Maybe Brian Taschler saw the signs. Or perhaps he could sense what was coming.

Less than 24 hours after watching an early lead slip away against Southern Lehigh, the Palmerton mentor hit pause.

With the Blue Bombers still clinging to a narrow advantage in Tuesday’s non-league game against Jim Thorpe, Taschler brought his team together, imploring his players to find a spark — put a charge into their efforts to finish what they started.

Taschler got what he wanted.

A late rally helped Palmerton secure a 4-2 win over Jim Thorpe. Brock Bollinger’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth inning gave the Bombers a 3-2 lead, and Ben Serfass padded the advantage with a two-out hit to score Devyn Rehrig.

“I think it goes back to (Monday) night,” Taschler said, referencing the 4-2 loss to the Spartans. “It was a long night; we had the energy sapped out of us, and I had to get it going. And once we got the energy back, then we played Palmerton baseball.”

The Bombers (4-3) built a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Eric Nothstein’s single scored Serfass, and Zach Silfies later raced home on a wild pitch. Serfass and Silfies drew back-to-back walks to open the game before Tanner Burnett singled to load the bases.

But an air of déjà vu crept in. The offense went silent much like it did after taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first against Southern Lehigh on Monday.

Palmerton had just two baserunners after the first inning before Ryan King opened the bottom of the sixth with a double. Rehrig followed with a bunt that managed to get down on the infield, jump-starting the rally.

“The small ball, it helped us win today,” said Rehrig, who went 2-for-3. “Our coaches always know what’s best, and we just go off their leadership and play as hard as we can.”

The Olympians (3-4) chipped away, and broke through in the third when Noah Snisky scored on a throwing error to cut the lead to 2-1. The junior reached on an error and moved into scoring position by stealing second and third.

Thorpe’s No. 9 hitter, Ian Hubbard, delivered a one-out single in the fourth to bring home Jared Marykwas and tie it at 2-2.

But Blake Eitner, pitching in relief of Tyler Roe, worked out of trouble as the Olympians left the bases loaded. Roe struck out five and allowed three hits in three innings of work before Eitner came in.

“That’s an extremely tough spot,” Taschler said of Eitner. “That was his first mound action of the year, which is huge. To bring a kid in out of the field that hasn’t pitched all year ... in a close game, you can’t coach that. That’s character; that’s the character of the individual.”

Eitner settled in after the fourth, allowing just one baserunner over the final three innings.

“It was a big confidence booster,” said Eitner. “It helped a lot, and hopefully I can get some spots in over the next few games.”

Jim Thorpe stranded nine runners in the contest, and eight over the first four innings.

“Unfortunately, when you’re playing good teams and facing good pitching, sometimes you can’t always cash in,” said Olympians coach Joseph Marykwas. “They made some plays … we played sound baseball, we just didn’t get the breaks. If we make a play or two, then we’re there.”

Jim Thorpe starter Colin Binder went the distance, allowing six hits and striking out three while allowing just the two walks to open the game.

NOT DONE YET

… Palmerton will play five games in the span of six days this week. The Bombers face Salisbury (Thursday), Notre Dame (Friday) and Nativity (Saturday) during what could be a crucial part of the season. “We just want to keep building off what we did today, and we want to win the rest of the week. To go one above .500 right now is huge, and we’ve got three more games this week, so it’s going to be a tough stretch,” said Taschler.

QUICK TURNAROUND

… Jim Thorpe will take the field again today against Lehighton.

HURRY UP AND WAIT

... There was a weather delay in the top of the first inning after a brief storm passed through the area. Snisky opened the game with a single and Roe recorded a strikeout before players were sent to the dugouts. The teams were able to return to the field at 4:20.

Jim Thorpe 001 100 0 - 2 5 1

Palmerton 200 002 x - 4 6 4

Roe, Eitner (4) and Burnett, Bollinger (5); Binder and Schwartz. W - Eitner. L - Binder.