FLEMINGTON, NJ - After a game one defeat in their best of three series vs. Bergen Community College, the Northampton bats responded with 17 runs on 14 hits in game two, in a run-rule shortened 17-5 victory to keep their season alive on Monday night at Diamond Nation. 

The Spartans, who entered the tournament as the #3 seed, dropped game one, as the 6th seeded Bulldogs jumped out early with a 3-run homerun in the top of the 1st and never looked back in taking a 10-2 victory.  

Corey Stouffer (Souderton, PA/North Penn) accounted for Northampton's only runs when he belted a 2-run homerun in the bottom of the 2nd, his 3rd of the season. 

Noah Weber (Mohnton, PA/Governor Mifflin) took the loss for the Spartans, falling to 6-3 overall. Weber allowed 9 hits and 8 runs in 5.1 innings of work, striking out 4 and walking 3.

Drew Jackson (Berwyn, PA/Conestoga) came on in relief, throwing the final 2.2 innings, allowing 5 hits and 2 runs while striking out 4 and walking one. 

Stouffer finished 3 for 3, while CJ Peechatka (Henryville, PA/Pocono Mt. East ) and Christian Del Toro (Trujillo Alto, PR/Perkiomen School) each went 1 for 3. 

With their season on the line, the Spartans jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the 1st inning and then tacked on 5 runs in the bottom of the 2nd before exploding for 7 runs in the 3rd and 4 in the 4th for the 5-inning run-rule shortened 17-5 victory.

Alex Super (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) earned the win, going 4 innings, allowing 5 runs on 6 hits while walking 4 and striking out 4.  Nicholas Klee (Reading, PA/Exeter) came on in relief, working the top of the 5th, while allowing no runs on no hits and striking out one. 

CJ Gantz (Bath, PA/Northampton) was 3 for 3 with a double and a RBI, CJ Peechatka (Henryville, PA/Pocono Mt. East ) smashed his 9th round-tripper of the season, Tyler Melko (Knoxville, PA/Cowanesque Valley) went 2 for 2 with a homerun and 4 RBI and Christian Del Toro (Trujillo Alto, PR/Perkiomen School) added 3 hits to pace the 14-hit attack. 

"We really came out and swung it in game two," remarked skipper Adrian Yaguez, "I think some of our young guys were a little tight in game one, but luckily we have been pretty solid offensively all year and it carried us tonight."

Cody Brown (Tunkhannock, PA/Tunkhannock) added a double and a RBI, while Mike Ferrara (Cresco, PA/Pocono Mt. East) went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI. 

Melko's 4 RBI give him 66 for the season, breaking the record of 62 held by Angel Lopez and 104 for his career, breaking the record of 101 held by Mike Tenaglia. 

Northampton (29-12) and Bergen (30-14) will square-off on Tuesday at Diamond Nation in a winner take-all match-up at 3:30pm.  

The winner advances to the Region XIX Final Four this weekend.