After escaping a bases loaded, one-out jam in the top of the seventh inning to send the game to extra innings, Catasauqua plated a run in the bottom of the eighth to defeat Pen Argyl, 4-3, in Colonial League baseball action at home on Tuesday.

Tied at three, the Rough Riders (4-3, 3-3 Colonial League) loaded the bases with one out on singles by Joey Conway and Luis Collazo, sandwiched around a Reece Lopez walk. Then, Steel Martell was hit by a pitch to bring home Conway with the winning run.

“We play every out of every inning of every game,” said Steve Bradley, Catasauqua manager. “That is what we tell them. We try not to give anything away and we try to take everything we can. That’s our mantra and, so far, they have been doing it.”

Pitching and defense kept Catty close throughout. The Rough Riders stranded 10 Green Knights on base for the game, as Pen Argyl left the bases loaded in the first and seventh innings. Then in the top of the eighth with the go-ahead run on base, a diving catch in right field by Trever Hartzell ended the Green Knights’ threat.

“We know we have to play good defense,” Bradley said. “Early in the season, we booted some balls. We didn’t play badly. We gave teams their runs, and now we’re not giving them their runs. We stopped giving and started taking.”

Alex Bolmer gave Catty a strong start on the mound, allowing just three runs in 6.1 innings and striking out five before leaving with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh.

“I was missing the zone a little bit (early),” Bolmer said. “I just trusted my defense and they made plays.”

Reese Savercool relieved Bolmer and got the last two outs in the seventh on a strikeout and pop-up, then finished the game in the eighth for the Rough Riders.

“I just had to get the game over with, throw strikes and get out of the inning,” Savercool said.

Both pitchers performed well against a strong team, explained Bradley.

“I am so very proud of our pitchers,” he said. “Alex pitched a great game today and Reese is stone solid. He just goes out there and throws strikes.”

Pen Argyl jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an RBI walk from Ryder Rutt and an RBI single from Luca Albanese. The Roughies came right in the bottom of the first to tie the game at two, with RBI singles from Conway and Martell scoring Asael Gonzalez and Cody Roth.

The Green Knights retook a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning when a groundout from Rocco DeCesare scored Cayden Vishnesky. Catty tied it at three in the bottom of the sixth, when Lopez doubled and scored on a Martell groundout.

Martell knocked in three runs in all for the Rough Riders, who now move over .500 for the season overall after their third straight win.

“I love to see it because we work hard at practice every single day and it’s truly paying off this season,” Bolmer said. “In other seasons, we tended to struggle with errors and stuff, but this year we are definitely putting it all together.”

The Rough Riders will head back into South Division play on Friday at home against Salisbury, with Savercool scheduled to start.

“We just have to keep it rolling and keep doing what we’re doing,” Savercool said. “I have to pitch a good game, trust my fielders, and we have to put the bat on the ball.”

Following Friday’s game against Salisbury, the Rough Riders will travel to Palisades for another league game on Saturday.

“We have two competitive games coming up (against Salisbury and Palisades),” Bradley said. “Our pitching has done a good job. Defense is key and we are swinging a good stick. Our attitude has been fantastic and that’s what sets the tone, the attitude of a team. We have great senior leadership.”

Next week, the Rough Riders are scheduled to host Jim Thorpe on Monday and travel to Lehighton on Wednesday.