The Northampton softball team knew it had a tough draw as the No. 8 seed facing No. 1 Parkland in the first round of the EPC softball playoffs. But the Kids could gain some confidence in the fact that they had played the undefeated Trojans to a one-run loss just four days before their playoff match up.

But Parkland also remembered that game. The Trojans used the first meeting as motivation for the playoff game, where they put up nine runs in the first three innings en route to a 9-1 win over Northampton Friday at Parkland High School.

“What I told the girls was [Parkland doesn’t] make mistakes,” said Northampton head coach Kevin Mann. “They’re solid defensively. They’re aggressive at the plate. We hit the ball. We just hit it to where they were standing.”

Parkland (21-0) made a few stellar defensive plays to keep the Kids (11-10) off the base paths. The Trojans also played error-free defense until the last inning and got a solid pitching performance from Aubree Fritzinger.

After Kaitlyn Perl’s two-out single in the first inning, Fritzinger retired 14 straight batters. Madison Fraley singled to lead off the sixth for Northampton’s second hit of the game.

Parkland jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, then added five runs in the second and two in the third for a 9-0 lead after three innings.

“We prepared really hard,” said Parkland shortstop Steph Herpel, who went 2-for-4 with four RBIs. “We knew they were going to be a good team. We came to play.

“We worked on some things at practice. Our goal is to win each inning.”

Perl relieved Northampton starter Taylor Keeney after the Trojans got the 9-0 lead with one out in the third inning.

Keeney held Parkland to just five hits in their previous meeting.

“They played us tough last time,” said Parkland head coach Barry Search. “It was a 2-1 game. Our kids prepared yesterday and they came out hungry.”

Search started pinch hitting for some of his starters and Perl kept hitters off balance to keep the game from getting to the mercy rule.

Northampton got on the board in the seventh inning when Jillian Muthard singled and scored on an error.

The Kids will likely meet the Trojans again in the first round of the District 11 Class 6A playoffs. Northampton is eighth in the district rankings, meaning they are lined up to meet the EPC champ (Parkland or Emmaus) in the first round of the district tournament.