Knights’ comeback falls short

Trojans hold off North Penn in state quarters

ALLENTOWN » Young North Penn kept on swinging — and connecting — till the very last out on Thursday, but couldn’t quite catch powerful Parkland in a PIAA 6A State Quarterfinal Game at Patriots Park.

“We tried our best. We gave everything we had,” said the Knights’ Elia Namey, a rising senior who smacked an RBI double to the gap in left center as part of her day. “It’s not always gonna go our way, and today it didn’t. But next time, next year, it will.”

The Trojans prevailed 6-3, in a contest that saw the two teams combine for 21 hits. Parkland, State Champs three years ago, advances to Monday’s semifinals to take on either Neshaminy or Hazleton.

Parkland, making its fifth consecutive state-tournament appearance, including trips to the semis in 2014, 2015 and this year, jumped out to a 6-1 lead by the fifth. True to form, the Knights climbed back, trimming the margin to 6-3 in the fifth on back-toback RBI doubles by Amanda Greaney and Namey.

“In the end, I thought we were gonna do it,” said North Penn coach Rick Torresani, who guided NP to states for the fourth time in seven seasons, “but (Parkland) just had a big inning, and that’s what cost us.” PARKLAND’S FIFTH » Up 2-1, the Trojans broke it open with six hits in the fifth.

Steph Herpel’s double brought in two, followed by timely singles by winning pitcher Kelly Dulaney and Renee Snyder, making it 6-1 Parkland.

North Penn starter Mady Volpe, a rising sophomore, was able to bear down, keeping the Trojans scoreless the rest of the way.

The Trojans had gone up 1-0 in

GENE WALSH — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA North Penn’s Elia Namey slides into second for a double near Parkland’s Jenna Lehr Thursday.