Lehigh-Bethlehem won its Pennsylvania Senior Connie Mack State Tournament opener against Harleysville, 7-4, on July 24 at Limeport Stadium, Coopersburg.

The Harleysville Hornets jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning, but Lehigh-Bethlehem responded with three runs of its own in the bottom of the third.

“It was not the start we wanted, but, you know, against this team, and what we have at the plate, 3-0 wasn’t really a super big concern, especially that early in the game,” said Lehigh-Bethlehem manager Ryan Beck. “We thought we had time, and we battled back pretty quick.”

Lucas Paulino drew a leadoff walk, and Jacob Lichtenwalner’s RBI single to left field scored Ezerett Frack, running for Paulino.

“I swung at a little bit of a high pitch, and I pulled it foul, and the second time, I waited and drove it right over the third baseman for a single,” Lichtenwalner said. “I just took off. I don’t really watch the ball. It felt good. It felt good to put us in the game. I wasn’t really concerned. I knew we would bounce back. We usually come back.”

David Dunham walked, and Andrew Erfle reached first base on an error, but Lichtenwalner scored, and Dunham crossed home to tie the game.

In the top of the fourth inning, Frack made a nice defensive play, knocking down a hard hit ball at second base to make the out at first.

Braden Beck’s backhanded catch at first base robbed Harleysville of a hit in the fifth inning.

Winning pitcher Cole Collins delivered six strikeouts in the game, forced a double play, and saw his defense catch Harleysville in a rundown.

“They were hitting the fastball, but then we scored three, and once we went back out there, I felt good,” Collins said. “A lot of off-speed pitches were working and no runs up until that sixth inning. Just show fight, trust the defense, go out there, pitch-by-pitch, just keep working, fighting back, and it worked out. There were no more runs, basically, after that second inning.”

Collins, a Connie Mack veteran, and Paulino, a Connie Mack rookie catcher, have been working well together.

“Personally, I’ve had to step up a little more,” said Collins. “Last year, we had a lot of older kids, but now that I’m one of the older kids, I think the pressure and the role on the team has changed. Just got to be a leader and go out there and try to win. [Lucas] is good. I like it. He knows what I want to throw, we talk in-between innings, what’s working, what’s not. He does everything you could ask for.”

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Dunham tripled to the left field fence, diving headfirst to third base.

Andrew Erfle drove in Dunham, Frack drove in Erfle, and Xavier Ryan scored on a throw to second base.

Dunham relieved Collins in the top of the sixth with two runners on base and gave up one run.

Lehigh-Bethlehem scored its seventh run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

“It’s exciting,” said Coach Beck, regarding state playoffs. “It’s a different vibe, for sure.”