For a team with a history of success like the Northwestern Lehigh softball team, a stretch of two losses in three games is a definite slump.

Since then the Tigers are looking more like their old selves and have put together six straight wins. One of the wins came in what could be considered a preview of a Colonial League or District 11 playoff matchup.

Northwestern and Palmerton are no strangers to playing big games against each other and they met for the first to two regular season games against each other last Friday. Northwestern showed off its offensive ability a in a 9-4 win over the Blue Bombers.

Abby Dunstan had a double and a home run against Palmerton to pace the offense, but she had a lot of help. Emma Freeman and Ainsley Behler both had three hits with Freeman scoring two runs and Behler adding a run scored.

In the two games, Freeman went 5-for-6 (.833) with three runs scored and four RBI for the Lady Tigers.

Freeman also pitched all seven innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits and a walk. The senior struck out four hitters.

Freeman had a day off from pitching when Northwestern played Palisades.

Behler handled the duties in the circle and threw five shutout innings with six strikeouts in a 10-0 win that was shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule.

Behler has been one of the emerging players for the Tigers this season. She hit .571 (4-for-7) in the two games.

Shortstop Natalie Conner and catcher Abby Dunstan both had four hits over the two games and were extra base machines.

Conner delivered three doubles, including two in the win over Palmerton while Dunstan doubled and had two home runs in the two games. Dunstan has now homered in each of the last four games for Northwestern.

The Tigers (12-3 overall, 11-1 Colonial) have clinched a spot in the district playoffs and are currently the third seed behind Blue Mountain and Palmerton (12-2, 10-2).

The Bombers and Tigers meet again in the regular season finale on April 30. That final game could determine a lot, especially in the Colonial League playoff picture.

Northwestern currently leads Palmerton by a game in the league standings and that finale could not only pull them even but decide the tiebreaker as well.

This week, Northwestern hosts Lehighton (6-8, 5-7) and then plays at Northern Lehigh (8-5, 7-5) on Saturday.