Senior Softball Stars drop World Series opener, but prove they belong to be here
SENIOR SOFTBALL LL WORLD SERIES
At Roxana, Del.
Monday’s scores
Canada 10, Southeast 0
Delaware 8, Pennsville 5
Central 8, West 4
Southwest 11, Latin America 1
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
ROXANA, Del. — The Pennsville All-Stars faced perhaps the most daunting opener in the Senior Softball Little League World Series Monday night and although they didn’t win it they hung in there all the way to the end.
The Eagles faced the host team and runner-up from last year’s World Series on national TV and gave it all it could handle.
Delaware District 3 of Lower Sussex handed Pennsville its first loss on any level in this year’s tournament, 8-5, but needed to score three runs in the bottom of the sixth and hold off an Eagles’ charge in the seventh to make it happen.
Before the bus pulled out of Pennsville over the weekend, manager Chris Watson said this game would be a litmus test to determine if his team belonged in the stacked international World Series field.
Their play for the most part and the bounce they exhibited coming out of the dugout after the game said they passed the test.
They stunned the home crowd by taking a 2-0 lead on Jess Bretz’ two-run single in the third. They fell behind 5-2 in the fourth, but tied it 5-5 on Kylie Harris’ two-run single in the top of the sixth.
‘I think that was like our jitters game; we got it out,’ Harris said. ‘They’re a great team and we’re running behind them the whole time. We were able to keep up with them. They had good, timely hits – they just hit the ball – and that’s when you’ve got to tip your hat. It wasn’t a bad game, so I wasn’t upset at all. That was actually the most fun I’ve had playing in a long time.’
’We can compete with every team here,’ Bretz said. ‘I think we definitely belong here because we’ve been working for it for over a year.’
Bretz also returned to the circle after having command issues in the regional. Watson said he was going to work Bretz into the game and she came in behind starter Kloi Tighe to start the fifth.
Although she walked the first three batters she faced, Bretz got out of the jam without a run scoring on a pop up in the infield and a catcher-to-first double play. In real time it looked like Harris missed the plate after fielding the nubber and firing on to first, but she said she touched it and a replay review confirmed the call, keeping it a 5-2 game.
Tighe pitched four innings, allowing eight hits and five runs. Bretz gave up four hits, five walks and three hits in her two innings.
’The really bright side of the whole thing, the silver lining, is that Jess Bretz is back locating again,’ Watson said. ‘It took a couple batters to get warmed up and then she started hitting her spots. I’m really excited about that because now we’re deeper pitching-wise than we were before the game started.’
’I think I would’ve done a little better if I would’ve warmed up a little bit before because my spins weren’t working as well as they usually do,’ Bretz said. ‘But it felt good getting back in my groove and it feels good now I know I have Kloi’s back. It was a good ego boost to be back in the circle and to be throwing strikes.’
While Delaware didn’t score when it loaded the bases, Pennsville filled them up the following half-inning on three straight walks and capitalized on them. The first run scored when Delaware booted Tighe’s grounder in the infield and two batters later Harris laced her game-tying single into right field.
‘That just shows the resiliency they have,’ Watson said. ‘Over and over and over again they battle back. They don’t give up. They keep on moving the bats and putting runners in scoring position and bringing them in. It’s a solid team. We play with a lot of confidence.’
Pennsville needed a shutdown inning from Bretz, but Delaware’s lineup was just too strong. The Tribe parlayed four hits and a couple walks into the margin of victory.
Sophie Scurci singled home pitcher Cierra Lewis with the go-ahead run and Katie McHale provided some insurance with a two-run double. Scurci went 4-for-4. Lewis was 3-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs.
The Eagles didn’t back down. They loaded the bases in the seventh on Bella Farina’s one-out double and back-to-back two-out walks. But Lewis, a right-handed with good velocity, got the game-ending out on a fly to right.
The game was just the start of pool play for Pennsville. It plays the Asia-Pacific champion from The Philippines Tuesday at 8 p.m. the top four teams in each pool advance to the knockout rounds.
’We’re right in the mix,’ Watson said. ‘They (Delaware) were one of the competitive teams here and they usually are. It shows us we’re also right in the mix and we can compete with everybody that’s here. That’s what it looks like
’They know we’re very much alive and we very much belong here. We can play with these teams.’
Month: July 2023
Embracing the world
Pennsville LL departs for Senior Softball World Series, eager to meet players from all across the globe
SENIOR SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES
Lower Sussex LL Complex, Roxana, Del.
Monday’s games
Lower Sussex vs. Pennsville, 6 p.m.
Canada vs. Southeast, 6 p.m.
Central U.S. vs. West U.S., 8 p.m.
Latin America vs. Southwest U.S., 8 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
They’ve known they were going to the World Series since Wednesday afternoon, but the enormity of it all didn’t hit the Pennsville Senior Softball players until the big charter bus pulled into the parking lot Saturday morning to carry them to their date with destiny.
There was palpable excitement among the ranks and parents – even some tears were shed – as the bus pulled into the Pennsville LL parking lot and the players started assembling their gear for what they hope is a nine-day trip on the Delmarva Peninsula.
The Series doesn’t start in Roxana, Del., for them until Monday when they play the host team at 6 p.m., but they had to report to the site with the other nine participating teams Saturday to knock out all the preliminaries.
“It’s kind of not real,” outfielder Savannah Palverento said as she waited to board the bus. “It’s just not real that we’re going to the World Series and we’re going to be playing against all these other teams from around the world.
“I think it’s really gonna hit when we get to the park.”
The original departure plan was for the bus to pull out of Pennsville at 7 a.m. Manager Chris Watson had gotten it moved up to 10 a.m., but all that did was ramp up the players’ anticipation even more.
“I guess it’s real then,” Watson said. “I know (one of the moms) said they had a reaction when they pulled up and saw the big bus sitting out there. She was excited. It’s like Christmas morning for them.
“We pushed the bus back to 10 a.m. and they’re complaining about that because … they want to be down there. They want to start experiencing it all, so it’s exciting for them.”
