BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Northampton baseball team split the first two games of their Region 19 series vs. Middlesex College on Friday afternoon at Spartan Park, winning game one 8-7 and then dropping the nightcap 16-7.

GAME ONE - Won 8-7
In game one, the Spartans pulled out an 8-7 victory, after trailing 6-1 entering the bottom of the 4th.  

Jack Smale (Kunkletown, PA/Pleasant Valley) smashed a grand slam in the bottom of the 4th to cut the Northampton deficit to 6-5 and the Spartans continued to battle over the next 3 innings, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the 7th as Braden Cummings (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown) singled home Manuel Barroso (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/Beltran Academy (PR)), who had walked, and moved to 3rd on two consecutive wild pitches. 

Brad Rissmiller (Pen Argyl, PA/Pen Argyl) got the win in relief of starter Jared Diefenbach (Stewartsville, NJ/Phillipsburg (NJ)), pitching the final 3.0 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits, striking out 2.  Diefenbach threw the first 4.0 innings, allowing 6 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits with 3 K's. 

Jack Smale (Kunkletown, PA/Pleasant Valley) finished 2 for 3 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored, Manuel Barroso (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico/Beltran Academy (PR)) was 3 for 3 with a RBI and 2 runs scored and Braden Cummings (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown) went 2 for 4 with a RBI and a walk. 

GAME TWO - Lost 16-7
After jumping out to a 2-0 lead after the 1st inning, the Spartans imploded in the 2nd inning, allowing 8 runs, and were never able to regain the lead in falling to the Colts, 16-7. 

Cooper Natisin (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown) took the loss with 1.1 innings of work, allowing 8 runs (5 earned) on 4 hits while walking 4 and striking out 1.  Four Spartan relievers combined to throw the final 5.2 innings, allowing 6 runs on 11 hits.

Shane Henrick (Blue Bell, PA/Wissahickon) and Nick Stettner (Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg (NJ)) paced the offense, going 4 for 4 and 3 for 3, respectively.  Cody Miller (Oxford, NJ/Warren Hills (NJ)) finished 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. 

The split puts Northampton at 16-15 overall and 10-10 in Region 19. 

Middlesex moves to 23-17 overall and 11-11 in the Region. 

Game three of the Region 19 series will be played on Saturday in Edison, NJ, with the first pitch scheduled for 12pm.