Trojans' Zielger Pitches SOL All Stars to Unbeaten First Day at Carpenter Cup

With all of the year-round softball clubs being played for 12 month out of the year, it can get difficult at times to distinguish one marathon, five games in a day, tournament from another.

On tournament that stands alone is the Carpenter Cup, sponsored and run by the Philadelphia Phillies, with the opening days held in FDR park and the final at Ashburn Park. 

The purpose of the Softball Carpenter Cup, since it inception in 2005, has been to give the best high school players in the tri-state area the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of college scouts.

The hope is that this tournament, like the baseball Carpenter Cup Classic, will be a catalyst for many players to receive scholarships or admission to some of the country's finest universities.

In the inaugural tournament, which was played in June of 2005, was won by Delaware South (Gold) claiming the first title. Since then, South has recorded its second title as well as two championships to the credit of the Lehigh Valley squad, slated to play Tuesday morning and Jersey Shore, who won two games on Monday.

Upper Dublin head softball coach Heather Boyer has been there since the start of it all and looks forward each year to spending her first week of summer break coaching the all stars of the Suburban One League’s American and Continental conferences.

“I have been since the inaugural year,” said head coach Heather Boyer. “It is fun every year to get to work with kids that all love the game and see how they all come together. They work all season and then they come to a venue like this and go “wow, I’ve spent all year trying to beat them and not like them and they are really kind of cool.”

In the opening game of the tournament, Boyer and her squad got down early but battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh.

In the Carpenter Cup they use the international tie break format which places a runner on second to start the inning.

After fighting off two scoring chances by the Olympic/ Colonial Conference all stars, (NJ) Norristown’s Steph DiNolfi was on third with the winning run as Central Bucks East’s Allie Chase stepped into the box on a 1-2 pitch Chase lofted a ball deep to left scoring DiNolfi and claiming SOL A&C’s first victory of the day.

“This year’s group has some major skills,” added Boyer. “ I am excited about what we can do here. Getting that first win is always huge, you want to stay on the winners bracket side as long as you can here."

“I was very proud of the how they kept their composure today,” added Boyer to get down in the first 2-0 on a questionable call, and not let it get to them was really something, they just started picking away and we got it done in the 10^th.”

“I think it was actually a blessing,” said C.B. East sophomore Allie Chase, of the ten inning affair to start the tourney. “We are still learning how to play with each other and have a lot of stuff to work through, so it was good to see what kind of pressure we could play under. I got an inside fast and I just got under it,” added Chase, who plays club ball for Newtown Rock.

 In the second game of the day, the SOL American and Continental team went up against the stars of the Philadelphia Athletic league and used 5-0 rout to advance to the winner bracket final of group A on Monday, which will meet Wednesday with the remaining team for group B which will play on Tuesday.

 “We love to spend time with these amazing girls," said Norristown coach Jon Kandrick. It’s our third year together, It’s a lot of fun I get to coach the kids we talk about to each other all year long. They are more relaxed this year they joke around and are just a lot of fun to be around.”

“We have stressed from the beginning,” added Kandrick. “We just told them to have fun and play your game, don’t let the game be bigger than it is, relax and have fun with it no matter how many coaches are here and don’t get caught up in the hype.”

In the third bout of the day, SOL C&A took on unbeaten Tri-Cape and emerged from the fray with a 6-5 win to adavnce to the winner bracket semi final on Wednesday at 1 p.m. as the only unbeaten team from day one.

The most vaulable player of the day award could have gone to Trojans junior Katie Ziegler, who pitched in some fashion in all three games, starting the first and closing out the second in a day that fell perfectly into the game plan of the coaching staff coming into the tourney.

“It felt great to get to start the first game,” said Wissahickon hurler Katie Ziegler. “I have total confidence in my team out there and they played great, it so cool to have so much talent behind me.”

“I don’t see these leagues,” added Ziegler, who plays club for East Norriton Avalanche. “The advantage is that they don’t see me either, so if I hit my spots, It’s exciting to get to play with girls I have admired as we have played them. I think one of the biggest things to show about my self is that I always stay positive and never get down.”

 “It’s big to get through the first day 3-0,” said Boyer. “It eliminates an extra game you could have to play on Wednesday and gives the girls so much confidence as they prepare for the day where all of the college coaches will be here.”

 “The girls are definitely more knowledgeable now,” said Boyer. They can check out who they are playing and have so much more information at their disposal, to check out west coast colleges. I absolutely love being here every year."