Little League sent the charter bus for them for the 2.5-hour trip south; outside of the host team they are the most local team here. The organization arranged travel and transfers for all the teams flying in from all parts of the globe. The only thing that would’ve been neater for the Eagles is if one of the incoming teams was on the bus from the airport with them.
That’s the part of the experience the Eagles are really looking forward to. They have two international entries in their pool – Bacolod City, Philippines, and Guanica, Puerto Rico. The other pool has Canada and Czech Republic along with three domestic entries.
“There’s a team from the Czech Republic and The Philippines, I’m literally so excited to meet them,” utilityman Gabby Forino said. “I’m the type person who loves to know, ‘Where are you from? Oh, you’re from somewhere way far away? I’d love to see how cool that is.’ I just love meeting new people. It’s like my favorite thing ever.”
She won’t have long to wait. All the players are housed in the same hotel.
“I think the out-of-country teams are going to be so awesome to play,” catcher Kylie Harris said. “We don’t play out of country teams, so this is like a big opportunity for the travel girls because they’ve never played out-of-country people and these girls have never played out-of-state people (before the regionals), so it’s really awesome for all of us.”
“It’s the World Series,” first baseman Bella Rappa said. “It’ll be really cool to meet the other girls and talk about the one thing we share in common, which is softball.”
Once the players arrived, one of the first orders of business was assigning numbers and East jerseys. Several of the players are joining the team Sunday, but here are the roster numbers for those on campus. Their regular-season uniform numbers are in parenthesis.
1-Avery Watson (19)
2-Gina Shinn (0)
3-Lily Edwards (85)
8-Graillyn Weber (39)
9-Gracie Mease (1)
10-Sawyer Simmons (66)
13-Lilly Birney (13)
17-Kylie Harris (87)
18-Kam Garron (16)
19-Audrey Claybourn (96)
21-Savannah Palverento (21)
22-Gabby Forino (31)
NA-Bella Farina (55)
NA-Bella Rappa (25)
NA-Jess Bretz (20)
NA-Kloi Tighe (99)
Packed and prepared
Pennsville LL leaves for Senior Softball World Series Saturday, plays last year’s runner-up and host in Monday opener
SENIOR SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES
Lower Sussex LL Complex, Roxana, Del.
Monday’s games
Lower Sussex vs. Pennsville, 6 p.m.
Canada vs. Southeast, 6 p.m.
Central vs. West, 8 p.m.
Latin America vs. Southwest, 8 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
One of the first things Bella Rappa did when the Pennsville Senior Softball All-Stars got back to town after winning the regional in Massachusetts was run out and buy a big new suitcase.
After all, when you’re going to the World Series you don’t want to leave anything behind.
Rappa and the Eagles head off to the Little League Senior Softball World Series in Roxana, Del., Saturday morning. It’s potentially a nine-day trip, so there’s a lot of luggage.
“I tend to overpack because I’m very afraid I’m not going to have enough,” the Pennsville first baseman said.
And it’s not just the big purple bag that’s “half my size” for clothes – and the new T-shirts and socks she bought. There’s a personal bag. And, of course, her softball gear. And a tote for the glitter. Lots of glitter.
It’s not quite enough to match Paris Hilton’s entourage in that hotel commercial, but it might put the bellboy on alert.
“I don’t pack that much,” she said. “Out of everybody on the team I’m the one who always overpacks. Oh my God, you bring so many clothes. I’d rather be safe than sorry.
“I didn’t take as much (to the regional) because I kind of knew what to expect. But going down to Delaware, I don’t know what’s going to happen. The majority of my closet is packed in that suitcase.”
One good thing about a big bag is there’s plenty of room for a trophy. The Eagles are planning on success, but their road isn’t easy. Their pool includes both of last year’s finalists – Lower Sussex and defending champion Little River-Academy, Texas District 9 – plus the Negros Occidental LL of Bacolod City, Philippines, and the Yankees Family Group LL of Guanica, Puerto Rico.
They’ll play all four teams in hopes of getting to the knockout round. They’ll play Lower Sussex at 6 p.m. Monday and The Philippines Tuesday at 8, then wrap up pool play with Texas (5:30 p.m.) and Puerto Rico (8 p.m.) Thursday to determine if they advance. Their scheduled off day Wednesday is Rappa’s 17th birthday.
It’s not just some ceremonial host Pennsville plays in its opener. The Lower Sussex team is perennially one of the strongest in the tournament, a collection of the best 16U players from one of the strongest travel programs in the country with pitcher who throws heat and a lineup full of big hitters.
“It looks like on paper, just from considering last year, it looks like we’re in an extremely difficult pool; there’s some serious competition there,” said Pennsville manager Chris Watson, who postponed celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary this week in anticipation of the team making the Series. “It’s the World Series, it’s going to be tough, right? If it wasn’t it would be a heluva disappointment. Win or lose. You want to go down there and play against the best in the world.
“It’s going to be a test Monday night, it’s really going to be a litmus test for us. Do we belong in the World Series or do we not. Can we stand up to some of the best teams in the world down there. I think our first opponent is one of them.”
The international stage will give another platform for Rappa to talk about her father, Nick, a big supporter of the team who she lost two days after it won the South Jersey championship and a week before the state tournament. His passing has been a huge rallying point for the team. Television loves doing those type of emotional stories, so it likely will come up in conversation for the ESPN telecasts of the games.
“I’m OK with that,” Bella said. “Without him I wouldn’t be as much involved with softball as I am, so to be able to talk about him and let people know he was our biggest supporter, this is all for Nick, this is for my dad (is fine).
“Some of the questions they asked (on the pre-tournament questionnaire) were about what superstitions we had. My dad’s chain. That chain has to be in the dugout, on the clipboard, or nothing’s going to happen.
