Box Score CARNEY'S POINT, NJ - The 8th ranked Northampton baseball dropped the first game of their 3-game series with Salem Community College, falling to the Mighty Oaks, 5-4, in 10 innings on Friday afternoon. 

The Spartans put 3 runs across the plate in the top of the 1st, but Salem answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning off Northampton ace Ryan Gordon (New Cumberland, PA/Red Land).  The Spartans put another run on the board in the top of the 2nd, only to see Salem tie things up with 3 runs in their half of the inning.

Both teams went scoreless over the next 7 innings, before Salem plated the winning run in the bottom of the 10th.  "Tough way to lose," remarked Head Coach Adrian Yaguez, "we left some runners on base today and we kicked it around a couple times, and in our Region, you just can't do that and expect to win.  We need to regroup and come out tomorrow and try to win the series."

Jake Hendershot (Martinsville, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan (NJ)), Stephen McMillan (Warrington, PA/Central Bucks - South), Josh Herman (Bethlehem, PA/Notre Dame Green Pond) and Brandon Ratti (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley) each had 2 hits, while Ratti and Caleb Walker (Deposit, NY/Deposit Central (NY)) each had a double. 

Gordon went 6 innings, allowing 4 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits with 7 strikeouts and 6 walks.  Austin Beard (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Crest) took the loss, working the final 3.1 innings, striking out 6.

The Spartans fall to 10-3 overall and 2-1 in Region 19 with the loss. 

Salem improves to 5-5 overall and 1-0 in the Region.

The two squads will square off in a doubleheader on Saturday in Bethlehem, with game one set for 12pm.