KNIGHTS’ REVENGE
North Penn avenges only loss, tops Pennsbury for district title
UPPER PROVIDENCE » A pair of early blasts then a three-run burst after a weather delay lifted the North Penn softball team to its first District 1 championship since 2012.
Gianna Cimino and Julia Shearer hit solo home runs for a 2-1 lead before the third-seeded Knights tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh to knock off No. 1 Pennsbury, 5-2, in the District 1 Class 6A final Thursday afternoon at Spring-Ford.
Shearer finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored at the plate while also striking out 10 in a complete-game win as North Penn (23-1) avenged its lone loss of the season and now looks to claim a second straight PIAA title. The Knights open states against the District 11 runner – either Northampton or Whitehall – Monday.
Pennsbury (22-2), which was trying to earn its first district title since 2007, takes on the District 3 runner-up – either Penn Manor or Manheim Township – in the first round of states.
The Falcons took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Quinn McGonigle hit a one-out single, stole second then scored when Sam Raub dropped a two-out single into left.
Cimino answered for North Penn with one out in the top of the third, belting a solo homer to left to knot things at one.
With two outs in the top of the third, Shearer connected on a pitch to send it over the fence in center for a two-out solo shot and a 2-1 NP lead.
Pennsbury put a runner on second in the fourth after a Rowan Mulholland single and a Raub sacrifice bunt.
Shearer, however, got a strikeout then a groundout back to the
circle to end the inning.
In the top of the fifth, North Penn loaded the bases with two outs after a Reyna Doherty single through the left side, a Shearer infield single and a Sarah Sabocsik walk.
But Ainsley McClure struck out the next batter to keep the Falcons down one.
After a lightning delay then a passing shower paused the game after six innings, North Penn pushed its lead to 5-1 with a threerun top of the seventh. After a Doherty one-out walk, Shearer singled through the left side. Sabocsik followed with an RBI single to score Doherty and put runners on second and third.
The next at-bat Annabelle Smink hit a sacrifice fly to right, bringing home Shearer to make
it 4-1. Sabocsik scored on a wild pitch for a four-run edge.
In the bottom of the seventh, Pennsbury pulled to within 5-2 on Presley Foot’s RBI infield single. The Falcons still had runners on first and second with one out but a force out at third on a fielder’s choice and a groundout to second
sealed North Penn’s win.
McClure took the loss in a complete-game effort in the circle for Pennsbury. She allowed five runs – all earned – on six hits, walked three and struck out seven.
Shearer gave up two runs – both earned – on six hits and two walks.