Friday featured a formidable feline fracas in softball.
The host Quakertown Panthers defeated the New Hope-Solebury Lions 11-5. Cadence Lewis and Ava Beal combined for five hits and five steals for Quakertown. For NH-S, Emily Wilson, Helen Knapp and Kaylee Harris all had two hits.
It is little surprise that Quakertown (14-0, 12-0 SOL) won. The defending SOL Liberty champions, who topped Upper Dublin 11-1 on Tuesday, are gunning for their fourth straight 20-win season. Kutztown-signee Abbey Wagner has thrown five shutouts while Division I-bound Beal (Albany) paces the offense with a typo-like .596 batting average and 22 steals. Leah Schwalm has thumped eight extra-base hits and driven in 30.
The Panthers have an excellent chance of grabbing the No. 1 seed when District One playoffs start on May 20.
The Lions (9-4, 8-3 SOL) have been a surprise. The five runs they hung on Quakertown were the most the Panthers surrendered all season.
After struggling to adjust to the SOL, NH-S pasted Cheltenham 18-3 on Tuesday. The eighth win gave the Lions as many SOL victories this year than in the last three seasons combined. NH-S averages 10 runs per game in its wins.
NH-S travels to Springfield on Thursday while Quakertown heads for a huge Liberty game with second place Plymouth Whitemarsh.
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