When a softball team averages over nine runs per league game and allows just over one run per league game, it’s easy to have success and rack up wins.

That’s what Northwestern Lehigh has done in its first five games, all of which have been wins and two that have been shutouts. The Lady Tigers are one of just three teams in the Colonial League that remain undefeated in league games.

Emma Freeman was up to her usual standards on Tuesday as she threw a complete game no-hitter against Saucon Valley, striking out 14 batters along the way. It’s the second complete game shutout of the season for Freeman, who beat Northern Lehigh 5-0, allowing just two hits in the season opener.

Northwestern banged out nine hits with Abby Dunstan reaching base in all four plate appearances with two hits and two walks.

Dunstan also drove in a run and scored in three of the four times she was on base. Over her last four games, Dunstan is 11-for-14 (.786) with two home runs, 11 RBI, and 10 runs scored. On the season, the junior catcher is hitting .650 with three homers and 15 RBI.

Rylee McGinley continues to set the table for the Lady Tigers as their leadoff hitter. The senior is one of just three players to hit safely in all six of Northwestern Lehigh’s games this season – Freeman and freshman Natalie Conner are the other two – and is batting .500 (11-for-22) with nine runs scored. Freeman is second on the team in hitting at .556 and Conner is batting .455.

Conner launched her first varsity home run in a 10-4 win over Southern Lehigh in a game where she also singled and doubled to drive in three runs. Dunstan also homered in that game and was 4-for-4 with three runs scored, while Freeman picked up three hits, scored twice and drove in two runs.

Freeman pitched the game and gave up two earned runs in seven innings with 10 strikeouts.

Freeman and Lizzie Diehl have been phenomenal in the circle this season with Freeman posting a 1.75 ERA and Diehl a 1.40 ERA. Freeman has 49 strikeouts in 32 innings.

In a nonleague game at Hamburg, sophomore Ainsley Behler played her first game of the season and took advantage of the starting role as the extra player to go 3-for-4 and score three runs in a 13-2 win for the Tigers. McGinley, Freeman and Dunstan all had two hits as the first three batters in the order, giving them a combined 6-for-10 with 10 RBI, thanks to McGinley’s five RBI day.

Freshman Samantha Boyer had two hits and scored three times and in her first five varsity games is 6-for-12 for Northwestern.

The Tigers (4-0 Colonial, 5-1 overall) will play their next three games on the road at Palmerton (2-2, 2-3), Catasauqua (0-1, 0-1), and Notre Dame of Green Pond (4-0, 5-0).