BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The #1 ranked Northampton baseball team earned their 9th Region 19 series victory of the season, taking 2 of 3 games from Ocean County College this weekend. The Spartans won game one in Toms River on Friday, 14-0, and then took game two 10-1, before falling 6-5 in game three. 

GAME TWO - Won 10-1
Austin Beard (Lebanon, PA/Cedar Crest) threw a complete game 2-hitter, allowing just 1 unearned run, while striking out 12 Vikings in earning his 9th win of the season.  Beard's 9 victories are tied for the most in the country in NJCAA Division III baseball. 

Braden Cummings (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown) led a 12-hit attack for the Spartans, finishing 4 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 1 RBI.  

Samuel Martinez (Reading, PA/Muhlenberg) and Robert Furino (East Stroudsburg, PA/Pocono Mt. East) each hit homeruns, while Brandon Ratti (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley) finished 1 for 2 with a triple and 2 RBI. 

GAME THREE - Lost 6-5
Defensive miscues cost the Spartans in game three, as they committed 5 errors in the 6-5 loss to the Vikings. 

Ethan Woods (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin) took the loss, allowing 6 runs (4 earned) in 6.0 innings of work, scattering 9 hits and striking out 7.  Ben Mostosky (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley) pitched a scoreless 7th.

Robert Furino (East Stroudsburg, PA/Pocono Mt. East) was 3 for 4 with 2 homeruns (giving him 3 on the day), and 4 RBI, Braden Cummings (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown) went 2 for 4 with a stolen base and Brandon Ratti (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley) was 3 for 4 with a RBI to pace the offense.

The split puts Northampton at 39-6 overall and 27-4 in Region 19.

Ocean moves to 18-16 overall and 15-13 in the Region.

The Spartans will take Sunday off before returning to the diamond on Monday to host NJCAA Division II Sussex County Community College at 3:30pm.