The Lehigh-Bethlehem Connie Mack baseball team captured its second Lehigh Valley crown in three years when they knocked off Nazareth last Wednesday in game two of their best-of-three series.

It marks the third-straight year the team has reached the finals, and as head coach Keith Lehman said, the entire team stepped up.

"We had high expectations as the number-one seed," Lehman said of their 14-3, regular season record. "The guys lived up and embraced the challenge. It wasn't a great finish [to the regular season], but I think that helped them refocus to play great ball offensively and defensively."

Veteran Jordan Santee was happy to be back in the finals, and this time, come away with the LV title.

"Coming into the year I preached to the new guys on the team we had been in the championship the last two seasons and I wanted to get back this year," Santee said. "It feels better this season winning the championship than two years ago and certainly better than coming in second last year for me because I played a much bigger role on the team this year."

Sean Kelly and Mike Lehman both delivered key hits in game two and finished with two RBIs each in the victory. Mike John got the start before Jim Downey came on to close things out in the seventh inning to seal the victory.

Lehman pointed to their batterymate, catcher Connor Vanderbush, as another who deserved credit.

"He's been catching a lot," Lehman said. "He's been doing a great job. He's a real threat for us and has endured a lot of games."

Lehman always stresses that he has a lot of standout players on the team, and that all 17 kids at one point or another have stepped up in a big way at a big time. Center fielder Tyler Erney is another of those players. Lehman says his quickness helps him really take control in the outfield. Now, Erney and the rest of the team are excited to move on to states.

"It is a good momentum builder going into states," Erney said about winning the Lehigh Valley title. "We have a great team, we get along well on and off the field and our expectations are to go out there and play solid baseball until the last out."

Lehman also pointed to the pitching staff, who along with John and Downey, is made up of Mike Krawchuck, Nick Caricari and Santee, a third-year player.

"Heading into states this year, I feel this is the strongest team I have been a part of out of the three I have been a part of," Santee said. "We have a lot deeper pitching and hit extremely well top to bottom, especially as of late. My expectations for states are high. To beat any of the Bux-Mont teams, no matter if its their one-seed or six-seed, you have to be on your A game from the first pitch to the final out."

"It was a great season and a great run," Lehman said. "We're fired up for states. It was our goal to make it to states and win the Lehigh Valley Conference."

The team was given a couple of days off before practicing again for opening of states Thursday, July 18, where Lehigh Valley teams will mix in with teams from the Bucks-Montgomery Connie Mack League. Historically, the Bux-Mont teams have done well in the state tournament, but Lehigh-Bethlehem is hoping to change that.

"They know how tough those teams are," Lehman said. "But we have a really good team, too. We just want to keep them positive, play loose and enjoy the game."

"I feel we have a good shot at winning it all if we play our best baseball, because when we do, I do not know of anyone who can beat us," Santee said.

All state games will take place at Limeport. Lehigh-Bethlehem is scheduled to play Saturday, July 20 at 5 p.m. against the winner of Stroudsburg and Bucks-Montgomery's number-four seed, which has yet to be determined as of Press deadlines.