Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.
The Who’s iconic line applies to Quakertown (8-0) softball. Last year standout Syd Andrews, now playing for Cabrini, posted Ks and 0s in pitching Quakertown to the state quarterfinals.
Panthers opponents looking to face an easier Andrews-less foe will be disappointed.
Coach Dave Scott brought back nearly all of his bats. More importantly, junior Abbey Wagner has done an excellent Andrews impression this spring. Last year on JV, Wagner went 16-1 and logged over 200 strikeouts.
In Wagner’s first three games, all she did was throw three consecutive two-hit shutouts. Her 13-0 opening day blanking of Abington was shortened to five innings, but Wagner’s striking out a dozen Ghosts more than helped her cause.
“I think it is being comfortable with my team and trusting my defense. My team is my family,” Wagner explained. “I need to make sure that they are comfortable, they are happy and they are secure with what they’ve got.”
“She’s fun to see!” Scott exclaimed. “Abbey is not a very big kid. She overcomes that by being a gym rat. She is always working out. She is probably the strongest kid on our team, pound for pound. She has also developed into a leader. When she gets into the circle, she is a bulldog.”
The Panthers allowed just seven runs in their opening eight games. Wagner, who has been stingy with free passes, fanned 64 in 52 innings to start the year.
“I do drills at home to stay low. I also need to have that mindset of ‘Throw strikes.’ The day before a game, I’m already getting myself worked up to throw strikes,” Wagner shared.
“No walks,” Wagner continued. “I don’t want to hit anyone. I need to be around the zone and I can’t let any balls get hit. As much as I didn’t like it, in the Upper Dublin game they hit balls.”
Upper Dublin, the third shutout, was a watershed game for Wagner as it was her first start where she didn’t simply mow batters down. She struck out five, but the Cardinals’ putting the ball in play forced Wagner to make key pitches and trust her defense.
“I got into a lot of 3-2 counts but I had to stay strong and throw strikes every time because my team is looking at me for hope. If they see me walk a girl, their energy goes down. I need to stay up for them,” Wagner said.
“Once you get into those 3-2 counts, you start throwing more strikes and get out of (the jam), you feel more comfortable with those situations,” she added.
While Wagner wants to pitch a shutout every time out, she fortunately doesn’t need to. Quakertown, who manhandled Wissahickon 10-0 on Tuesday, averages 7.4 runs per game.
Quakertown entered spring break by beating archrival Pennridge 4-3 on April 5. The Panthers trailed – a rarity this season – 3-1 after five but Leah Schwalm hit a two-run sixth inning single and was plated on Carli Maha’s safety. The Panthers did not lose the lead.
Schwalm also homered for the second time in three games, making Scott into somewhat of a prophet. “She has just hit since I called her up to varsity at the end of last year,” Scott said on March 30. “She started right off doing it again this year. She hasn’t reached her power potential yet but she is going to hit some long home runs when she does.”
Table setter Ava Beal recently belted eight hits over a three-game span. Katie Muller, who had an RBI in Quakertown’s first four games, and a heating up Skyler Williams give the Panthers more thump in the order.
Like Connie Mack, Scott has his own “Home Run” Baker in third baseman Grace Baker, who swatted three round trippers in Quakertown’s first five games.
“Grace Baker has been our offensive leader this year,” Scott noted. “She has played a great third base, which has been really fun to watch. She is a very confident player right now and it shows in everything she is doing.
“The encouraging part about everything,” Scott concluded a fortnight ago, “is that I don’t think we’ve come close to our offensive potential so far.”
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
