Friday’s Southeastern Pa. roundup: Neshaminy rebounds to win District 1 Class 6A title

The Neshaminy baseball team started out the season 9-0 overall after defeating Pennsbury and Souderton, which were also undefeated at the time, in back-to-back games. It was, by far, the highest point of the season.

Then the Redskins hit a rough patch they didn’t see coming, where they lost five of six games and finished the Suburban One National Conference in fourth place at 7-5.

“We were all excited and everything,” Neshaminy coach Dan Toner said. "It kind of felt like we almost accomplished something that was only halfway through.

“From there, we started making a couple mistakes and lost a bunch of games by one run,” Toner added. “It was pretty much us not being as sharp as we were.”

Now Neshaminy can say they have a new high point of the season after they knocked of Central Bucks South, 2-1, to win the District 1 Class 6A title on Friday at Plymouth Township Park.

Toner credited his captains, Cory Joyce, Gus Natelli, and Joe Kaleck for righting the ship.

“We started playing like we were in the beginning of the season,” Toner said. “My captains completely took over. They’re incredible leaders and incredible captains."

Toner relied on Joyce, a four year starter at shortstop, to come through for the Redskins in a big way. With two outs in the fifth, after Chris James bunted Tommy Pease to second base, Joyce stroked an RBI single to give the Redskins the lead for good.

“There couldn’t be anyone I’d be more confident in in that situation," Toner said.

Max Temple got the win for the Redskins. The junior pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed one run on five hits.

“He wasn’t as good as he usually is and was still able to hold a very, very good hitting CB South team, but he’s still good enough to get outs and our defense played incredible behind him,” said Toner, whose Redskins played an error-free game in the field.

Neshaminy, entering the PIAA state tournament with the same mojo they had early in the season, will open play against Hempfield on Monday at Widener University.

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Luke Taylor pitched five innings and allowed one run and went 3-for-4 at the plate with 2 RBIs as Souderton clinched a berth in the PIAA Class 6A state playoffs with a 15-1 win over Garnet Valley. Conlan Wall went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs for the Indians, who finished in fifth place in District 1 and will take on La Salle on Monday.

Dani Freer smacked two doubles and had two RBIs as Upper Perkiomen edged Upper Merion, 6-5, in the District 1 Class 5A third place game. Sierra Fretz added two hits, including a double, and two RBIs for the Indians. Alexa Banner and Kylene Gooch added a double for the victors.

Cate Cox scored a game-high three goals in Radnor’s 15-3 decision over Parkland in the PIAA Class 3A first round. Tori DiCarlo, Cierra Hopson, Ellie Mueller, and Sarah Nelson each added two goals for the Raiders, who will take on Harriton on Saturday.

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Springfield Delco defeated Saucon Valley, 18-8, in the PIAA Class 2A first round. The Cougars will play Cocalico on Saturday.

Boys’ Lacrosse

Archbishop Carroll fell to Southern Lehigh, 14-5.