TOWAMENCIN – Although North Penn (4-4) fell just short in a hard-fought 6-5 game against rival Pennsbury (3-6-1) on Thursday, the Knights left the field with their heads up, and their eyes set on a bigger stage: next week’s tournament in Alabama.
For junior pitcher Felicia Connolly, the game was less about the final score and more about how the Knights competed from start to finish.
“We’ve seen their pitcher the past two years, so we went in knowing what to expect,” Connolly said. “We wanted to be aggressive at plate, and I think we did a good job putting pressure on them and keeping them on their toes.”
North Penn showed strong energy early on, taking a 3-1 lead in the third inning after clutch hits from juniors Cailin Halfpenny and Tallie Smink, along with senior Mady Archer. Connolly and the defense held Pennsbury quiet through five innings, and sophomore Gabby Battavio’s RBI single in the fifth added to the momentum.
Even after a late comeback by Pennsbury and a two-run homer in the seventh flipped the game, the Knights continued to battle. With runners on and a chance to tie it up in the bottom of the seventh, freshman Alana Battavio stepped up to the plate in a high-pressure moment.
“I didn’t really feel pressure because I know I deserve to be here,” Battavio said. “My team believed in me, and I just wanted to do anything I could to help us score. No matter how it ended, we all played hard.”
That mindset – resilient, confident, and team-first – is exactly what the Knights are taking with them to Alabama.
“When we go to Alabama, we’re looking to improve- starting early and getting the runs in early. We need to keep our defense solid and fundamental the way that we usually practice,” Connolly said. “We know we’re going to face some really strong teams down there, so we’re just looking forward to it, and we’re hoping for the challenge to make us better.”
Before they hit the road, the Knights plan to lock in on the basics. “We have a few practices before we head down there,” Connolly added. “We’re gonna focus on getting our fundamentals down and being ready to face pitchers. We know the teams we’re facing are some of the best, and we want to put on a good performance to show what North Penn softball is all about.”
The team is also looking forward to playing against teams they aren’t familiar with.
“These are teams we don’t know and haven’t played against in the past, so it’s difficult to predict how they play and how they strategize to win. The best strategy we could have is to play our game and use our offense early to take some of the momentum in our favor,” Connolly said.
“I hope the team will take the time we have together to build and take in the experience of playing against the ranked teams down there. The team knows this tournament will only make us better, regardless of the result, so we are looking forward to it,” Connolly mentioned.
The trip marks a key turning point in North Penn’s season. With plenty of talent across the roster and a group hungry to learn, the Knights see this tournament as a chance to elevate their game and build chemistry off the field too.
North Penn (5): Halfpenny (2-for-2, 2R), Smink (2-for-4, 2B, 1R), Archer (2-for-4, 1RBI), Groarke (2-for-3, 1RBI, 2R), Connolly (2-for-4)
Connolly (L) (7.0 IP, 8H, 6R, 1ER, 2BB, 11K)
Pennsbury (6): Morales (2-for-4, 1R), Link (2-for-4, 2B, HR, 3RBIs, 2R)
Dressel (W) (7.0 IP, 12H, 5R, 5ER, 2BB, 3K)
