BETHLEHEM, Pa - The bats came alive on Monday for Northampton, as the Spartans combined for 28 hits in their doubleheader split with Northern Essex.
GAME ONE - Lost 10-8
Leading 8-0 after 3 innings, the Spartans failed to score again and the Knights of Northern Essex rallied with 8 runs of their own in the top of the 6th inning to take a 10-8 victory over Northampton.
Marcus Nales (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) paced the offense with a 4 for 4 performance, including 2 RBI, while
Zack Stokes (Ashland, PA/North Schuylkill) finished 1 for 4 with 2 RBI, as the Spartans had 10 hits.
Cade Horwath (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) took the loss, coming on in relief of
Keegan Rude (Sayre, PA/Athens Area), Horwath went 1.2 innings, allowing 7 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits, striking out 3 and walking 1. Rude went 4 innings, striking out 9, while allowing 2 runs on 6 hits.
Francesco Greco (Norwalk, CT/Brien McMahon (CT)) finished the contest with 1.1 innings of work, allowing 1 run on 3 hits.
GAME TWO - WON 13-8
The Spartans picked up their first victory of 2021 with a 13-8 victory in game two.
Zack Stokes (Ashland, PA/North Schuylkill) picked up the win with 2 innings of work, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits while striking out 1 and walking 1.
Colby Butczynski (Nanticoke, PA/Greater Nanticoke Area),
Francesco Greco (Norwalk, CT/Brien McMahon (CT)) and
Patrick Flynn (Easton, PA/Notre Dame - Green Pond) all saw time in relief, combining for 6 strikeouts, allowing 3 runs on 8 hits over the final 5 innings.
The Spartan offense pounded out 18 hits in the win, including 3 homeruns.
Jacob Yurkovitch (Pen Argyl, PA/Notre Dame - Green Pond) was 3 for 4 with 3 RBI and a homerun,
Marcus Nales (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) was 2 for 4 with a HR,
Joey Galantini (Allentown, PA/Salisbury) was 3 for 5,
Isaiah Lockette (Steelton, PA/Steelton-Highspire) was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI and
Collin Jensen (Garnet Valley, PA/Archmere Academy (DE)) finished 3 for 4.
Northampton jumped out early again, taking a 4-0 lead after one inning and extending that to 9-1 after two. The Spartans, who are ranked 9th in the latest NJCAA poll, then cruised to their first victory of 2021, improving to 1-3 on the season.
The Spartans are back in action on Saturday when they travel to CCBC-Dundalk for a doubleheader.
