Players want to be on the field for every pitch of a game.

The girls on the Northwestern Lehigh softball team are no different, but they also realize that giving way to a young player for a few innings isn’t a bad thing.

First, it means that your team has the game pretty well in hand and coach Kate Farber can give the starters a little rest. Second, they know that younger players gaining experience makes the team deeper.

The plan has worked perfectly for Northwestern this season as young players get to see time on the field thanks to the success of the starters and the team in general.

In just the second inning of Monday’s game against Jim Thorpe, Farber sent six pinch hitters – three freshmen, two juniors, and a sophomore - to the plate, and they all reached base in the Tigers 19-0 win.

“We’ve been really fortunate that our starters get off to a nice hot start,” said Farber. “And we’re able to get our young players into games. They do a really nice job. We’ve gotten them all in, sometimes all at once, sometimes a couple here and there, but we’ve had a lot of games for them to see time.”

Starting pitcher Lizzie Diehl retired the first six hitters she saw before surrendering a leadoff single to start the third against JT.

Of the nine hitters that Diehl retired, she struck out seven of them.

The hit by Montefour was the only ball hit out of the infield by the Olympians. Diehl has seen added time in the circle this season and has gotten noticed for her success.

Next fall, Diehl will be pitching for Lock Haven University as she continues her softball career in college.

Offensively, Northwestern sent 12 hitters to the plate in the first inning and another 15 to the plate in the second inning. They came through with 10 hits – eight of them singles – and they drew 10 walks. In the first inning alone, every player either scored a run or drove in a run as the Tigers took a 7-0 lead.

In the second, the first six hitters reached base and Farber started the roll call of players off the bench.

Lexie Zentz and Anna Seyler drew bases loaded walks and after a Natalie Conner single to drive in two runs Evelyn Alboucq walked to reload the bases. Freshman Payton Shafer then pinch-hit with a hard groundball through the middle of the infield to drive in a pair of runs that made it 16-0.

Annabelle Dynda drew the eighth walk of the game for Northwestern to reload the bases.

Another walk to pinch-hitter Emily Diehl pushed another run across the plate, and her big sister Lizzy followed with a two-run double for a 19-0 lead.

“It’s a little tough sometimes when you don’t get too many chances,” said Shafer. “But it’s a lot of fun being on this team and learning more from the older players.

“I am so happy I have gotten to play with this team. It’s a big switch from middle school to high school, and I’m picking up a lot. I got so used to watching my brother play baseball that I wanted to play something. It just seemed too cool and it’s been really fun.”

Northwestern also had a 14-3 win at Lehighton and a 4-3 win at Palmerton last week. They go into the postseason with a 12 game winning streak.

During the streak they have averaged a little over 12 runs per game and have scored double-digit runs in 10 of those games. They also won by double digits in eight games during the streak. They have allowed no more than four runs in a game and just 16 total runs in the 12 wins.

For senior Lizzie Diehl, it’s been the type of season that every senior should get the chance to experience.

She has had more opportunities to pitch and has come through at the plate. And she is part of a team that has fun playing games and has a history of postseason success.

“We’re in a good position going into the postseason, but we know that it gets tougher the further you go,” said Diehl. “We’ve shown that our offense is capable of putting up a lot of runs and our pitching is ready for the postseason, so I like where we’re at right now.

“We have a target on us, but we’re ready to go.”

The Tigers have had a spot both in the Colonial League playoffs and District 11 playoffs wrapped up for a while now.

With the regular season completed, the Tigers will be the top seed in league playoffs and will host Salisbury Friday in the quarterfinal round.