Memorable postseason for surging Souderton
Post 234 savored its trip to Region 2
It was quite a postseason run for surging Souderton, one filled with big hits, dramatics and a pair of walk-off victories at the Region 2 Tournament.
“It was a good ride,” Big Red pitcher and right fielder Thylar Summarell said, shortly after his team finished up play at historic Owls Field at Ted Palka Park Tuesday. “It was real fun. We played with a lot of excitement. The way we came together late in the season and playoffs, it felt really good.”
Souderton enjoyed thrilling 6-5 wins over both Norchester and eventual champion South Parkland before falling to Norchester in an elimination game Tuesday, 14-3.
But making it all the way out to West Lawn is an accomplishment for any squad.
“We came a long way. We finished 10-10 (in the regular season) and battled back,” coach Paul Meara said.
Souderton has a solid nucleus
“It was a good ride. It was real fun. We played with a lot of excitement. The way we came together late in the season and playoffs, it felt really good.” – Souderton’s Thylar Summarell
returning next summer.
“They got a little taste of this,” Meara said. “They have now seen what it takes, everything you have to do to be successful here and keep playing on.”
Summarell swings away
Summarell added another home run on Tuesday
against Norchester, a never-any-doubt bomb well over the 373-foot sign in right.
The No. 3 hitter belted nine homers in the high school season and added three more in the summer.
Derek Freed added an RBI single and Nolan Bolton led the game off with a single of his own, before Norchester turned a nice double play to help get out of the inning.
Summarell’s solo shot made it 10-1 in the fourth
and provided some hope that Souderton would cut into the Norchester advantage. Sure enough, Luke Barnum drew a walk and Kyle Lennon followed with a single to left.
An error by Norchester followed and suddenly Souderton had the bases loaded with two outs. But to its credit, Norchester again found a way to get out of it, with right hander Ben Hakun getting Greg Gallagher to get under one, a fly out to right that ended the inning.
Moving on
Summarell will play at Lackawanna Junior College next season while Freed heads to Messiah College.
Both enjoyed what was their final days under the sun as Legion ball players.
“The field was amazing,” Summarell said. “(Regionals) was a great ending to the season. You know it has to end sometime, but this was a great finish.”
“We had an absolute blast with the team,” Freed said. “We came out here and showed what we had.”