UNION, NJ - The 3rd seeded Northampton Spartan baseball team picked up a big win over #2 Cumberland County College in the opening game of the Region XIX Final Four, downing the Dukes 17-6, before falling to 4th seeded Brookdale in the winners bracket game, 11-8 on Saturday at Kean University.
GAME ONE vs. #2 Cumberland - WON 17-6
The Spartans put two runs on board in the top of the 1st vs. Cumberland, but the Dukes, ranked 2nd in the country in the latest NJCAA poll, responded with 4 runs of their own in the bottom half of the first.
Northampton's bats stayed hot, adding 4 runs of their own in the top of the 2nd and 5 more runs over the next three innings to take a commanding 11-6 lead after 5 innings. After three scoreless innings by each team, the Spartans plated 6 runs in the top of the 9th to put the game away.
Andrew Corso (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield) picked up the win, going 8.1 innings after coming in for
Alex Super (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty), who left after 2/3 inning due to arm soreness. Corso allowed 4 runs on 6 hits while walking 1 and striking out, improving to 5-0 on the season.
CJ Peechatka (Henryville, PA/Pocono Mt. East ) finished 4 for 5 with 7 RBI for Northampton, including a double and a triple,
Corey Stouffer (Souderton, PA/North Penn) was 4 for 5 with 2 RBI,
Tyler Melko (Knoxville, PA/Cowanesque Valley) finished 3 for 5 with 2 RBI and
Tommy Dunleavy (Bushkill, PA/East Stroudsburg North) was 3 for 6 with a double and a RBI.
The Spartans pounded out 22 hits in the win, including two hit efforts from
CJ Gantz (Bath, PA/Northampton) and
Mike Ferrara (Cresco, PA/Pocono Mt. East).
GAME TWO vs. #4 Brookdale - Winners Bracket - Lost 11-8
The Spartans stayed hot early in game two, jumping out on the Jersey Blues 2-0 after the 1st inning, but Brookdale found their stride in the 3rd inning, plating 6 runs and then adding 5 more runs to eventually take an 11-2 lead heading into the bottom of the 6th.
Northampton would not go away, as
CJ Peechatka (Henryville, PA/Pocono Mt. East ) got the Spartans rolling with a solo homerun in the 7th, his 11th of the season, and the Spartans added 5 more runs over the final two innings, before falling 11-8.
Peechatka finished 2 for 5, while
Christian Del Toro (Trujillo Alto, PR/Perkiomen School) was 3 for 5 with 2 RBI and
Tommy Dunleavy (Bushkill, PA/East Stroudsburg North) was also 3 for 5 wiwth a RBI.
Henry Peguero (Wyomissing, PA/Wyomissing) went 2 for 4 and
Derek Stento (New Milford, PA/Blue Ridge) hit a 2-run homerun in the bottom of the 9th to pace the Spartan attack.
Trevor McGee (Bensalem, PA/Bensalem) took the loss, finishing with 2.2 innings of work, allowing 6 runs on 8 hits while walking 2 and striking out 1. McGee falls to 3-3 with the loss.
Coach Yaguez used multiple arms, with four other pitchers combining to allow 5 runs on 9 hits in the loss.
Northampton, now 31-13 overall, will meet the winner of #1 RCGC vs #2 Cumberland on Monday at 12pm.
The winner will advance to the Region XIX Championship game vs. Brookdale, while the loser will be eliminated.