“The last (regional) game against Rhode Island we didn’t have the chain; I left it at the hotel and started freaking out because I thought I lost it. I had my mom run back to get it and when she was there I was up I grounded out. She came back with the chain, we put it in the dugout and the next at-bat I had a solid base hit. Our team is superstitious. If that chain’s not there, we’re not playing good.”
Maybe, just to be on the safe side, they should get it a suitcase of its own.
SERIES STUFF: The team leaves for the tournament venue from the Pennsville LL clubhouse at 9:30 a.m. Saturday – on a chartered bus provided by Little League. All the teams will be housed in nearby Millsboro … Several of the Pennsville players will join the team in Delaware after playing in a travel tournament in Myrtle Beach … Watson wasn’t ready Friday to commit to his pitching plans for the Series.
SENIOR SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES
Pool A
East: Pennsville LL, New Jersey
Asia-Pacific: Negros Occidental LL, Bacolod City, Philippines
Host: Lower Sussex, Delaware
Latin America: Yankees Family Group LL, Guanica, Puerto Rico
Southwest: Texas District 9, Little River-Academy
Pool B
Canada: YYC Softball LL, Calgary, Alberta
Central: Illinois District 17, Beardstown
Europe-Africa: Czech Republic District 1, Prague
Southeast: Vine-Ingle LL, Macon, Georgia
West: Honolulu LL, Hawaii
Pennsville LL Schedule
July 31 – vs. Lower Sussex, 6 p.m.
Aug. 1 – vs Asia-Pacific, 8 p.m.
Aug. 2 – off
Aug. 3 – vs. Southwest, 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 3 – vs. Latin America, 8 p.m.
Aug. 4 – Quarterfinals
Aug. 5 – Semifinals
Aug. 6 – Finals
Hill on track
South Jersey’s second-leading rusher ahead of schedule in his recovery from off-season knee injury; could be cleared next week
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – The prospect of Woodstown running back James Hill returning to the field sooner than later gets better each day camp gets closer.
Hill tore an ACL in the midst of an undefeated wrestling season last winter. His recovery and rehab were expected to be long and arduous and expected to delay the start of his senior year. The injury to such a dynamic player left a cloud over the Wolverines’ viability as a contender in the SEC West of Group One football.
But word out of off-season workouts is better than encouraging. The latest reports indicate Hill’s repaired knee is percentage points as strong as his non-injured knee. When he goes to the orthopedist after returning from vacation this week he is expected to get the all-clear.
“You can’t replace a guy like James,” Wolverines head coach John Adams said. “He’s a phenomenal athlete. Obviously, since his freshman year he’s been doing special things for us on both sides of the ball, so to see him recover the way he is, I’m ecstatic for him.”
The old best-case scenario was for a return sometime during the season. Now, Hill likely will be back when the Wolverines open camp in early August and available when the regular season opens.
Now, he won’t return to drills to Aug. 21, won’t play in preseason scrimmages and when he does return the plan is to take it slow. Adams said they’ll probably just start him out on defense so he can deliver the blow as opposed to taking one early on. The Wolverines’ regular-season opener is Aug. 31 against Haddon Heights.
Of course, the Wolverines can afford that luxury because they are deep in the skill positions this season. Getting the second-leading rusher in South Jersey back sooner than later keeps the Wolverines on track to contend for a state championship that has eluded them in heartbreaking fashion each of the last two years, but this isn’t a race against the clock.
“I told him we’re not going to rush anything,” Adams said. “If he’s not 100 percent by the first game we have other guys who can step up like that core group of seniors who will go out there and battle and get the job done.
“I told him it’s his family’s timeline, his timeline, don’t worry about us. I worry about you and your future and stuff like that. We don’t need to rush anything. He’s been on board with that. I told the coaches when we get him back we’ll be glad to welcome him back but we’re not in a rush for anything.”
Hill’s recovery is almost Bryce Harper/Rhys Hoskins like. Both Phillies went through injuries that were major blows to the team and expected to keep them out a long time, but Harper is back in the lineup and Hoskins, who had the same ACL injury as Hill, already is throwing and might be a week away from swinging a bat.
Hill was an active participant in his recovery. He’d go three times a week to different rehabs and then show up to his own team’s workouts to do what he could. He attended the team’s recent camp with Kingsway as an observer.
“He does everything he possibly can,” Adams said. “I hope when we do get him back he’s able to work hard through it and get back to his normal self.”
That normal self is a game-changer. Hill rushed for 1,636 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. He’s had 3,010 yards and 31 touchdowns over the last two years.
Wolverines’ quarterback Max Webb remembers the day he learned Hill hurt his knee. The four-year starter was nursing a thigh contusion from basketball himself when his running back walked into the room showing no sign of an issue and said he felt “something weird” happen to his knee.
“The trainer told me what happened and I was completely shocked,” Webb said. “Then I started thinking about the season because most guys don’t recover in six, seven months, so I was trying to think of ways to get around it.”
Count him among those impressed by his teammate’s commitment to getting back on the field.
“Crazy recovery,” Webb said. “There’s not too many guys, even at the professional level, who are recovering in six (months), which is awesome. Hopefully he doesn’t hurt himself again. He’s got bigger goals than just high school. Hopefully he doesn’t hurt himself here, but it’s awesome he’s coming back for his team.”
Photo: Woodstown coach John Adams watches his team go through conditioning drills during off-season workouts.
Tighe-r in the circle
Kloi Tighe literally comes out of left field to save Pennsville Senior Softball Stars in regional; includes World Series field
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
They didn’t name an MVP in the Little League Senior Softball East Regional this week, but if they had, Pennsville manager Chris Watson knows where his vote would’ve gone.
Pitcher Kloi Tighe literally came out of left field to save the Eagles in the circle.
Tighe pitched in all six games of the Eagles’ run to the championship and figured in all six decisions with five wins and a save.
The role, which really went back as far as the state championship game, started as a first responder putting out the fire when ace Jess Bretz ran into command issues early in games. But by the end of the week the rising Gloucester High School junior was the starter and now gives Watson something to think about as the team heads to the World Series in Delaware.
