Big wins for Bucks County area softball teams in District 1, PCL playoffs; Scores, recaps

It was a busy Monday across the softball diamonds in the area. District One and District 11 playoffs kicked off, while the Catholic League crowned its champion. Check out all the scores, recaps and top performances here, plus matchups for the next round.

Conwell-Egan wins Catholic League softball championship

For the second straight year, the Conwell-Egan Eagles are the softball champions of the the Philadelphia Catholic League. And they sure made it a game that no one will soon forget.

In a rematch of last year’s title game, the No. 2 Eagles and No. 1 Archbishop Ryan were embroiled in an intense, back-and-forth battle at Neumann University on Monday afternoon.

After both teams scored a first-inning run, the game remained tied at 2-2 until the sixth inning, when Ryan took a one-run lead. But the Eagles struck right back, scoring three runs in the seventh. But Ryan would tie it in the bottom of the inning, forcing extra innings.

No problem. After Molly Milewski reached on an error, singles by Amariah McKnight and Angelina Pandolfi loaded the bases for Cecilia McBeth .

McBeth hit a line drive single that scored the go-ahead run. But they weren’t finished yet. Next up was pitcher Lauren Bretzel , who hit a bases-clearing triple to put the Eagles ahead 9-5. Deanna Porter’s sacrifice fly added another run before the inning ended, and Bretzel pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth to secure the 10-5 win.

Bretzel earned the win, giving up nine hits and three walks while striking out five through eight innings. She also had a huge day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and a triple and five RBIs. McBeth and Porter each drove in two runs, while Amariah McKnight went 3-for-3 with two walks.

It was the second year in a row that the Eagles defeated Ryan in the title game; last year they won 6-3.

Next up for Conwell-Egan is the District 12 Class 3A championship game on May 28, when they will face Philadelphia Academy Charter.

Exciting finishes as District One softball playoffs kicked off Monday

Council Rock North, CB South, Pennsbury and CB West advanced in Class 6A, while Hatboro-Horsham was a winner in Class 5A, during Monday's first-round games. On Tuesday, New Hope-Solebury won the Class 3A title, while Faith Christian and Dock Mennonite advanced to Thursday's Class 1A final. Bristol will play in the Class 2A title game after a win by forfeit in the semifinal.

Class 6A:

No. 20 CB South 4, No. 13 Neshaminy 2

The Titans issued an upset in extra innings on the road against Neshaminy. Both teams scored two runs in the first inning, and that would be it for the next six, as the game remained knotted at 2-2 after seven. After a double by Camryn Lee and single from Ella Wheeler in the top of the eighth, Stephanie Bendzlowicz put the ball in play which allowed Lee to score the go-ahead run. Wheeler scored an insurance run on Madeline McClintock’s fly ball. In the bottom of the inning, Titans’ pitcher Riley Theis worked out of a bases-loaded jam to secure the final out and the win.

Sophomore Molly Ambrosius pitched a gem for Neshaminy, allowing only three hits and one earned run through eight innings, and Allie Waskie was 2-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs to lead the offense.

No. 16 Council Rock North 9, No. 17 Avon Grove 8

The Indians rallied from a four-run deficit, scoring five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for the thrilling win in front of the home crowd. After singles by Olivia Schlindwein and Kayla Ripper , Taylor Gearhart singled to drive in a run. With two outs, Chelsea Seiler cracked a two-run single into center field to tie the game. That set the stage for Zoe Hardy’s game-winning RBI single in the next at-bat.

No. 15 Pennsbury 11, No. 18 William Tennent 1

Naya Schubel, Jaylynn Rodweiler and Jenna Thompson drove in two runs apiece as the Falcons secured the win in five innings. Thompson went 2-for-2 with a walk, a home run, and two runs scored, while Schubel also homered, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Liv Czerniak earned the victory in the circle, giving up four hits and an unearned run. Chloe Hostetler was 2-for-2 with one RBI for Tennent, who ended their season with a 14-7 record.

