VINELAND, NJ - The Northampton Softball team earned a Region 19 split on Saturday at RCSJ-Cumberland, falling in game one 18-17 on a walk-off from the Dukes in the bottom of the 7th and then holding off the Dukes, 11-10, in game two.
Game One - RCSJ-Cumberland 18 | Northampton 17
Northampton jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead after the top-half of the 1st inning, only to see the Dukes respond with 8 runs of their own in the bottom half of the 1st.
Cumberland led 13-7 after 3 innings, but the Spartans kept chipping away, eventually tying the game at 17 in the top of the 7th when
Siera Klingle (East Bangor, PA/Bangor) singled home
Natalie Lazaro (Allentown, PA/Emmaus). Cumberland then then rallied to score in the bottom of the 7th for the one-run victory.
Makaylah Sutton (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) led the Spartans at the plate, going 4 for 5 with a double, 6 RBI and 4 runs scored. Madison Ott was 3 for 4 with 3 RBI,
Bridget Pavelko (Bethlehem, PA /Notre Dame - Green Pond ) finished 3 for 5 with a double and a triple and 2 RBI and Klingle went 3 for 6 with 2 RBI and 3 runs scored.
Klingle took the loss in relief of Pavelko, throwing 5.1 innings, allowing 10 runs on 14 hits, striking out 2. Pavelko last 2/3 of an inning, allowing 8 runs on 7 hits with 2 walks.
Game Two - Northampton 11 | RCSJ-Cumberland 10
In another back and forth affair, the Spartans led 10-8 after 6 innings and then added a run in the top of the 7th and held off the Dukes 11-10 for the win.
Destiny Koppenhaver (Bethlehem, PA/Commonwealth Charter ) keyed a 4-run 6th inning, as
Dana Fisher (Wind Gap, PA/Pen Argyl),
Regina Bangcoro (Easton, PA /Easton) and
Siera Klingle (East Bangor, PA/Bangor) all had hits to help keep Northampton in the lead.
Bangcoro finished 3 for 4 with 5 RBI, including a 2nd inning 3-run homerun, Koppenhaver was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a RBI and
Makaylah Sutton (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) added 2 RBI.
Bangcoro got the win in the circle in relief of Klingle, going 5.0 innings, allowing 9 runs (6 earned) on 11 hits with 4 strikeouts. Klingle pitched the 1st and 2nd innings, allowing just 2 hits and 1 run.
The split puts Northampton at 5-11 overall and 4-6 in Region 19.
The Spartans return to the Ocean State on Sunday, traveling to Toms River to face Ocean County College.
