NP pulls away from CB South

Olivia Stevens made sure she took advantage of the opportunity to extend the North Penn softball team’s slim one-run advantage in the bottom of the sixth inning.

“I knew it was a big at-bat,” Stevens said. “I knew I needed to get these runners in so my approach was inside fastball, I’m going to turn on it and just send it.”

With a pair of runners on and one out, the senior designated player ripped a ball to center field to RBI double, extending the Knights’ edge over visiting Central Bucks South to 7-5.

“I just really wanted to support our pitcher (Bella Nunn), she was throwing a great game,” Stevens said. “So doing my job as a hitter, get the ball out there and score some runs.”

RBI singles by Felicia Connolly and Tallie Smink followed with a bases-loaded RBI fielder’s choice from Gabby Battavio capping a four-run frame, the late offense helping the defending District 1 and PIAA 6A champs hold off the Titans for a 10-5 SOL Colonial Division victory Friday afternoon.

“Other people may say look at the runs you’re giving up, right now I don’t care,” Knights coach Rick Torresani said. “As long as everything goes in that left column, I’m happy.”

Stevens, who has committed to play at Jefferson University, did not make the North Penn softball team as a junior but came back this season and did not just get a spot on the squad but has earned a starting role.

“I always wanted to play softball in college since I was young so in the summertime I really just grinded and I finally committed in the fall,” Stevens So I wanted to come back and help support my school and my team.

Batting sixth in the lineup Friday, Stevens finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored as the Knights (5-1, 2-1 division) earned their fourth straight victory after picking up three wins last week in a trip to Alabama.

“What a great story she is,” said Torresani of Stevens. “Last year we had 11 juniors, 12 seniors come out and you can’t keep that many. And she was a basketball player and didn’t play her sophomore year to concentrate on basketball and her tools, they didn’t grow enough to keep her as an 11th grader.

“She came out, had the guts to come out again this year, in the fall she was just unbelievable. What a story to come back at North Penn and then make it and win a starting spot, I got to hand it to her. She blew my mind out when she came out and what she’s done for us, she keeps hitting and hitting and hitting.”

CB South (2-3, 1-1) collected just four hits off NP right-hander Nunn, but two were home runs by Ella Wheeler. The junior center fielder had a two-run shot to left center in the second that pulled the Titans to within 3-2. In the fifth, she connected on a solo homer to left for the first of three South runs in the frame that cut