No. 11 CB West 12, No. 22 Ridley 2

Sienna Lawson pitched a three-hitter and struck out 11 as the Bucks cruised to the win. Ana Glemser led the offense, going 4-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Leadoff hitter Jill Boyle hit two triples and scored three runs, while Glemser also tripled and stole two bases.

No. 12 Boyertown 5, No. 21 Souderton 1

Makenna Shroding and Skylar Byrnes were solid in the circle for Souderton, but the Indians couldn’t get anything going against Boyertown’s Ella Hurter , who pitched a no-hitter for 6⅔ innings. Shroding gave up just three hits and one earned run while striking out three, and Byrnes went 1⅔ innings, allowing two hits and an unearned run. Souderton finished the season 12-10.

Playoff Heroes: These athletes had the top performances from the first week of playoffs

Class 5A:

N o. 12 Upper Dublin 7, No. 5 Upper Moreland 2

The Golden Bears' successful season come to an end at the hands of SOL rival Upper Dublin. Kelly Bates was 1-for-2 with two walks, and Joslyn McCellan and Erin Distel both drove in a run for UM, who finished 14-6.

No. 7 Hatboro-Horsham 5, No. 10 Harriton 1

Alyssa Tooley was incredible in the circle for the Hatters, giving up a lone hit and unearned run while striking out 15 to earn the win. Maya Ravi paced the offense, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs.

No. 6 Interboro 10, No. 11 Gwynedd Mercy 3

Alexa Weiss tripled, walked and scored a run for the Monarchs, who were held to three hits by Interboro. The Monarchs finished the season 9-10.

Tuesday's District One playoff games:

Class 3A:

No. 2 New Hope-Solebury 17, No. 1 MaST Charter 1

The Lions avenged last season’s title game loss to MaST Charter with a definitive win to claim the District One Class 3A championship. Freshmen Dagny Mobley and Mabel Klossner combined to pitch a three-hitter through five innings in the abbreviated win.  At the plate, Klossner was 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, one RBI and two runs scored. Emily Wilson was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. as the Lions took advantage of eight MaST errors.

NHS will play at Division 11 team in a regional PIAA qualification game.

Class 2A , Semifinal

No. 1 Bristol advances due to Morrisville forfeit

Class 1A , Semifinals

No. 1 Dock Mennonite 10, No. 4 Delco Christian 0

Aubrey Gahman and Laura Charles combined for a five-hit shutout as the Pioneers dominated in their semifinal win over Delco. Gahman, who gave up one hit and struck out six through three innings, was also a force at the plate. She was 4-for-4 with a double and four RBIs, while younger sister Riley Gahman was 1-for-2 with two walks and three RBIs.

No. 2 Faith Christian 9, No. 3 Plumstead Christian 8

The Lions scored five runs in the third inning to erase a four run deficit and hold on for the win against Plumstead Christian. Lexi Reed was 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Cheyenne Greene was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, a walk, a stolen base and three runs scored from the leadoff spot.  The No. 2 Lions will face top-seeded Dock Mennonite in Thursday’s championship game. Dock won both regular season matchups between the BAL rivals.

PAISAA Playoffs:

Second round, May 20

No. 5 Germantown Academy 9, No. 4 Academy of the New Church 3

Liv Reynolds gave up three hits while striking out eighth in a complete game win, while Ava Fiumara powered the offense, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs in the Patriots’ quarterfinal win. Zoey Clark had two hits and two stolen bases, and scored three runs from the leadoff spot.

Semifinals, May 21

No. 1 Springside Chestnut Hill 6, No. 5 Germantown Academy 5

It took 10 innings to decide which team would go to the PAISAA championship game, as the Patriots gave top-seeded SCH all they could handle in the semifinal. Liv Reynolds drove in four of the Patriots runs on a pair of doubles, in a game that was scoreless until the sixth inning.

The Patriots took a 2-0 lead in the sixth, only for SCH to tie it in the seventh. The Patriots battled back to take the lead in the 10th, but SCH scored three runs in the bottom of the inning for the win.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Big wins for Bucks County area softball teams in District 1, PCL playoffs; Scores, recaps