“Kloi’s a warrior,” Watson said. “She will do whatever we ask her to do and because she’s a warrior, she doesn’t complain about it, she just steps up there and does her job. She’s a wrestler, that’s her No. 1 sport and she plays softball with the intensity of a wrestler and we really benefit from it.”
Tighe had always been in Pennsville’s pitching plan, one of four pitchers it has available, but spends most of her time in the outfield when she’s not in the circle. She pitched in only one game in the first two playoff rounds – a 2 1/3-inning relief stint against Middle Twp. in the sectional title game, but she worked the final 2 1/3 in the state final and got the win, then worked a total of 32 innings in Massachusetts, including starts in each of the semifinals and finals.
All three times she came into a game in the middle of an inning at the regionals – twice in the first inning and once after starting the game behind the plate – she got out of the jam without allowing a run. Those hitters were a combined 0-for-7.
“I didn’t think I was going to be able to pitch the whole time, but knowing the team needed it I made sure I was able to,” Tighe said. “I think I know now I can pitch and keep pitching and not get tired until the very end, because I did pitch a lot (in the tournament).”
Tighe got her toughness and endurance as wrestler, a sport her dad initially didn’t want her to play. She caught that bug watching her little brother practice and, finally, one day five years ago when her dad was on a business trip, she jumped right on the mat and neither have looked back.
Now, “he loves that I do both,” Kloi said.
She wrestles on the Gloucester boys varsity team during the season, mostly in the 106-pound class where she posted 10 wins last season (six by pin), but competes for state gold with the girls at 100. She was sixth in the girls tournament two years ago and third last year. Then, of course, she moves onto the softball field in the spring.
“I think the mental aspect (of wrestling) helps (her softball),” she said. “Because I go from rolling around with guys all the time and getting either beat up a lot or battling with them in the room. Battling with them is way different than battling another 12 girls in the dugout.
“It shows me I can never give up and I know I can do it. In wrestling there’s a lot of letdown, but it gets better as I keep working hard towards my goal.”
A Tighe-r’s Tale
| OPPONENT | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Maryland (WP) | 6.2 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Delaware (WP) | 5.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Pennsylvania (S) | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Mass. Dist. 4 (WP) | 4.2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Delaware (WP) | 7.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Rhode Island (WP) | 7.0 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Totals (5-0, 1.97 ERA) | 32.0 | 33 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 33 |
SENIOR SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES
Roxana, Del.
Pool A
East: Pennsville LL, New Jersey
Asia-Pacific: Negros Occidental LL, Bacolod City, Philippines
Host: Lower Sussex, Delaware
Latin America: Yankees Family Group LL, Guanica, Puerto Rico
Southwest: Texas District 9, Little River-Academy
Pool B
Canada: YYC Softball LL, Calgary, Alberta
Central: Illinois District 17, Beardstown
Europe-Africa: Czech Republic District 1, Prague
Southeast: Vine-Ingle LL, Macon, Georgia
West: Honolulu LL, Hawaii
Pennsville LL Schedule
July 31 – vs. Lower Sussex, 6 p.m.
Aug. 1 – vs Asia-Pacific, 8 p.m.
Aug. 2 – off
Aug. 3 – vs. Southwest, 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 3 – vs. Latin America, 8 p.m.
Aug. 4 – Quarterfinals
Aug. 5 – Semifinals
Aug. 6 – Finals
World Series bound
Pennsville completes sweep of East Regional, heads to Senior Softball World Series in Delaware next week; ‘One more step,’ Watson says
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WORCESTER, Mass. – Make room for another banner on the clubhouse.
The Pennsville LL Senior Softball All-Stars came here on a mission to get the East Region tournament that got away last year and won it all Wednesday emphatically making their point in a 10-5 title victory over Warwick North, R.I. to earn a trip to the World Series in Roxana, Del.
They open the Series Monday 6 p.m. against host Lower Sussex. It’s their first trip to the Series since 1996 and Pennsville’s first trip to any softball World Series since 1998.
The Eagles are undefeated this Little League tournament season, having swept the districts (3-0), sectionals (2-0), state (2-0) and, now, regionals (6-0). They have scored 10 runs or more 11 times and have seven run-rule wins.
“One more step,” manager Chris Watson told the girls as they lined up to accept the post-game awards.
They’re certainly leaving here feeling a lot better about themselves than they did a year ago. Last year they brought a team here capable of going the distance and was on the verge of reaching the finals when a team from Delaware rallied from 10 runs down to beat them. After today, with a team of virtually the same players, all that’s behind them.
“It feels like we got over a hump right now,” Watson said. “We still have an ultimate goal ahead of us, but it feels good, it’s something really to celebrate.
“It felt like a wall last year we ran into. To get over that wall and get past that and defeat those ghosts and all that we were living under for the last 12 months, it feels good.”
“It’s an amazing feeling especially the heartbreak we all went through last year,” third baseman Bella Farina said.
Rhode Island had pummeled almost all of its opponents in the state and regional tournaments, but Pennsville pitcher Kloi Tighe kept it in check with her usual approach of letting her fielders make the plays and her hitters create the cushion. She pitched in all six of the Eagles’ games, posting five wins and a save.
She got them to the finals with a 6-1 win over Delaware in the resumption of their suspended semifinal game from the night before. In that one she gave up five hits, walked one and struck out eight in a complete game.
“I didn’t think I was going to be able to pitch the whole time, but knowing the team needed it I made sure I was able to,” Tighe said. “I know now I can pitch and keep pitching and not get tired until the very end, because I did pitch a lot.”
“Kloi’s a warrior,” Watson said. “She will do whatever we ask her to do and because she’s a warrior, she doesn’t complain about it, she just steps up there and does her job. She’s a wrestler, that’s her No. 1 sport and she plays softball with the intensity of a wrestler and we really benefit from it.”
The offense was its typical self as well. They banged out 11 hits, five for extra bases. Eight of the nine starters had at least one hit or a run. They hit .377 as a team in the regional with 19 doubles and two homers.
