Tuesday, May 31, was sweltering in Horsham. But Katie Muller’s bat was hotter.
Quakertown’s Muller smacked a two-run double in the top of the fifth that broke a scoreless tie with the host Hatboro-Horsham Hatters in a “winner goes to states/loser goes home” playback. The score held, thanks to a run-saving catch from Quakertown shortstop Skyler Williams and Panther pitcher Sydney Andrews doing what she has done all year: post zeroes.
“What I said to them after the game was that it was a very mature performance,” commented Quakertown (21-4) coach Dave Scott. “It could have been a mess between the 95 degree weather and the emotional down coming off of the Spring-Ford game. I was very concerned about that. But we had a practice on Monday and they were great. I think they put Spring-Ford behind them and were ready to really focus on Hatboro and try and get back to states.”
The Panthers came to Horsham on the heels of an agonizing 3-2, extra-inning loss at second-seeded Spring-Ford, a team that has defeated Quakertown in three straight district tournaments. The Panthers plated an eighth-inning run to briefly take a 2-1 lead before the Rams walked off with the guaranteed state bid.
Quakertown, winner of three straight since, clearly shook Spring-Ford off. On Monday, the Panthers advanced to the PIAA elite eight for the second straight year. Andrews sparkled, throwing a 13-strikeout, two-hit shutout to knock off District 11 champion Northampton 2-0 at Northampton. She also had three hits; Maya Heller drove in both runs on a double and RBI ground out.
Quakertown faces District Seven champion Seneca Valley in Thursday’s quarterfinal.
The Panthers earned the fifth of six District One states slots when they beat Garnet Valley 1-0 in a June 3 playback; Andrews fanned 16 while throwing a spectacular one-hitter.
Last year’s fourth-place team coming out of District One, Quakertown throttled District 12 champion St. Hubert’s 12-0 in the first round of states before falling in quarterfinals to Pennsbury. This year’s team was eager to punch another ticket to PIAAs and they did in a slightly more circuitous route.
“(States) have been a pretty formal goal since literally the last out of last year’s state playoff game,” Scott explained. “We only lost one senior last year, so we had virtually everybody coming back. We talked about ‘Here is what we have to do. Here is our goal. We want to take the next steps, but first we have to get back to states.’ We were very clear with the girls that this was the expectation for this year.”
Quakertown opened the season by winning its first seven games. When they finally lost, 3-2 to a very good Plymouth Whitemarsh squad, the Panthers were so upset that they outscored their next six opponents 54-0. Andrews allowed just seven hits and struck out 43 in 26 innings ... in the four non-mercy rule games. Entering states, Andrews whiffed 241 batters in just 136.1 innings while posting a 0.82 ERA.
“Syd worked harder this offseason. She hit the weight room and got herself into better condition, and that has certainly helped her,” Scott noted. “She has gained three or four miles an hour on her fastball based on what we’ve seen. She has been able to work inside more effectively, which has really been the key for her this year.”
When Quakertown beat Ridley 9-4, it was by far the most prodigious offensive output from any team in the second round of districts. The Panther offense plated at least seven runs in half of their games. While Muller got the big hit against Hatboro-Horsham, it was Williams’ five RBI day that paced Quakertown against Ridley.
Andrews (.466 average, 10 doubles, 23 RBIs) and Ava Beal (.531 on base percentage, 12 steals) led the team in major offensive categories. Williams, Muller and Emma Hilton all batted at least .345 with 17 extra-base hits and 39 RBIs between the three of them.
“Hitting for us is very contagious,” Scott said. “The good thing with us is that it is not necessarily one or two kids who carry us. We have had different heroes at different points this year, and that is great.”
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