RECAP >> A little over a month ago, Dylan Lehman and Braden Waller combined on an impressive four-hit, 14 strikeout effort as Emmaus shutout Nazareth 2-0 at Church Lane Park.
The two pitchers weren’t as fortunate when the two teams met in the second meeting yesterday at Nazareth.
In his fourth start of the season and first in 15 days, Lehman lasted just two innings after allowing four runs, while Waller’s relief appearance was short as the Hornets inconsistent play this season continued in a 8-4 loss to the Blue Eagles.
Nazareth used a three-run, fourth inning to break a 4-4 tie as they pulled away for their sixth win in seven games in improving to 6-6 in the EPC and 9-6 overall.
Emmaus, meanwhile, fell for the third time in its last five games as they saw their league mark drop to 9-3 and overall record dip to 10-5. The Hornets begin a crucial stretch of games next week with Skyline Division games at Northampton on Monday at 4 p.m., followed by their final regular-season home game against Whitehall on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and closing the week out with rival Parkland on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
The Hornets scored all their runs in one inning plating four in the top of the third after Nazareth had jumped out to 4-0 lead with three runs in the first and another in the second chasing Lehman .
Junior right fielder Jude Negron had two hits and walked twice for the Hornets, while senior Justus Darville also had a pair of hits. Junior third baseman Wyatt Henseler was 1-for-3 with an RBI double and classmate second baseman Joe Koprowicz went 1-for-2 with a run scored.
Waller suffered his second loss of the season (3-2) after allowing three runs on two hits in two innings.
Junior Kyle Mahady picked up the win on the mound for Nazareth scattering seven hits in five innings of work. Sophomore Ben Pinel came on in relief and pitched two scoreless innings.
The Blue Eagles were led on offense by senior Ryan Pitts who went 3-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored. Classmate Adam Finkbiner was 2-for-4 and scored a pair of runs, while junior Jake Wilson added two hits and two RBI.
Emmaus – 004 000 0 – 4-9-1
Nazareth – 310 301 x – 8-8-0
Dylan Lehman, Braden Waller (3), Robert Church (6) and Keegan Nytz
Kyle Mahady, Ben Pinel (6) and Jonathan Stivala
WP – Mahady, LP – Waller (3-2)
EPC Standings (Top 8 qualify for playoffs)
Parkland 12-0
Liberty 11-0
Easton 9-3
EMMAUS 9-3
Northampton 9-3
Stroudsburg 8-3
Pleasant Valley 7-4
Becahi 6-5
Nazareth 6-6
Whitehall 5-6
CCHS 4-7
Freedom 4-8
Allen 4-8
PM East 3-8
Dieruff 3-9
PM West 2-9
ES South 1-10
ES North 0-11