In the softball game against Council Rock South, Bella Nunn didn't feel too much pressure during a pitchers' duel with Lexi Waring.
The North Penn senior, Bella Nunn, finds close games more enjoyable than one-sided victories as she feels less stressed and more present in the moment.
In the Suburban One League softball crossover matchup, both right-handed pitchers delivered scoreless innings until Liv Stevens' squeeze bunt helped the host Knights score a run in the sixth inning.
Initially, North Penn struggled to hit the ball, but Bella Nunn remained confident and praised Liv Stevens for her exceptional bunt.
After allowing a single in the top of the seventh, Bella Nunn secured a two-hit shutout, leading North Penn to a 1-0 victory over unbeaten CR South.
North Penn coach Rick Torresani praised Bella's exceptional pitching and the team's ability to capitalize on a mistake to secure a 1-0 lead.
Coach Torresani expressed his satisfaction with Bella's outstanding performance, emphasizing the importance of her consistency for the team's success.
Nunn, a UMBC commit, delivered an impressive performance, allowing only two hits, no walks, and striking out seven, while also contributing a single as North Penn secured its second consecutive win.
Bella noted that the opposing team was swinging at a lot of pitches, allowing her to confidently deliver them and rely on her team's defensive support.
Despite a strong complete-game effort, Waring took the loss, giving up an unearned run on four hits, two walks, and a hit batter.
Bella credited her team's decision to lay off riseballs and only swing at the low pitches, which ultimately helped them in the game.
In the top of the sixth, Council Rock South had a promising opportunity to score a run, but Nunn's strategic pitching prevented them from capitalizing on it.
Nunn said he wasn't worried about the runner and was confident they would make the out.
Casey Sokol started North Penn’s sixth inning with a single to right field. Sophia Orth then reached base on an error, putting two runners on for Nunn. Nunn moved Sokol’s substitute, Lacy Haldeman, to third with a fly out to center.
In the next at-bat, Steven executed a squeeze bunt, resulting in Haldeman sliding in head first to score the game’s first run as the Golden Hawks attempted to throw her out at home but failed.
Stevens said, "I knew I had a job to do, and I wanted to ensure that my runner got to the next base and we scored."
South did manage to get an out at third on the play as Stevens reached first on the RBI fielder’s choice. Tallie Smink was hit by a pitch, putting two runners on with two outs, but Waring prevented a run with a strikeout, maintaining the score at 1-0.
After Nunn struck out the first batter in the top of the seventh, Scannapieco hit a single up the middle. However, Nunn finished her shutout with another strikeout and then a pop out to short.
Nunn said, "I was just focused on taking it one pitch at a time, not worrying about the runner at first, and just getting the next two outs, because I had been getting outs the whole game. I just needed to stay focused for two more batters."
North Penn has three more games this week: they host Bensalem at 4 p.m. Wednesday, visit Owen J. Roberts for a non-league contest at 7 p.m. Thursday, and then face Truman on the road at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.
Stevens said, "We’re really happy about it, and we’re just going to keep going through the week. We have three more games to focus on, so we've completed one and have three more to go."
Council Rock South hosts Pennridge at 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday and then visits Pennsbury at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
Woloshyn reached first on an error at the start of Tuesday’s game but was forced out at second on a Gabby Bloom fielder’s choice. The top of the first ended with a fly out in foul territory in right and a lineout to short, and Nunn did not allow South another baserunner until Woloshyn’s two-out single in the sixth.
Nunn said, "Maybe in the first couple of games, only a few of my pitches were effective. Now I have built up my stamina, and everything is working well, which is great."
Waring gave up only two walks over the initial three innings. With two outs in the fourth, Nunn and Steven hit consecutive singles, but the next batter popped out to second.
In the lower part of the fifth inning, Gabby Battavio got a single with two outs. Cimino hit a ball to center field, but it was caught for a fly out, ending the inning.
North Penn 1, Council Rock South 0
Council Rock South 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
North Penn 000 001 X – 1 4 2
WP: Bella Nunn 7 IP 2 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 7 SO.
LP: Lexi Waring 6 IP 4 H 1 R 0 ER 2 BB 6 SO 1 HB.
North Penn: Liv Stevens RBI.
