Softball: UD Coach Boyer, SOL All-Stars, One Win Away from Carpenter Cup Glory.

Philadelphia- Following a ten inning come from behind win in the opening round, and a dramatic 6-5 walk off win in the group one final on Monday afternoon, it would have been understandable if the Suburban One American and Continental All-Stars looked a bit spent in the semifinal round of the Carpenter's Cup Wednesday afternoon.

After all, with all of the media, college coaches and cameras filming the game, there were more than enough distractions and extra stress put on the players.

But there is something special about this year’s SOL team, that just would not allow that to happen on the biggest stage they will play on all summer.

“I have coached a team here since the start,” said Upper Dublin manager and head coach of the All-Stars, now 4-0. “We have had some teams that were chatty, even rambunctious, but this team just has a quiet confidence about them, and even though they have all made it a point to tell us how much fun they are having, when we take the field it is all business.”

The SOL squad jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on the group 2 winners Mercer County (3-1) when C.B East junior Allie Chase ripped a single and was driven in by Micheller Holweger. Chase, who was 2-for-2, with 2 runs scored and an RBI, also drove in the eventual game winning run, belting a base hit in the top of the fifth inning.

“This is so much fun,” said Chase. “I have been getting some good pitches to hit and have been able to get the bat on them in scoring situations. It was so great that we had to play only one game today, and we are in the championship game, which is just awesome."

“It was huge for us to get the lead,” added Boyer. “Especially being the visitors, in this heat and with the pitching we are throwing at teams it is hard to play catch up."

The SOL All-Stars also sent a bit of a wildcard to the mound on Wednesday, starting C.B. South's Alexandra Horvath, who had not pitched before--for any team.

“I don’t really concern myself with what the girls do on their high school team,” said Boyer on the decision to start Horvath. “She tried out for pitching when she came to the practices and she has some serious breaking stuff that nobody has been able to get a good swing on.”

Horvath was sensational in her first start, allowing no earned runs or a base hit in three very important innings of work, before giving way to Wissahickon’s Katie Ziegler, who struck out four in route to securing the win and recording her second save of the tournament.

“I was a little off today,” said Ziegler. “But thanks to Allie getting us a big lead I was able to hold them off and my defense really stepped up behind me. This is so amazing to be in the championship game and having to only play one game today was a big advantage for us, as some of the teams will end up playing four games."

Ziegler allowed two runs in the bottom of the fifth, as Mercer County posted two runs on three hits in the frame and brought the go ahead run to the plate with runners on second and third. But thanks to brilliant catch in right center by Upper Dublin’s Ashleigh Sharp on a drive bound for the wall, SOL was able to escape with a two run lead at 4-2.

“I just try to get a good jump on balls hit to me,” said Sharp. “I was able to see it right off the bat and had plenty of time to get under it. It would be so incredible to win this tomorrow coming off a not too great high school season, we would love to win this for coach Boyer."

“I am just so happy for the girls; they deserve all of the credit-- I am excited for them,” added Boyer. "We have never played the final day from the winners bracket. It’s important to get it done in the first try, but it eases the pressure a bit to know they have to beat us twice.”

“We have all come together as friends and a team so quickly,” said C.B. West catcher Cassie Zanolini, who scored a run after ripping a double into the gap. “It’s up to us, as long as we play our game we have a real chance to win this."

Schedule for Championship day

9am- Game #29- Mercer County vs. the winner of Tri-Cape / Lehigh Valley game # 28

11 am – game #30- Winner of Game #29 vs SOL American and Continental

1 pm – Game # 31- if necessary the same opponents as game #30

Winner bracket final

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

R

H

E

Suburban One A & C

2

0

0

2

0

0

0

4

10

1

Mercer County

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

2

5

2

School

Player

POS

AB

R

H

RBI

CBW

Zanolini

C

4

1

1

0

CDE

Chase

CF

2

2

2

1

CBS

Horvath

P

2

0

1

0

CBE

Schoenewald

1B

4

0

2

0

UD

Sharp

RF

1

0

1

0

NOR

Kidd

LF

0

0

0

0

NOR

Pellechio

RF

1

0

0

1

PW

Miller

LF

1

0

0

0

NOR

DiNolfi

2B

2

0

0

0

PW

Baratucci

3B

1

0

0

0

WIS

Ziegler

P

1

0

0

0

Pitching stats

SCHL

Player

IP

R

ER

H

BB

K

W/L

CBS

Horvath

3

0

0

0

0

1

W(1-0)

WIS

Ziegler

4

2

0

5

3

4

SAVE