Lehigh Bethlehem’s Senior Connie Mack baseball team made a painful exit from the Pennsylvania State Tournament after squandering an eight-run lead against Northampton on July 30 at Limeport Stadium in Coopersburg, Pa.

After Northampton tied the game, 2-2, in the second inning, Lehigh Bethlehem pitcher Cole Collins retired six straight Northampton batters.

Collins walked leadoff batter Joshua Carrasco in the fifth inning when Lehigh Bethlehem manager Paul Erfle made a pitching change.

Lehigh Bethlehem committed two errors in the inning, walked four, including Carrasco, and gave up five runs on two hits.

Coach Erfle made a second pitching change with two outs in the fifth inning that ended in a 10-7 score.

In the top of the sixth, Northampton loaded the bases and took an 11-10 lead on Carrasco’s 2 RBI double and tacked on another run in the seventh inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, Brayden Kashner’s RBI single to center field brought Lehigh Bethlehem within one run of a tie, and Colin Panik had a two-out single to center, but Northampton reliever Nate Kovach forced the last out to clinch a 12-11 win.

Andrew Erfle’s 2 RBI double to the left field corner in the bottom of the second inning for Lehigh Bethlehem propelled the home team to five more hits and an eight-run lead.

David Dunham had a big night at the plate with an RBI single that rolled into left field and an RBI double to center. Dunham also had a walk and a stolen base.

Lehigh Bethlehem’s loss was its second of the season. Its first was to Morelanders by a score of 16-5 on July 29.

Morelanders won the Connie Mack Baseball state championship on Aug. 2 with back-to-back victories over Plymouth Whitemarsh.