a one-hit shutout and Liz Egan and Sophia Cerimele (3-for-4) had two RBI each as Owen J. Roberts secured a spot in the PAC Final Four with a four-inning rout of Pottstown.

Liza Flavin (4 runs), Jacqui Skonieczny and Katelyn Stofko added two hits apiece for the Wildcats (5-5 PAC Liberty, 11-5 PAC, 12-8 overall), who qualified for PACs after Methacton’s loss to Upper Perk.

 

Upper Perkiomen 17, Methacton 12

In a game that featured 31 hits and seven errors, Upper Perk outlasted Methacton by scoring five runs in the eighth inning, including Kristi Molnar’s three-run home run, to prevail 17-12 in a PAC crossover Wednesday.

Elizabeth Proctor, Kaylyn Adair and Ashley Forrest had three hits each for Upper Perk, the Frontier Division champions (10-0 Frontier, 14-2 PAC, 15-5 overall).

Jillian McTamney homered and drove in five runs and Riley Kairer and Caroline Cherekos had three hits apiece for the Warriors (5-5 Liberty, 10-6 PAC, 12-8 overall), who will miss the PAC playoffs with the defeat.

 

Spring-Ford 18, Phoenixville 1

Caitlin Ashley homered twice in a three-hit, six-RBI performance to lead Spring-Ford to a five-inning blowout of Phoenixville Wednesday.

Jeana Dailey had two hits and three RBI and top two hitters Morgan Lester and Ellie Jarrell each had a double, two hits and two RBI for the Rams, who have qualified for the PAC Final Four, set for Monday at Boyertown.

Katie Cecconi gave up one run on five hits with seven strikeouts for SF (9-1 PAC Liberty, 14-2 PAC, 16-2 overall). 

Cora Perrone’s RBI single supplied the lone run for the Phantoms (2-15).

 

Boyertown 10, Pope John Paul II 0, 5 inn.

Kyra Neiswender gave up only one hit in five innings and the Bears closed in on grabbing the No. 1 seed for next week’s PAC Final Four.

Neiswender struck out eight and helped her own cause going 2-for-3 with three RBi at the plate. Alexis Laboy and Rielynn Carey drove in two runs each for Boyertown, which can lock in the top spot with a win at Norristown on Thursday.

 

Pottsgrove 4, Norristown 1

Mikayla Eckman spun a two-hit complete-game with 13 strikeouts and Avery Gleason had a double, triple and two RBI, handling the offensive output for the Falcons in a PAC crossover win over the Eagles.

Ryan Morse was solid in the circle for Norristown. She went seven innings and gave up two earned runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts.

 

Upper Merion 6, Perkiomen Valley 5

Ava DiDonato got the pitching win (7 IP, 9H, 5 ER, 5K) and a four-run fifth inning gave Upper Merion enough room to take down Perk Valley in a cross-divisional PAC matchup Wednesday.

Maas had a double and three RBI and Maren DiStefano was 2-for-4 to lead the UM offense. 

Maci Strechay led PV with three hits and she did not allow an earned run over five innings in the circle, all five runs given up being unearned. She struck out six.

Olivia Hopkins hit a home run and Erin Carosi (double) had two RBI for Perk Valley (2-8, 6-9, 9-10), which ended the regular season sitting at No. 24 in the District 1-6A rankings, currently the final spot to qualify for the district postseason.

PAC Standings

 

 

Hill School 535 10 – 14 15 0
Friends Select 012 00 – 3 6 0

Samantha Faella, Anna Cowan, Aryanna Bodge and M Brent all had three hits apiece and Hill School routed Friends Central in a five-inning non-league game Wednesday.

Brent drove in six runs and Cowan racked up four RBI to fuel Hill’s 15-hit offense.

Bodge, who had three RBI, allowed three runs on six hits and struck out nine in five innings pitched.

 

BASEBALL

Methacton 2, Upper Perkiomen 0

Methacton defeated Upper Perkiomen 2-0 to improve to 16-3 on the season. Evan Jones threw a two-hit complete game shutout, striking out eight and walking two to send Methacton into the postseason on a winning note.

Kross Howarth had two hits (triple, double), an RBI and a run scored for the Warriors, who plated their two runs in the sixth. 

Evan Wittig was the hard-luck losing pitcher for Upper Perk after he surrendered only four hits and a single earned run over seven innings. He had two strikeouts and one walk.

Methacton will compete in the PAC final four on Monday afternoon against Pope John Paul II, 4 p.m. at Spring-Ford.

 

Pope John Paul II 6, Boyertown 2

Pope John Paul II broke open a 2-2 tie in the seventh, getting a two-run single from Dylan Simeone and RBI singles from Luke Terlesky (home run, 2-for-3, 3 RBI) and Frank Dimaio for a four-run inning that propelled it over Boyertown in a PAC cross-division game Wednesday.

PAC Frontier Division champion PJP (9-1 Frontier, 13-3 PAC, 15-4 overall) got a strong combined pitching effort from Aidan Sgarra (4.2 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 6 BB, 4 K) and Gio Sarmento (2.1 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K).

Jayden Kohn had two hits for the Bears (3-7, 6-10, 7-12) in their season finale.

 

Norristown 8, Pottsgrove 3

Matt Leary got the pitching win and was 3-for-4 from the leadoff spot, helping Norristown top Pottsgrove in a PAC cross-divisional meeting Wednesday.

Logan Sigg (2-for-3) drove in three runs and Brett Murphy (double, 2-for-4) drove in two for the Eagles’ 12-hit offense.

Leary went 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits with 10 strikeouts and five walks.

Isaac Kumpf had two hits for the Falcons.

 

Upper Merion 5, Perkiomen Valley 1

Upper Merion scored four runs in the second inning courtesy RBI hits from Andrew Prendergast (2 RBI), Sean Prendergast and Vincent Lindelow (double, 2 RBI) to take down Perk Valley Wednesday.

Pitcher Jimmy Good scattered eight hits for a single run and struck out five in the complete-game win.

Nathan Fisher had three hits for PV. Drew Kenworthy (3.1 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER), Kevin Fitzpatrick and Chris Gorla combined to allow only one hit over 5.1 innings in relief.

 

Owen J. Roberts 13, Pottstown 1

Zach Brockner was 4-for-4 with four RBi and Tristan Dietrich was 3-for-3 (RBI) to lead Owen J. Roberts’ 12-hit offense in a five-inning victory over Pottstown Wednesday.

Sam Taylor (2-for-2), David Levengood and Jake Grossi each drove in two runs. Levengood threw two scoreless innings in relief of Mason MIller.

Gage Colvin drove in the Trojans’ lone run.

PAC Baseball Standings

 

Perkiomen School 9, Episcopal Academy 2

Perkiomen School 101 520 0 – 9 6 1
Episcopal 010 001 0 – 2 5 2

Perkiomen School improved to 9-2-1 as Shane Baird got the win on the mound in relief of Juan Sanchez who went 2 2/3 coming out with an arm injury.  CC Catania’s triple with the bases loaded was the big hit in the 4th inning. Catania ended the day with four RBI.  Zach Mayza was 2-for-3 with an RBI.