Leadoff Lily Edwards got things going in the title game by scoring the first run and driving in the second. Edwards reached base all five times she batted and scored three runs. Farina went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs, and Jess Bretz drove in three runs with two hits.
Pennsville scored a run in the first after loading the bases with one out, but could’ve scored more. Farina singled home lead runner Edwards, but Bretz made too wide of a turn at third and was caught on the way back.
They made it 2-0 in the second when Graillyn Weber got to third with two outs and Edwards laced a triple into the right field corner after showing bunt the pitch before.
Rhode Island tied it in the third on Skyler Hawes’ two-run single to center, but Pennsville answered in the fourth and never looked back.
Avery Watson led off with a double to left and was sacrificed to third by Tighe. They eventually loaded the bases when Edwards popped a bunt over the third baseman’s head and Harris was hit by a pitch. Bretz followed with a two-run single through the hole at short and Farina ripped a two-run double to left.
“That was our gameplan all along, to punch back,” Watson said. “We felt like we wanted to stick with Kloi and have Kloi stick it out and clinch it. We knew she was going to give up some contact and they were going to score some runs, but it was really part of our gameplan that we were going to just punch back every time and we did.”
“I think it’s true Pennsville nature,” Farina said. “When we are stressed or down, one hit can get us fired up and then it becomes a continuous cycle and we all come together and hit bombs.”
After Tighe got the final out, the team rushed the pitching circle to celebrate and let loose a blue popper in front of their dugout, but beyond that their celebration was rather muted, as it has been throughout the process. Their eye is on a bigger prize.
“Everybody recognizes that while this is like a wall to get over, this is just Step Four of a five-step process that will get us to the World Series (championship),” Watson said.
The Eagles likely will report to the World Series site Saturday for registration, uniforms and other tournament business.
With a quicker turnaround than they had from the states to Massachusetts, the team has set up another GoFundMe campaign that can be accessed on the web to help offset expenses for the trip.
“There’s a lot to talk about in the next couple days,” Watson said.
East Region Championship
Pennsville 10, Rhode Island 5
Pennsville 220 422 0 – 10 11 4
Rhode Island 002 102 0 – 5 12 5
WP: Kloi Tighe (5-0). LP: Bryce Principe. 2B: Bella Farina 2 (P), Jess Bretz (P), Avery Watson (P), Adrianna Pettinato (RI), Skyler Hawes (RI). 3B: Lily Edwards (P).
SENIOR SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES
Roxana, Del.
Pool A
East: Pennsville LL, New Jersey
Asia-Pacific: Negros Occidental LL, Bacolod City, Philippines
Host: Lower Sussex, Delaware
Latin America: Yankees Family Group LL, Guanica, Puerto Rico
Southwest: Determined Friday
Pool B
Canada: Determined Thursday
Central: Illinois District 17
Europe-Africa: Czech Republic District 1, Prague
Southeast: Vine-Ingle LL, Macon, Georgia
West: Honolulu LL, Hawaii
East Schedule
July 31 – vs. Lower Sussex, 6 p.m.
Aug. 1 – vs Asia-Pacific, 8 p.m.
Aug. 2 – off
Aug. 3 – vs. Southwest, 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 3 – vs. Latin America, 8 p.m.
Aug. 4 – Quarterfinals
Aug. 5 – Semifinals
Aug. 6 – Finals
Top photo by Michelle Pedrick
PVLL reaches region finals
Tighe, Eagles dispatch Delaware in less than an hour in resumption of suspended game; play Rhode Island in finals at 2 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WORCESTER, Mass. – The Pennsville All-Stars moved within one win of a berth in the Little League Senior Softball World Series this morning with a 6-1 win over Delaware in the completion of their suspended semifinal game from Tuesday night.
The Eagles will take on Warwick North, R.I., for the East Regional title. The winner advances to the World Series in Roxana, Del., with a first game July 31 against the host team from Lower Sussex. Rhode Island held off Maryland in the other semifinal, 4-3.
“We played a good game defensively, pitched well and feel confident with that side,” Pennsville manager Chris Watson said. “We struggled to make solid contact on an excellent pitcher (and) need to make quicker adjustments at the plate, but overall we feel good.”
Pennsville held a 2-0 lead at the suspension and scored on the first pitch of the restart when Leadoff Lily Edwards raced home from third on a wild pitch. Before the inning was over, they added another run on Bella Farina’s RBI single.
Kloi Tighe was just as sharp this next morning as she was before the suspension. Delaware put together back-to-back two-out doubles in the home third for its only run. Tighe, who beat Delaware earlier in the tournament, gave up five hits, walked one and struck out eight in her complete game.
Delaware threatened in the fifth, putting runners in scoring position with two outs. Lexi Dennis grounded to short and Avery Watson’s force at third got away, but third baseman Bella Farina recovered and easily cut down the runner at the plate.
Watson said Tuesday night his choice for a starting pitcher in the championship game if they completed this win would be “a game-time decision.”
“We worked out all four pitchers this morning and will do so again before making a call,” Watson said after the game.
This was a major hurdle for the Eagles. They were eliminated in this round here a year ago when they lost a 10-run lead to a team from Delaware.
Pennsville 6, Delaware 1
Pennsville 103 011 0 – 6 6 0
Delaware 001 000 0 – 1 5 1
WP: Kloi Tighe. LP: Lexi Dennis. 2B: Graillyn Weber (P), Lexi Dennis (D), Jordan Fletcher (D). 3B: Jess Bretz (P).
Tale of the Tape (East Region)
| NORTH WARICK, RI | PENNSVILLE LL | ||
| Mass. District 4 | 10-0 | Havre de Grace, Md. | 13-7 |
| Marblehead, Mass. | 14-6 | Smyrna/Clayton, Del. | 14-1 |
| Bristol, Conn. | 14-0 | Stroudsburg, Pa. | 17-6 |
| Stroudsburg, Pa. | 13-0 | Mass. District 4 | 17-5 |
| Havre de Grace, Md. | 4-3 | Smyrna/Clayton, Del. | 6-1 |
Photo: Michelle Pedrick
Pennsville holding – again
East Regional semifinal suspended to Wednesday morning with Pennsville leading Delaware 2-0 in third inning
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WORCESTER, Mass. – These Pennsville Senior Softball All-Stars are getting pretty good at this waiting around stuff.
