Under a high sun and blue sky last Saturday, Emmaus survived two fierce rallies to pull out an electrifying 4-3 win over Bethlehem Catholic in an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference baseball quarterfinal round game held at Church Lane Park in Trexlertown.

“This win took five years off my life,” said Emmaus manager Jeremy Haas.

The midday thriller’s game-winner happened with two outs in the last of the sixth when Emmaus’ Colin Foley bombed a pitch over the left field fence off Becahi’s losing pitcher Chaise Albus. The blast gave the Hornets (16-5) an insurance run and a 4-2 lead.

“I felt about one more percent comfortable when that went out,” said Haas. “I knew a run there would be huge to get a two-run cushion. I was never going to feel 100 percent certain or feel comfortable until we got the last out. But that run to give us that little bit of cushion was huge.”

Haas had reason for concern, as the Hawks (13-8) were not ready to pack it in.

In the top of the seventh, Becahi’s Anthony Martinez slapped a single to center field off Emmaus starter and eventual winning pitcher Luke Deschenes. The next batter John Kaczor showed discipline in working a walk off the tiring Deschenes, who moments later was removed by Haas and replaced by reliever Colin Foley.

Playing the percentages and for the tie, Hawk manager Matt Corsi ordered the next hitter, Gavin Kirsch, to sacrifice bunt, which the senior executed expertly to advance both runners. Eric Wert kept the rally alive when he was hit by a pitch. Haas then replaced Foley with relief pitcher Alex Pion. Up to the dish strode Albus, who lined a sacrifice shot to center, slicing the Emmaus lead to 4-3.

“That’s what we do, we battle one through nine,” said Corsi. “We try to pick each other up. We played well.”

Haas continued to wear out a path to the pitching mound, replacing Pion with Jaden Gallagher. It proved successful, as on a 1-2 pitch, Gallagher got Becahi’s Matt Martinez to fly out to second baseman Evan Amey, ending the game.

Deschenes cruised through five innings. The right-handed Emmaus pitcher did not even give up a hit until a Tony Martinez single in the fifth.

“We didn’t know if we were getting a hit,” Corsi said. “We didn’t get a hit until the fifth inning.”

Asked after the game if he was pleased with his pitching mechanics, Deschenes responded like this.

“For the most part, yes. There were some innings where I kind of lost touch. Those tended to be the innings where I also gave up more walks than the others. But for the most part all game long I felt like I had my mechanics and all my pitches working.”

Deschenes - who tossed 103 pitches, scattered six hits, stuck out eight and walked three in six plus innings - benefited also from a solid defense. The workhorse pitcher thinks no defense in the EPC is better.

“It’s a huge boost of confidence,” said Deschenes of his great eight. “When I get into trouble I can still attack the strike zone and I have guys behind me who will help me get out of innings is great to have the behind me.”

The Hawks were down, but not out. Eric Wert started the comeback in top of the sixth, when he singled to right. Albus aided his own his cause by singling also to right, with Wert darting to third. Up stepped Matt Martinez, who laced a scorcher to center, scoring Wert and Albus, slicing the Emmaus lead to 3-2.

But the Hawks wasted a potentially game-changing inning. With still no one out, Cole Herschman sacrifice bunted. The ball was gobbled up by Deschenes, who uncorked a wild throw to first base, allowing Herschman to reach on an error. With runners on first and second, Jaden Clements whiffed and the Hawks’ next batter, Peter Martinez, grounded into a double play.

Emmaus took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning when Noah Hogan hit an RBI single. Hogan missed out on a second RBI on the single when Foley, attempting to score from second base, was tagged out by catcher Matt Martinez at home, after a throw from left fielder Gavin Kirsch and a relay from Tony Martinez.

The Hornets broke on top in the first thanks to a Hawk defensive boner. With two runners on and one out, Emmaus hitter Tyler LePage reached first on an error, scoring Blake Schantz and Gallagher to give Emmaus a 2-0 advantage.

Albus perhaps deserved a fate better. In six innings and 91 pitches, he relinquished two earned runs on just two hits. His albatross may well have been control, as he threw only 48 strikes, issued six walks and pitched behind in the count often. While he was at times shaky, he managed to survive to pitch the entire game and more important, keep his team in it.

“Chase did his part,” said Corsi. “We came back. We were down 2-0 and we didn’t know if we were getting a hit.”

Emmaus took on Parkland in Tuesday’s league semifinal, which was played after Press deadline. The winner of that game was slated to meet the winner of the Pleasant Valley-Liberty match up in Wednesday’s title game.

“We find ways to win,” said Haas. “Whether it’s pretty or ugly, it doesn’t really matter.”