Saturday
September 23, 2023 
Central Bucks South may have come into the postseason as the defending District One 6A champion, but on Monday the Titans found themselves trailing Suburban One League Continental Conference rival Pennridge, 1-0, after a half-inning of play.
No worries.
CB South answered back with a pair of runs in each of the first two frames then broke the battle open with three more in the fourth on its way to an 8-2 triumph over the visiting Rams.
The Titans advanced to face SOL National Conference champion Pennsbury on May 22 on the Falcons’ home field (results not available at press time).
“We went through this last season and we rode it all the way to the championship so they know what it takes to win in the playoffs,” stated CB South head coach Kevin Rosini.
“They know that one run doesn’t make the game; we gave up a run in the top of the first and bounced right back with two.
“That’s the way this team is built.”
The Titans were sparked by leadoff hitter Alexa Ortman, who hit 2-for-3 with a double and three runs scored.
“Lexie always starts us off on offense. She’s our leadoff hitter and she usually does get on base,” said South’s senior right-handed pitcher Kylie Kenney.
“That way, she gets us going and she’s one of the leaders on the team.
“Watching her bat, it gives us more confidence.”
Classmate Tara Tumasz turned a 4-1 edge into a rout with a two-out, two-run single in the fourth inning.
“It’s nice to see her hitting; she’s getting her bat back up,” explained Ortman. “She has the power; she just has to have a good mindset going up to the plate.”
“She’s a super solid player,” added Kenney. “We can always count on her to get some clutch hits.”
Senior Kate Hammond, a first-year varsity player, also sparked the offense with a pair of singles and two runs scored. Ironically, it was Hammond’s defensive skills that paved her way into the starting lineup midway through the season.
“We had to switch around our defense and she really helped out,” explained Ortman.
“She really scoops the ball out at first and she had a really good pick late in the game today.
“She’s just a solid defender that we have now.”
Of course, Hammond’s hits are also welcomed by her teammates.
“She’s really getting her bat up, which is really important in the playoffs,” said Ortman. “I think she’ll get more confident as we play more games.”
Kenney, who is committed to Bryant University, kept the Pennridge bats at bay, striking out 11 hitters while tossing a complete-game three-hitter. And after the first inning, the Titans were flawless in the field.
“We played well defensively and Kylie pitched really well and we stuck to our game plan,” stated Rosini. “We put the ball in play and made things happen and that’s the sign of a good team.”
After stumbling out of the gate this season and dropping six of its first 11 games, CB South finished strong, winning seven of its last nine including a 1-0 victory over CB West, 3-1 over North Penn and 8-1 over Pennridge.
“I think we’re playing the way we’re capable; we’re definitely squaring up with the ball much better,” said Ortman, who is headed to La Salle.
“We’re having much better at-bats and less strikeouts and that’s what we needed.”
The first time these two sides squared off in Perkasie, the Rams emerged with a 2-1 triumph. According to Ortman, the focus was on the offense in this playoff matchup.
“We approached it with the mindset of hitting the ball hard and making good contact,” said Ortman. “Especially facing this pitcher in the first game, we definitely didn’t get too many hits.
“The next game, we got better so the focus was just on having solid at-bats.”
The way the Titans are firing on all cylinders right now, it’s hard to imagine the team’s slow start.
“In the beginning of the year, we didn’t even think we were going to make playoffs, because we were losing more than we were winning,” added Kenney. “About halfway through the season, we turned it around and now, we’re on a nice run so hopefully, we can keep that going.”
If the magic is to continue for CB South, the Titans will have to get to Pennsbury standout freshman right-hander Ainsley McClure in round two. The ninth-grader limited CB South to a lone run on four hits.
McClure helped the Falcons go unbeaten (12-0) in the National Conference, finishing their league schedule with an impressive 2-0 triumph over archrival Neshaminy.
Pennridge senior Morgan Henry led off the top of the seventh with a solid double to right-center and came around to score on a wild pitch but that only drew the visitors within six.
The Rams finished the season at 9-9 overall, 6-6 in the SOL. Pitcher Makenna Patterson suffered the loss for Pennridge. She’s committed to play next season at Holy Family University.
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