The District One playoffs kicked off Monday, with 19 Courier/Intell teams in the mix. After an exciting first round filled with extra-innings thrillers, late-game comebacks and upsets, teams are back on the field Wednesday for the second round of Class 5A and Class 6A. After first-round byes, North Penn, Quakertown and CR South make their highly anticipated playoff debuts.
In Class 1A and Class 2A, Bristol, Dock Mennonite and Faith Christian will play for district titles on Thursday. The winners advance to the PIAA tournament. In Class 3A, New Hope-Solebury will play the District 11 3A winner on May 30 in a PIAA qualification game.
Class 6A
Second round, Wednesday, May 22 :
No. 3 Quakertown 3, No. 14 Conestoga 2
Abby Wagner led the way as the Panthers opened postseason play with a walkoff win. With one out in the bottom of the seventh and the game tied, Wagner hit a sacrifice fly which scored Kira Jefferson, who had reached on a single. But it was Jefferson’s base running prowess that put her in position to score the game-winner, as she stole second, and then third base. Wagner earned the win on the mound, giving up 10 hits and one walk. Solid defense from the Panthers kept Conestoga from scoring more than two runs, despite having a lot of base runners. Ava Beal was 2-for-2 with a walk and one RBI in the win.
No. 2 Council Rock South 13, No. 15 Pennsbury 9
The Golden Hawks scored seven runs in the sixth inning to take the lead and stun the Falcons in the second-round thriller. CR South trailed 9-6 going into the sixth, when Julia Scannapieco led off the inning with a single.
Pinch runner Molly Gabriele was able to make it to third base on a wild pitch, and then scored on Avery Tumolo’s sac fly. Lexi Waring followed with a walk, and singles by Kelly Delisse and Katie Aamland scored another run. After another single by Shannon Williams, Helen Woloshyn drove in the tying run on a single of her own. A hit by Grace Stepp scored the go-ahead runs, and after turning the lineup over, Tumolo singled in her second at-bat of the inning to drive in another run, putting CRS up 13-9.
The Falcons had two runners on in the seventh, but Waring worked out of trouble to secure the final out.
Stepp and Tumolo each had three RBIs in the win, while Aamland was 4-for-4. Sam Raub was 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs for Pennsbury, while Ava Storlazzi was 3-for-4 with one RBI. Pennsbury finished the season at 15-7.
No. 1 Downingtown West 2, No. 16 CR North 1
They were as close as can be to pulling off the upset of the tournament. The Indians certainly gave the top-seeded DW all they could handle, and probably much more than they expected. CRN sophomore Lucy Mills dueled with junior Addy Carter in a classic pitcher’s battle. Mills gave up just four hits and two walks to the undefeated Whippets (21-0), while the Indians batters had six hits and drew three walks. Chelsea Seiler and Olivia Schlindwein were both 2-for-3 for CRN.
The Indians finish a very successful season at 13-9, after accomplishing their preseason goal to host a playoff game for the first time in years.
No. 11 CB West 4, No. 6 Plymouth Whitemarsh 3
Sienna Lawson was solid in the circle for the Bucks (11 hits, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts), ending a sixth-inning threat by PW to secure the win. After four singles in the sixth inning, PW scored three runs to cut the deficit to 4-3, but Lawson set down the next two batters to end the run. Chloe Dryden was 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and one RBI in the win.
No. 4 North Penn 8, No. 20 CB South 4
The defending state champs began their playoff run with a win over Colonial Division rival CB South, though the Titans certainly made it interesting.
Bella Nunn pitched a three-hitter and struck out six to earn the win. Gianna Cimino was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a walk and two runs scored from the leadoff spot, while Brandi Groake was 3-for-3. The Knights scored all their runs in the first three innings, holding an 8-2 lead, with the Titans adding two runs on back-to-back home runs by Ella Wheeler and Stephanie Bendzlowicz in the fifth inning. The Titans concluded their season at 12-11.
What's Next?
The quarterfinals take place Friday, May 24 with matchups of: No. 12 Boyertown at No. 4 North Penn , No. 7 Downingtown East at No. 2 CR South , No. 11 CB West at No. 3 Quakertown. Winners advance to the semifinals and secure a PIAA playoff spot. Teams that lose in the quarterfinals will go to the playback bracket for a chance to make states.
Class 5A
No. 2 WC Rustin 3, No. 7 Hatboro-Horsham 2
After a stellar performance in the Hatters’ first round win, Alyssa Tooley was nearly perfect again in the circle, giving up just two hits and one earned run while striking out 15 against No. 2 WC Rustin in the second-round matchup. The Hatters outhit WCR, getting five hits off pitcher Ashley Falcone , but were held scoreless in the pitchers’ duel. Cara Neeld had two hits for the Hatters, who concluded their season at 15-8.
Playoff Heroes: These athletes had the top performances from the first week of playoffs
Class 2A:
No. 1 Bristol 14, Renaissance Academy 0
Brianna Slack answered the call, as the sophomore pitcher earned her second district title, and the Warriors, their 26th straight district championship. Slack held Renaissance to two hits and one walk, while striking out 10 in the five-inning shutout win. She also delivered at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs. It was a great day for the Warriors sophomores, as Amirah Bell and Lily Gonzalez each drove in three runs for the Warriors.
What's Next?
With the win, the Warriors advanced to the PIAA Class 2A state tournament.
Class 1A:
No. 1 Dock Mennonite 9, No. 2 Faith Christian 3
Freshman Riley Gahman powered the offense, while big sister Aubrey Gahman earned the win in the circle to secure the Pioneers’ second straight district championship. Riley was 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk and two RBIs, while Aubrey gave up eight hits and two earned runs while striking out five in the complete-game win. Leadoff hitter Addison Landis was 2-for-3 with a home run and three runs scored.
What's Next?
The District One winner was originally scheduled to play the District 12 champion in a PIAA qualifying game, but District 12 elected not to send a team. That means the Pioneers have secured a spot in the PIAA Class 1A state tournament.
District 11, Class 3A
Semifinal, Thursday, May 23
No. 3 Palisades 3, No. 2 Pine Grove 2
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Follow the action from the 2nd round of District One softball playoffs with scores, recaps
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