NEWTON, NJ - The Northampton Softball team stayed alive in the the Region 19 playoff hunt with a doubleheader split at Sussex on Thursday afternoon at Skylander Softball Complex.

Game One - Sussex 8 | Northampton 7
In game one, the Skylanders jumped out to a 5-0 lead after 2 innings, but the Spartans slowly battled back, eventually taking a 7-5 lead entering the bottom of the 6th.  Sussex was able to plate two runs to tie the game at 7 and then won the game with a walk-off single in the bottom of the 7th to earn the 8-7 victory. 

The Spartans scored 3 runs in the 3rd inning, led by Siera Klingle's (East Bangor, PA/Bangor) 2-run single that scored Regina Bangcoro (Easton, PA /Easton) and Destiny Koppenhaver (Bethlehem, PA/Commonwealth Charter ). 

Klingle finished 3 for 4 with 4 RBI, Bangcoro was 4 for 4 with 1 RBI and 2 runs scored and Emma Stoltzfus (Morgantown, PA/Garden Spot) went 3 for 4 to pace the Spartan offense.

Klingle took the loss in the circle, allowing 8 runs (2 earned) on 8 hits, fanning 11 in 6.1 innings of work. 

Game Two - Northampton 16 | Sussex 4 (5 innings)
The Spartans took game two with a run-rule shortened 16-4 victory.

Northampton scored 4 runs in the top half of the 1st as Natalie Lazaro (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) singled, Regina Bangcoro (Easton, PA /Easton) reached on an error, Makaylah Sutton (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) walked and then Bridget Pavelko (Bethlehem, PA /Notre Dame - Green Pond ) tripled to knock in 3 runs.  Pavelko then scored on a single from Sophia Iovino (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic). 

The Spartans added 6 runs in the 2nd and then coasted to the 12-run victory, pounding out 13 hits. 

Bangcoro finished 2 for 4 with 2 RBI, Pavelko was 2 for 3 with 3 RBI, Iovino went 2 for 4 with 3 RBI and Sutton added 3 RBI for Northampton. 

Bangcoro earned the win in the circle, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) in 5 innings of work, with 10 strikeouts. 

Northampton, which is looking for its first playoff appearance since 2017, moves to 7-7 in Region 19 and 8-12 overall.

Sussex moves to 6-23 overall and 5-10 in Region 19. 

The Spartans travel to NJCAA Division II Del Tech on Saturday before returning to the friendly confines of Spartan Field for a Region 19 doubleheader on Sunday vs. RCSJ-Gloucester.