The Eagles’ East Regional semifinal game with Smyrna/Clayton, Del., Tuesday night was suspended by weather in the top of the third inning with them holding a 2-0 lead and still batting. It’s the third time they’ve been put in a holding pattern since they started climbing this year’s tournament ladder.
Play will resume at 10 a.m. Wednesday with a runner at third and Jess Bretz at the plate.
The umpires pulled both teams off the field due to lightning at 5:45 p.m. and about 20 minutes into the delay it started raining steadily. The forecast called for the rain to continue for the next couple hours.
The other semifinal game between Rhode Island and Maryland never got underway as their field was unplayable from the start. Keeping all four semifinalists on a similar schedule may have played a part in washing out the day.
The championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. (now 2 p.m.) and everyone basically will have to play a game Wednesday to reach it, although the Pennsville winner already has two-plus innings in the book.
Pennsville manager Chris Watson admitted he’s getting good at this waiting out stuff, but he added “everyone else is extremely impatient, including my own players.”
At least the wait isn’t as long as they had in the state tournament. That championship game was supposed to be played on a Sunday and Pennsville had to wait until Tuesday night to finish off that one for a variety of reasons.
And at least this time they won’t have to go home and drive back. And, remember, their first game in the district tournament got suspended in the first inning, too.
“I feel good we got two innings in and we’re scoring runs,” Watson said. “I’d feel a lot worse if we hadn’t gotten anything in.
“We just put a lot of preparation into the day, into the game now. You put all that couple hours’ worth of effort into the game today, you want to get a little bit out of it. You want to get out on the field at least and feel like you played a little bit.”
Pennsville faced a hard-throwing left-hander like they did Monday night and didn’t take long to score. Kylie Harris laced a one-out single into left field in the first inning, advanced around the bases on a passed ball and wild pitch, then scored on Bretz’ grounder to third.
The Eagles added another run without the benefit of a hit right before a weather delay.
Avery Watson got that rally started being hit by a pitch. She went to second on a wild pitch, was sacrificed to third by Kloi Tighe and rode home on Harris’ sacrifice fly after Leadoff Lily Edwards walked.
Tighe drew the start in the circle, just as she did when the teams played Sunday afternoon. She was just as effective this time, too, striking out four over the first two innings and not allowing a hit. Delaware threatened in the first inning, getting a runner to second with two outs, but Tighe left her there.
She has pitched in every game of the regional thus far. She’ll be back in the circle when the game resumes and if Pennsville completes the win and gets to the final Watson said his choice for starter will be “a game-time decision.”
“Pretty happy with the start,” Watson said. “Kloi’s pitching well. She dealt with the top of the order very well, so I’m very comfortable.
“I know we’re going to score more than two runs, but I also know the way Kloi’s pitching today she’s really on. All her pitches are landing where they should. She just had one ball slip and got the hit by pitch, but that’s unusual, that doesn’t typically happen to Kloi.”
The Eagles were knocked out of this regional in this round last year by a team from Delaware – not the same one they played Tuesday – that came back from six outs away from being run-ruled. Pennsville has the lead this time, too – not as much, mind you – and they this time they intend to keep it.
“Of course, it’s in the back of my mind, yeah, but we’re a different team this year,” Watson said. “It’s not like any of that is going to happen again. We’re in a different place this year. That’s just memories and ghosts and we’re not really concerned about all that.”
LITTLE LEAGUE SENIOR SOFTBALL
East Regional, Worcester, Mass.
Pool A (New England): Connecticut (Bristol), Host (Mass D4/Worcester), Massachusetts (Marblehead), Rhode Island (Warwick North)
Pool B (Mid-Atlantic): Delaware (Smyrna/Clayton), Maryland (Havre de Grace), New Jersey (Pennsville), Pennsylvania (Stroudsburg)
Tuesday’s games
Semifinals
Rhode Island vs. Maryland, ppd. to Wednesday, 10 a.m.
Pennsville 2, Delaware 0, 3 inn., susp. to Wednesday, 10 a.m.
Wednesday’s game
Championship, 2 p.m.
LL SENIOR SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES
Roxana, Del.
Pool A
East: Determined Wednesday
Asia-Pacific: Negros Occidental LL, Bacolod City, Philippines
Host: Lower Sussex, Delaware
Latin America: Yankees Family Group LL, Guanica, Puerto Rico
Southwest: Determined Friday
Pool B
Canada: Determined Thursday
Central: Determined Wednesday
Europe-Africa: Czech Republic District 1, Prague
Southeast: Vine-Ingle LL, Macon, Georgia
West: Honolulu LL, Hawaii
East Schedule
July 31 – vs. Host, 6 p.m.
Aug. 1 – vs Asia-Pacific, 8 p.m.
Aug. 2 – off
Aug. 3 – vs. Southwest, 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 3 – vs. Latin America, 8 p.m.
Aug. 4 – Quarterfinals
Aug. 5 – Semifinals
Aug. 6 – Finals
Salem County by day
Here is a day-by-day schedule for the high school fall sports teams in Salem County; the schedule will be posted at the start of each week during the school year
Aug. 25
FOOTBALL
Burlington City at Penns Grove, 10 a.m.
Gloucester City at Schalick, 7 p.m.
Salem vs. Executive Education Academy at Lafayette College, 7 p.m.
Aug. 31
FOOTBALL
Pleasantville at Penns Grove, 10 a.m.
Pennsville at Lindenwold, 6 p.m.
Haddon Heights at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
Sept. 1
FOOTBALL
Pitman at Schalick, 7 p.m.
