When manager Shaun O’Boyle pulled his team aside heading into the home half of the fourth inning against Liberty, he knew it was time for a wake-up call.

They were trailing the Hurricanes 7-1 and the team just seemed lethargic. O’Boyle said it wasn’t through a lack of effort, but it was something that had been percolating since the Bethlehem Catholic game to open the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference season.

But what transpired next even O’Boyle couldn’t have predicted. They erupted for nine runs in that inning and then shut the door on the visiting ’Canes the rest of the way for the 10-7 victory.

The win raised their record to 2-0 in the EPC and 2-1 overall.

O’Boyle said he needed to deliver a message because he felt they were sluggish.

“I felt we came out flat against Bethlehem Catholic, and we were flat the first three innings against Liberty,” said O’Boyle. “So we had a little talk after the top of the fourth.”

That message certainly resonated as they turned the lineup over, with Alex Bruneio getting two hits in the inning to help spark that nine-run outburst.

“They responded pretty well to it,” said O’Boyle.

That inning showed what they’re capable of.

“They hit the ball; they ran the bases well; they played good ball,” he said.

Prior to that, O’Boyle said that it seemed like they were “going through the motions.” Even in their 2-1 win over the Golden Hawks, he felt they weren’t playing their best baseball.

That all changed in the fourth against Liberty.

Bruneio led off the inning with a single. After an error put runners on first and second, Matt Hamscher flew out, and then Noah Kilne singled to load the bases. Austin Dreisbach walked to drive in a run, which was followed by Jarrod Miller’s deep fly to the warning track to plate another run.

The ’Canes then committed two errors, helping to keep the inning alive for the Zephs. Liberty had six errors on the afternoon. The Zephs continued their scoring with a walk, and then Bruneio came up again and delivered another single, this time for an RBI.

Javy Rodriguez then drove in the final run with an RBI single.

Once they took the lead, reliever Hamscher shut the door on the ’Canes to preserve the win. He threw three scoreless innings and stuck out two.

Starting pitcher Matt Ziminsky got the win. He was on the mound through four innings, striking out eight while walking only two. O’Boyle said that Ziminsky threw the ball well, striking out a majority of the hitters he faced.

Gianni Sinatore also had an RBI for the Zephs. He finished the game 2-4 with a double and a triple.

In the win versus Becahi, Bruneio not only got the complete-game victory, but he also belted a home run to help his own cause. Dreisbach singled, supplying the other RBI as the Zephs won 2-1 to open league play.

Bruneio finished the game with six strikeouts in allowing just that one earned run.

O’Boyle said that Golden Hawk pitcher Nate Gehringer kept them off balance for much of the game. O’Boyle said that he was able to get them way out in front. He finished the game with eight strikeouts.