On a cold and blustery afternoon with wind chills in the 30s, throwing strikes is no easy task.

Those conditions played a big part in Palmerton’s last inning four-run rally to defeat Jim Thorpe, 5-4.

Trailing by three runs and facing their last at bats, Blue Bombers head coach Tyler Svetik told his hitters to take a first strike. The strategy worked perfectly against three Olympian relief pitchers who failed to induce an out during the home team’s winning rally.

Daniel Lucykanish led off with a walk followed by a single off the bat of Trey Sterling. Cole Serfoss was then hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Kaleb Eitner walked to force in a run to make the score 4-2. Luke Netznik walked on four pitches and Connor Beahm lifted a wind-blown fly to left field that dropped in for a game-tying RBI single. With the bases loaded again, Eitner scored on a wild pitch to produce the Bombers’ first win of the season.

“When we were down by four runs early, I told our team there was a lot of game left,” said Svetik. “It was a tough day to throw strikes and that worked to our advantage in the last inning.”

The game was scoreless until Jim Thorpe (1-1) put two runs on the board in the top of the fourth.

Drew Wimmer led off with a long double to right field and moved to third on a ground out. Wimmer scored on an RBI ground out by Tanner Yurchak. Chip Baldassano then drove in pinch-runner Matt Craigie, who replaced Evan Murphy after he drew a one-out walk.

The Olympians plated two more runs in the fifth. James Lordi led off with a booming double to right. With two outs, Wimmer doubled him home and he scored on a single by Jack Edwards.

Lordi, Thorpe’s starting pitcher, threw 4 2/3 hitless and scoreless innings and struck out 10 before being relieved in the fifth.

In the home sixth, Palmerton threatened to rally with a one-out double by Nate Steinmetz, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch his hit into a triple.

Ahead by three runs with three outs to get, JT head coach Joe Marykwas emptied his bullpen, but it was to no avail as the Bombers pulled out the victory.

“We played great for six innings,” said Marykwas, “but on certain days, every high school pitcher will have trouble throwing strikes. I told the kids to keep their head up. It’s a long season and let’s just get ready for next week.”

Svetik praised three of his pitchers for keeping the Olympian lead from getting bigger.

“Chase Reph came in for our starter, who had to leave with an injury, and then Luke came in and threw strikes to give us a chance to come back.”

THE TWILIGHT ZONE ... As heavy gray clouds loomed overhead, the strike zone eluded five Olympian hurlers who combined for 10 walks, two wild pitches and a hit batsman, and yet they allowed only three hits in the loss.

STELLAR DEFENSE ... Bombers shortstop Eitner fielded two ground balls over the second base bag to prevent potential RBI hits that might have increased Jim Thorpe’s lead.

UP NEXT ... Jim Thorpe travels to Williams Valley next Wednesday for a makeup game, while Palmerton visits Pen Argyl on Monday.

Jim Thorpe 000 220 0 - 4 8 0

Palmerton 000 010 4 - 5 3 0

Lordi, Edwards (5), Strack (7), Romanchik (7), Lienhard (7) and Wimmer; Horvath, Reph (3), Netznik (5) and Serfass. W - Netznik. L - Romanchik.