Sept. 2
FOOTBALL
Salem vs. Camden, noon, site TBD
Sept. 5
GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Sept. 6
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at West Deptford, 4 p.m.
Sept. 7
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Salem, 4 p.m.
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pittman, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Deptford Twp., 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Sept. 8
FOOTBALL
Woodstown at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
Salem at Pleasantville, 6 p.m.
Schalick at Wildwood, 6 p.m.
Lower Cape May Regional at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville at Gateway, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown at Deptford Twp., 4 p.m.
Sept. 9
FOOTBALL
Penns Grove at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Gateway at Schalick, 10 a.m.
Sept. 11
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Salem at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem Tech at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Salem, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Sept. 12
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Deptford Twp., 4 p.m.
Sept. 13
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Salem at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Overbook at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Salem, 4 p.m.
Sept. 14
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Glassboro, 3:45 p.m.
Salem at Deptford Twp., 4 p.m.
Schalick at Clearview, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Palmyra, 4 p.m.
Sept. 15
FOOTBALL
Gateway at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
Riverside at Schalick, 7 p.m.
Woodstown at Deptford Twp., 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Cumberland at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Buena at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Gateway at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Cherry Hill West, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Cumberland, 4 p.m.
Sept. 16
FOOTBALL
Salem at Penns Grove, noon
GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick at Delsea, 10 a.m.
Sept. 18
FIELD HOCKEY
Glassboro at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Salem at Pennsauken Tech, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem at Bridgeton, 7 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Sept. 19
BOYS SOCCER
Overbook at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Overbook, 4 p.m.
Salem at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Overbook, 4 p.m.
Sept. 20
FIELD HOCKEY
Overbook at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Deptford Twp., 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Salem at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Sept. 21
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Overbook, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Overbook at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Sept. 22
FOOTBALL
Glassboro at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
Schalick at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Bridgeton at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Washington Twp., 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Audubon at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Haddon Heights at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Gloucester Catholic at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Salem at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Sept. 23
FOOTBALL
Penns Grove at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m.
Rumble on the Raritan
SHI Stadium at Rutgers, Piscataway
Salem vs. Cedar Creek, 3 p.m.
Sept. 25
FIELD HOCKEY
Timber Creek at Schalick, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Sept. 26
FIELD HOCKEY
Overbrook at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Sept. 27
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Schalick, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Sept. 28
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford Twp. at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Highland Regional at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Clayton 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Our Lady of Mercy at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
Sept. 29
FOOTBALL
Pennsville at Cumberland Regional, 6 p.m.
Lindenwold at Schalick, 7 p.m.
Salem at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Haddon Twp., 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Paulsboro, 4 p.m.
Salem at Haddon Heights, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Palmyra, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem at Pennsauken Tech, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Overbook, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Sept. 30
FOOTBALL
Paulsboro at Penns Grove, noon
Oct. 2
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Salem at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Kingsway at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Oct. 3
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Oct. 4
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford Twp. at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Oct. 5
FIELD HOCKEY
Cumberland Reg. at Schalick, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Salem Tech at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Salem at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Oct. 6
FOOTBALL
Overbrook at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 7 p.m.
Schalick at Bishop Eustace, 7 p.m.
Woodbury at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem at Audubon, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Williamstown, 4 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Delsea at Total Turf, Pitman, 5:45 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Delsea, 4 p.m.
Oct. 7
FOOTBALL
Paulsboro at Salem, noon
BOYS SOCCER
Schalick at Woodstown, 5 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick at Our Lady of Mercy, 4 p.m.
Oct. 9
FIELD HOCKEY
Our Lady of Mercy at Schalick, TBD
Salem at Gloucester City, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Gateway at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
Paulsboro at Salem, 4 p.m.
Washington Twp. at Schalick, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick at Washington Twp., 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Audubon, 7 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Salem at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Oct. 10
FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Salem, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 11
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Salem at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Overbrook at Salem, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Oct. 12
FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Oct. 13
FOOTBALL
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Schalick at Cumberland, 7 p.m.
Woodstown at Haddonfield, 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem at Gloucester Co. Tech, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Overbook, 4 p.m.
Salem at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Overbook at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Bridgeton at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Oct. 14
FOOTBALL
West Deptford at Salem, noon
Oct. 16
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford Twp. at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Oakcrest, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Overbook, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Palmyra at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester City, 6 p.m.
Woodstown at Sterling, 7 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester City at Salem, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Oct. 17
BOYS SOCCER
Overbook at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Haddon Heights, 4 p.m.
Oct. 18
FIELD HOCKEY
Oakcrest at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Salem at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Oct. 19
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Salem, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Salem at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Oct. 20
FOOTBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Schalick, 7 p.m.
Pennsville at Pitman, 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Oct. 21
FOOTBALL
Salem at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 11 a.m.
Oct. 22
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Woodbury, 4 p.m.
Oct. 23
BOYS SOCCER
Salem Co. Vo-Tech at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Ocean City at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.
Salem Co. Vo-Tech at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m.
Oct. 27-28
FOOTBALL
NJSIAA Playoffs
Nov. 3-4
FOOTBALL
NJSIAA Playoffs
Nov. 10-11
FOOTBALL
NJSIAA Sectional Finals
Nov. 17-19
FOOTBALL
NJSIAA Semifinals
Dec. 1-3
FOOTBALL
NJSIAA State Championship Games
On to the semis
Pennsville uses a big inning to overcome a rough start, beats host team in quarterfinals of LL Senior Softball East Regionals
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WORCESTER, Mass. – Pennsville scored its third straight run-rule win of this Little League Senior Softball Regional here Monday night, but you never would have figured it the way it all started.
But given the way the Eagles – we’ll call them that now — swing the bat, maybe you would.
Pennsville beat host Massachusetts District 4 17-5. They fell behind a team that had not scored a run in pool play 5-0 in the second inning, climbed back into it with one rally in the second, then erupted for nine runs in the third inning to finally breathe easier.
“That was a little scary to start,” manager Chris Watson said. “We kind of got punched in the face the first couple innings. We weren’t quite expecting them to have all that they did.
