SOL/BAL falls to Mid-Penn in the Carpenter Cup quarterfinals

SOL/BAL’s Julia Scannapieco, 86, hits an RBI single in the top of the fifth inning against Mercer County during their Softball Carpenter Cup game on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at FDR Park in Philadelphia. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)

The Suburban One League/Bicentennial Athletic League series in the Softball Carpenter Cup ended in the quarterfinals on Wednesday morning, as Mid-Penn broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and then held on for a 4-2 victory at FDR Park in Philadelphia .

Julia Scannapieco’s two-RBI double in the top of the sixth pulled SOL/BAL within 3-2, but Mid Penn scored an insurance run in their half of the frame on a two-out RBI double by Stella Gasper.

In the top of the seventh, SOL/BAL’s Jordan Jennings (MaST Charter) hit a one-out triple, but a pop-out to the third baseman and a grounder to the shortstop sealed Mid Penn’s victory.

Mabel Klossner, a rising sophomore at New Hope-Solebury, went 2-for-4 and pitched three shutout innings – allowing two hits and striking out three – for SOL/BAL, which advanced from Tuesday’s pool game with a 2- 1, fell to Olympic Colonial 4-0 before defeating Chester County 9-2 and Mercer County 11-3.

Gasper, a rising senior from Central Dauphin, stalled against SOL/BAL through the first four innings, allowing four hits, walking one and striking out one for Mid-Penn, which lost 7-5 in the semifinals of Delaware South.

Lehigh Valley defeated Delaware South 2-1 in the finals to claim its first championship since 2008 and third overall, having also won the title in 2006. Lehigh Valley defeated Tri-Cape 8-3 in the quarterfinals and defeated Berks Lancaster-Lebanon 6 – 5 in the semifinals.

SOL/BAL’s last Carpenter Cup title came in 2019.

Mid-Penn started the bottom of the fifth with consecutive walks from Greencastle-Antrim duo Meadow Gambacurta and Kiersten Swain. Irys Kline (East Pennsboro) reached on an error to load the bases with no outs. An error on a Gasper catch allowed two runs to be scored.

After a force out at third base on a fielder’s choice, Ayahna Fleisher (Susquenita) gave Mid-Penn a 3-0 lead with an RBI single that brought in Gasper from second.

Kayla Ripper (Council Rock North) led off the top of the sixth inning by being hit by a pitch. Jaylynn Rodwell (Pennsbury) walked to give SOL/BAL two on zero with no outs.

After a passed ball moved the runners to second and third base, Scannapieco – a rising senior at Council Rock South – narrowed the margin to 3-2 when she hit a two-run double.

However, SOL/BAL left the tying run at second base on a strikeout and then back-to-back groundouts.

Gasper pushed Mid-Penn’s lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth with her two-out double that scored Kline, who was on first after her fielder’s choice in the previous at-bat. Gasper was thrown out during the action trying to reach third place.