VINELAND, NJ - The battle of NJCAA top-ten teams lived up to the hype as 9th ranked Northampton and 2nd ranked Cumberland split a doubleheader on Saturday, with the Dukes taking the first game 3-2 and the Spartans winning game two 4-3.
GAME ONE (Lost 3-2)Trailing 3-0 entering the top of the 7th inning, Northampton's
Aaron Gentry (Reading, PA/Exeter) smashed a single scoring
Angel Lopez (Pennsburg, PA/Perkiomen School ) and
Colton Hooker (Warrington, PA/Upper Moreland ) to cut the margin to 3-2, but the Spartans couldn't plate the tying run as the Dukes held on for the win.
Brendon Caraway (Riegelsville, PA/Palisades) went the distance for Northampton, allowing 3 runs (1 earned), giving up 6 hits and striking out 6, dropping to 2-2 on the season with the loss.
Gentry finished 2 for 3 at the plate, while
Collin McGeary (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic ) was 2 for 3, Lopez went 1 for 2 and Hooker was 1 for 3 to pace the offense.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| Northampton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Cumberland | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 3 | 6 | 2 |
GAME TWO (Won 4-3)Cumberland once again jumped out to an early lead (3-1 entering the 6th inning), but RBI singles from
Angel Lopez (Pennsburg, PA/Perkiomen School ) and
Jake Lisinicchia (Easton, PA/Easton ) tied the game at 3-3.
Kyle Buchman (Orefield, PA/Notre Dame - Green Pond ) reached reached base on error to lead off the 7th inning, advanced to second on a single from
Ryan Nazario (East Stroudsburg, PA/East Stroudsburg South ) and then scored what proved to be the winning run on a RBI single from
Angel Lopez (Pennsburg, PA/Perkiomen School ).
Starting pitcher
Tyler Caraway (Riegelsville, PA/Palisades ) went 4.2 innings, allowing 3 runs (1 earned), 3 hits and striking out 2.
Tristan James (Towanda, PA/Towanda Area) came on in relief, pitching 2.1 innings of scoreless ball, allowing one hit while striking out 4, improving to 3-0 on the season.
Lopez finished 3 for 3 with a double and 2 RBI and Nazario was 2 for 4 with a double and run scored.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| Northampton | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| Cumberland | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
Northampton, now 20-4 overall and 8-1 in Region XIX, returns to the diamond on Sunday with another Top-Ten showdown, hosting RCGC in a doubleheader at noon.
Cumberland moves to 24-9 overall and 9-3 in Region XIX.
