BANGOR - Palmerton and Bangor battled in an exciting Colonial League baseball game Thursday afternoon that was decided by some late-game heroics.

Max Siu slapped the game-winning single to cap a three-run seventh inning rally as the Slaters remained unbeaten in league play with a 4-3 victory.

“It was a great game between two of the top teams in the league,” Palmerton head coach Tyler Svetik said. “Chase (Reph) pitched great. We couldn’t have asked any more of him. We were making plays all day.

“But give credit to Bangor, they came up in the last innings and got the runs they needed to win. Overall, a great game. I’m proud of my guys,”

Leading 2-1 heading into the seventh, Palmerton tacked on another run when Trey Sterling walked with one out, stole second and third, and scored on a Cole Serfass RBI single.

That looked like it might be enough for the Bombers as Reph was in command up until that point, limiting the hard-hitting Slaters to one run through the first six innings.

The walk Reph referred to came to Blake Kornafel to start the bottom of the seventh inning. Lukas Netznik relieved at that point, and Hunter Rydell greeted him with an RBI double to make it 3-2. Cody Quagliato followed with an RBI single to tie the game. It looked like Netznik might escape the jam after a sacrifice and a strikeout produced a pair of outs, but Siu had other plans as he delivered a game-winning single.

“I pitched well, and my fielders helped me out,” Reph said. “I just know I have to throw strikes, and my fielders have my back for me. We were playing well up until the last inning. It didn’t help that I walked the first kid, and then they hit the ball around. I trust my fielders a lot. They make a lot of plays for me out there, and we just played great defense the whole entire game.”

Palmerton had taken an early 2-0 lead in the first inning when leadoff hitter Daniel Lucykanish was hit by the pitch and scored on a Serfass RBI double. Nate Steinmetz then singled home Serfass.

WINNING STREAKS COME AND GO ... Bangor improved to 11-0 in Colonial League play and 12-1 overall. The Slaters only loss was a 4-3 setback to Nazareth on April 15. They have now won three straight since that loss. The Blue Bombers fall to 6-4 in league play and 8-4 overall.

DEFENSIVE PLAYS RULE ... Palmerton’s Lucykanish made a spectacular play in center field to save two runs for the Blue Bombers in the first inning. The Bombers also made a great play to cut down a potential Bangor run in the third inning as left fielder Steinmetz made a perfect throw to shortstop Netznik, who relayed the ball to catcher Serfass in time to nail Rydell.

Palmerton 200 000 1 - 3 5 3

Bangor 001 000 3 - 4 8 0

Reph, Netznik (7) and Serfass; Campbell, LaBarre (7) and Aulisi. W - LaBarre. L - Netznik.