Sports
Golden Panthers win, get help to claw their way into playoff picture
Softball: Pope John Paul II 6, Phoenixville 3
The sign of any good team is the ability to be able to recover from unexpected adversity or bounce back from a tough loss.
On Thursday afternoon, the Golden Panthers, with the sting of Tuesday’s heart breaking loss to Spring-Ford still healing, took to the field on a mission to get the momentum back in what has been an entertaining first season.
On Tuesday, Pope John Paul II lost more than a game as standout senior pitcher Nikki Troisi cut her pitching hand on a play at the plate. The cut required four stitches, which will keep Troisi on the bench for up to two weeks.
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Despite being out-hit by the Phoenixville Phantoms by a six to five margin, PJP2 used flawless defense and timely hitting to post a 6-3 Pioneer Athletic Conference win.
The Golden Panthers (6-6 league), who never trailed in the contest, put up single runs in each of their first four at bats to build a 4-1 lead as they headed into fifth inning.
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Phoenixville, which stranded nine runners, loaded the bases without a hit in the first inning but failed to score as Courtney Panepinto’s line shot down the line was snared by first baseman Meg Kugler.
Deidre Weiber, who assumed the pitching duties in Troisi’s stead, walked seven but struck out six, including four strikeouts to end innings.
“I threw fastballs pretty much all day,” said Weiber. “It was all about location. I struggled a little walking too many, but our defense played great behind me. It is such a great feeling as a pitcher to just have to keep the ball around the plate, because you know the plays will be made in the field.”
Kugler provided the early spark offensively as she drove in Meg O’Connor to get the home team on the board with a two-out single in the first inning. Kugler’s sixth inning sacrifice fly scored Amanda Light, who had tripled, to regain a three run lead and provided some wiggle room for PJP2 as they headed into the final Phantoms' at-bat.
Left fielder Monica Levins made the play of the game to start the sixth inning, running down a long drive off the bat of Courtney Wieland and snaring it in the webbing of her glove.
“I just had to run as hard as I could,” said Levins. “At first it looked as though it was going to drop in, but the wind held it up just enough for me to get my glove on it.”
Wieland was followed by three consecutive base hits by Panepinto, Laura Gronski and Boone to load the bases.
Following a bounder back to the mound by Hillary Viola, which caused a force out at home, the Phantoms appeared as though they would squander another scoring chance. Meghan Loughery then tipped a ball just past the outstretched glove of shortstop Amanda Light, scoring Gronski and Boone to cut the lead to 4-3.
The inning ended with no further damage, as Meg O’Connor was able to tag Viola out at third as she was trying to advance on the throw home.
“The game had that same kind of feel right there,” said PJP2 manager John Bilella, referring to the Spring-Ford game. “We had outplayed them to that point, but getting one run with the base loaded and no outs earlier, I though it would come back to bite us.”
Levins followed up her highlight reel catch by crushing a ball to the fence to lead off the home sixth inning. Levins steamed all the way around the basepaths for a inside-the-park home run to give the Golden Panthers some insurance.
“She gave me a fastball inside and I was able to drive it,” added Levins. “Teams don’t realize how big our outfield is here, and they play us too shallow. Once it got by her I knew I was going to try to score.”
Phoenixville threatened in the top of the seventh as Danielle Johnson, who sacrificed in her first three trips to the plate, led off the frame by drawing a walk. Wieland who also got a free pass, but the Golden Panthers quashed the rally when Weiber was able to get Panepinto swinging at a high fastball to end the game.
“I am very proud of the way we got right after it after they scored to cut it to a one run lead,” added Bilella. “That was huge for us. Our defense has been sensational all year and again today it kept us in it. We have four games coming up next week that will be big. This is why we play. It’s going to get interesting.”
Pope John Paul II, which entered the game two games behind Perkiomen Valley for a final four playoff spot, got some needed help as the Vikings dropped a double header to Pottsgrove. The Golden Panthers moved into a virtual tie with the Vikings. Each team has six losses and will meet each other two more times.
Phoenixville 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 - 3
Pope John Paul II 1 1 1 1 0 2 X - 6
Pitching IP R ER H SO BB
Wieland (L) 3 4 2 3 1 5
Boone 3 2 2 2 1 2
Weiber (W) 7 3 3 6 6 7
Phoenixville AB R H RBI
Loughery 3b 2 1 2 2
Johnson dp 1 0 0 0
Waller cf 3 0 0 1
Bliss ss 2 0 0 0
Wieland p 1b 3 0 0 0
Panepinto c 4 0 0 0
Gronski 1b 2b 3 1 2 0
Boone 2b p 2 1 1 0
Viola lf 3 0 0 0
Totals 23 3 6 3
Pope John Paul II AB R H RBI
Light ss 3 1 1 1
Eliff rf 3 0 0 0
O’Connor 2 2 1 0
Kugler 1b 2 0 1 2
Rogers 2b 4 0 0 0
Murphy c 3 0 0 0
Catagnus cf 1 2 0 0
Weiber p 2 0 1 1
Romberger lf 1 0 0 0
Levins lf 1 1 1 1
Totals 22 6 5 5
