South Parkland took out some frustrations for a five-game losing skid against Salisbury Tuesday night, downing the Falcons 15-1. South Parkland (3-5) now holds a one-game lead for the final playoff spot in the Lehigh Valley Legion League as they approach the mid-point of the schedule.

The season started well for South Parkland, which won its first two games but then went on a losing skid that had dropped them into last place in the LVLL. While a 3-5 record isn't what the team was hoping for, they've already eclipsed their win record from last season when they went 2-16.

"We've had a couple of tough losses where if one or two things go the other way, we come out with a win," said coach Tom Kahn. "I don't think we're all that far from turning things around, but we just have to focus on the little things."

This past Sunday was a good example of just how close the team is coming to turning things around. With two games on the day's schedule, South Parkland lost to Emmaus 5-2 in extra innings in the afternoon game and then dropped a tough 6-4 decision to Fullerton that night. In the loss to Emmaus, South Parkland hitters struck out five times in the last two innings and were unable to overcome a three-run inning from the Hornets in the top of the ninth.

Against Fullerton, South Parkland was down 6-2, but scored twice in the top of the sixth to cut into the deficit. They pounded out 10 hits in the loss, while allowing just five hits. Unfortunately, South Parkland was unable to bunch those hits.

Even with the losing streak, South Parkland put three players - Kyle Buchman (outfielder), Zach Miller (pitcher) and Hudson Rabenold (designated hitter) - on the roster for the annual all-star game featuring stars from the LVLL against stars from the Berks-Schuylkill League at Reading's FirstEnergy Stadium. The game is scheduled for Monday night. Miller and Rabenold played on the Parkland High School team that won the District 11 championship this season.

"Obviously, those three have been an important part of our team," said Kahn. "They're all deserving of the roster spots that they have and they'll do a nice job representing our team."

The all-star festivities also include a showcase game for underclassmen, who compete in a skills competition and then in a game to put their talents on display for college coaches. South Parkland's Harrison Rabenold (third baseman) and Anthony Sorrentino (shortstop) were chosen to participate in the showcase.

The schedule ahead for South Parkland is a tough one, with two games against league leading North Parkland (7-2), one against Emmaus (5-3). A rematch with Salisbury (2-6) and a game against West Allentown (3-5) are also on the next week's schedule.

"This is where we start to see how much we're improving," Kahn said. "If we can steal a couple of those games and get some confidence going, it will go a long way toward helping our team keep winning.

"Our guys play hard and I think we haven't seen the best of them yet, so it's just a matter of how hard we work and how well we can stay focused."