“They had some really good hitters at the top of the order. They had a great pitcher. They seemed like one of the most competitive teams in the region. I don’t know where that came from … It was a battle and a real test. We got caught by surprise, frankly.”
The New Jersey champs now play Smyrna, Del., in the East Regional semifinals Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. They beat Delaware 14-1 Sunday to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Mid-Atlantic pool, but have yet to face the First Staters’ top two pitchers. It was a Delaware team – not this one – that knocked them out of the tournament last year.
Early on, it looked like the Eagles might not even make it back.
The game couldn’t have started in a worse way. Jess Bretz continued to struggle in the circle and was lifted in the first inning for third time here. Mass-D4, who were no-hit in their regional opener and had only five hits in their three pool games, batted around and scored four runs without the benefit of a hit.
Bretz faced six batters, walking three and hitting two. A third run scored when a pitch got away and another scored while Pennsville was throwing it around. They cut down another runner at the plate to keep another run from scoring. The hosts added another run in the second.
In her three regional starts Bretz has faced 16 batters in 2/3 of an inning, but walked six and hit eight. Watson isn’t giving up on his ace because he knows what’s there. Bretz spun three no-hitters and a two-hitter on the road to get here.
“When I warm up I’m having good bullpens and I’m mentally in the game, but, especially today, I wasn’t mentally prepared for the game throughout the day,” Bretz said. “Even before we stepped on the field I was down on myself. I wasn’t in a positive mindset to help my team get where we needed to be. I think it’s the days leading up to it where I’m not confident in myself and I need to fix that.”
Kloi Tighe relieved Bretz again and finished the game. She allowed one run, four hits and struck out three over the final 4 2/3 innings it took to finish it. In her four relief outings behind Bretz this tournament season, including her stint in the state title game, Tighe has thrown 14 innings, allowing three earned runs, walking one and striking out 18.
She also pitched a five-inning, complete-game three-hitter in her regional start against the team Pennsville faces Tuesday.
“When you asked if I was nervous, (it was) a little bit less because I know I have Kloi standing out there in left field ready to come in and show it,” Watson said. “I’m always very confident we can shut things down in a hurry if it doesn’t work out, of course, with our original plan.”
“Having Kloi here means the world to me,” Bretz said. “Last year she had other priorities and she didn’t make it until the States games, so I had the long innings in the sectionals. Having somebody to back me up when I have bad innings or bad days or bad weeks like I’m having right now it’s amazing. We kind of altered her schedule to help us and she’s being very selfless about it. I’m really happy she’s here and I’m sure the rest of our team is really happy she’s here, too.”
After being held scoreless in the first inning by Ava Grant, a left-hander with velocity who had only thrown one inning prior to Monday, Pennsville’s hitters batted around each of the next three innings to regain control of the game. They finished with 14 hits in the game and are batting a whopping .423 for the regional.
Pennsville finally got on the board when Savannah Palverento scored from second on an infield error. The Eagles proceeded to load the bases with two outs and scored three more runs when the hosts misplayed Kylie Harris’ bases-loaded grounder, Bretz drew a bases-loaded walk and Bella Rappa singled.
Fourteen batters came to the plate in the third and there were eight hits. They loaded the bases with one out and before the inning was over Leadoff Lily Edwards and Rappa each had two-run singles, Bretz and Palverento each had two-run doubles and Tighe’s RBI single – her second hit of the inning – completed the scoring. Edwards’ two-run single put Pennsville up for good, 6-5.
“I think I’m more proud of my team for pulling me out of it than I am of (her own hits) because I wouldn’t be able to do it without everyone else backing me up,” Bretz said. “They were clutch hits, but we consistently get the hits when we need them. Whenever we fall behind I trust every single girl in our lineup to get a hit when we need to.”
“They always managed to do that,” Watson said. “They get the energy going and the hitting gets contagious and they start these rallies. It doesn’t matter if there’s no outs, two outs …”
“I never doubted it,” Edwards said. “I know we can come back from any score. We can just pass the bat along. I don’t know how we do it, but we do it.”
Edwards, who drove 13 hours overnight Sunday to rejoin the team after playing in a national travel ball tournament in South Carolina, went 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Rappa was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, Palverento 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Bretz 2-for-3 with five RBIs.
“It’s so good (to be back),” Edwards said. “I missed the energy of the team.”
And she adds a lot to it.
SENIOR MOMENTS: Delaware walked off Massachusetts 5-4, rallying from a 4-0 deficit in the final two innings and ending it with two in the bottom of the seventh … Maryland held off Connecticut 13-11, hold their breath through an eight-run seventh inning. They’ll play Rhode Island, an 13-0 winner over Pennsylvania.
Pennsville 17, Massachusetts D4 5
Mass D4 420 00 – 5 4 4
Pennsville 049 4x – 17 14 1
WP: Kloi Tighe (4-0). LP: Ava Grant. 2B: Savannah Palverento 2 (P), Jess Bretz (P), Mia Girardi (M). HR: Jess Bretz (P).
LITTLE LEAGUE SENIOR SOFTBALL
East Regional, Worcester, Mass.
Pool A (New England): Connecticut (Bristol), Host (Mass D4/Worcester), Massachusetts (Marblehead), Rhode Island (Warwick North)
Pool B (Mid-Atlantic): Delaware (Smyrna/Clayton), Maryland (Havre de Grace), New Jersey (Pennsville), Pennsylvania (Stroudsburg)
Monday’s games
Rhode Island 13, Pennsylvania 0 (Pa. eliminated)
Delaware 5, Massachusetts 4 (Mass. eliminated)
Maryland 13, Connecticut 11 (Conn. eliminated)
Pennsville LL 17, Host (Mass D4) 5 (Host eliminated)
Tuesday’s games
Semifinals
Rhode Island vs. Maryland, 5:30 p.m.
Delaware vs. Pennsville, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday’s game
Championship, 1 p.m.
Riverview Sports News 