BETHLEHEM, Pa. - 6th seeded Sussex County Community College gave the 3rd seeded Spartans all they could handle, and more, on Saturday in the opening round of the Region XIX playoffs.  

The Skylanders pushed NCC to 8-innings in game one and then sent the series to a deciding third game on Sunday with a 3-1 victory in game two.

In game one the Spartans jumped out early as All-Region selection Casey Ord tripled to left and then scored on a ground-out by Tiffany Kobordo, giving NCC a 1-0 lead.

Ord put the Spartans up 2-0 in the 3rd inning when she walked, took second on a passed ball, stole third and then scored on an overthrow.

Sussex scored two runs in the 4th inning to tie the game at 2-2, but Kate Check put NCC back in the lead in the 6th when she scored on a bunt single by Carly Brawn.

The Skylanders responded in the top of the 7th as Melissa Garris' double plated Franny Gely to tie the game at 3-3.

The game remained tied and went into extra innings before Sussex scored a run in the top of the 8th to take a 4-3 lead.

In the bottom of the 8th Ashley Venturino scored after Jen Denaro single and bunt by Megan Dougherty.  Monica Koch then clinched the 5-4 victory for NCC as she singled home Denaro with the winning run.

Krysten Rockovits earned the victory for NCC.

In game two, Sussex scored two runs in the 3rd inning, on two hits, a walk and an error to take a 2-0 lead.

The Skylanders tacked on another run in the 5th to take a 3-0 lead, before NCC scored their first run of the game on a passed ball, to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Sussex closed out the seventh to earn the split and send the series to a deciding game on Sunday at 12pm.

Jen Denaro was 2 for 2 with a walk to pace the Spartans in game two, while pitcher Lindsay Frontino suffered only her second loss of the season.