BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The #1 ranked Northampton baseball team picked up two more victories on Sunday, downing Montgomery County Community College 4-3 (8 innings) and 8-4 in a Region 19 doubleheader at Spartan Field.
GAME ONE - Won 4-3 (8 innings)
In a pitchers duel between Northampton's
Ben Mostosky (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley) and Montgomery's Liam O'Leery, the Spartans pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the 8th to secure the 4-3 victory.
O'Leery went the distance for the Mustangs, limiting the high-powered Spartan offense to just 5 hits, while striking out 7. Mostosky matched him inning for inning, allowing 3 unearned runs, while scattering 6 hits and striking out 8 to earn his 5th win of the season.
Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the 8th,
Alexander Ruiz (Lancaster, PA/JP McCaskey) got things started for the Spartans, drawing a hit by pitch to get on 1st base.
Robert Furino (East Stroudsburg, PA/Pocono Mt. East) then doubled to right field, moving Ruiz to 3rd base.
Gabriel Caso (Califon, NJ/West Morris (NJ)) drew an intentional walk to load the bases for
Samuel Martinez (Reading, PA/Muhlenberg). Martinez worked the count and drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game at 3-3. The next batter
John Smale (Kunkletown, PA/Pleasant Valley) then drew a walk, to bring home the winning run.
GAME TWO - Won 8-4
In another tight ballgame, the Spartans broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the 6th, scoring 4 runs, highlighted by a
Braden Cummings (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown) 2-run triple.
Starter
Gavin Panovec (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) went 5.2 innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits, striking out 7 and walking 3.
Nate Mostosky (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley) earned the win with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, striking out 1.
Cummings was 1 for 3 with 2 RBI,
Brandon Ratti (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley) finished 2 for 3,
Gabriel Caso (Califon, NJ/West Morris (NJ)) was 1 for 3 with a double and 2 RBI and
Manuel Barroso (Puerto Rico/Beltran Academy (PR)) added 2 RBI and a run scored.
The Spartans move to 37-4 overall, 25-3 in Region 19 and 7-0 in the EPAC.
Montgomery falls to 8-14 overall, 2-5 in the Region and 2-2 in EPAC play.
The Spartans are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to the Electric City to face NJCAA Division II Lackawanna College.
