BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The nationally ranked Northampton baseball team picked up a pair of wins on Monday afternoon for a Region 19 series sweep over visiting Bergen Community College at Spartan Park.
The Spartans, ranked 12th in the most recent NJCAA national poll, took game one over the Bulldogs, 9-2, and followed up with a, 6-5, win in the nightcap.
Northampton opened the series on Friday night with a convincing, 20-7, victory, setting the tone for the weekend series.
GAME ONE - Won 9-2
The Spartans rode the left arm of freshman southpaw
Ben Warner (Alexandria, VA/Alexandria City (VA)), as he fired his first complete game of the season, going 7 innings strong, allowing only 2 runs and striking out a season-high 9 batters, as he improved to (2-3) on the season.
The Spartans jumped out to a, 7-0, lead after the first inning and never looked back, adding runs in the 4th and 6th innings, extending their lead to, 9-2, with a 12 hit offensive attack.
Josh Brancy (Sparta. NJ/Sparta (NJ)) was 2-2 with 2 runs scored along with a double and 2 RBI to lead the offense.
Danny Qualteria (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown) was 2-4 with a double and an RBI along with 3 stolen bases and
Matthew Tankred (East Greenville, PA/Southern Lehigh) was 2-4 with a run scored.
Joey Richards (Bath, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) was 1-3 with a double and an RBI and
Drew Mulligan (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Carroll) was 1-3 with an RBI to round out the offense for the Spartans.
GAME TWO - WON 6-5
Freshman
Ryder Hertzler (East Earl, PA/Garden Spot) improved to (3-0) on the season with a dominant effort on the mound, pitching 6.1 innings while scattering 5 hits and striking out 11 for the Spartans.
Nate Unger (Allentown, PA/Parkland) came on in the 7th inning to shut the door and help secure the, 6-5, win.
The Spartans carried a, 6-3, lead into the top of the seventh before Bergen pushed two runs across to make things interesting. Unger was able to get out of a bases loaded jam to secure the win.
Josh Brancy (Sparta. NJ/Sparta (NJ)) continued to swing a hot bat, going 2-4 with 2 RBI and a stolen base.
Drew Mulligan (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Carroll) and
Kyle Stoner (Burlington Township (NJ)/Burlington Township (NJ)) both went 2-3 with a run scored and
Patrick Kiefner (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) was 2-3 with an RBI for the Spartans.
Northampton improves to 27-14Â overall and 18-8 in Region 19.
Bergen Community College slips to 11-19 overall and 13-26 in the Region.
The Spartans are back on the road on Tuesday when they open their Region 19 series at Montgomery County Community College with a single 9 inning game scheduled for 3pm at the Mustangs Baseball Complex.
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