BETHLEHEM - Bethlehem Catholic used the long ball to take a nine-run lead early on its way to a 10-3 victory over Lehighton in Wednesday’s District 11 4A quarterfinal game.

The fourth-seeded Golden Hawks belted four home runs and slammed six doubles to advance to Sunday’s semifinal contest against top-seeded Tamaqua.

Lehighton head coach JC Dietz said the early onslaught took his team away from its game plan.

“We like to run,” he said. “We stole over 130 bases this season, but by falling behind 9-0, we couldn’t do what we do best.”

The Tribe (13-8) threatened to open the scoring in the top of the first. Aiden Rarick led off with a bouncing single up the middle, and Brady O’Donnell walked. Both advanced on a wild pitch.

With one out, Hawks’ hurler Phil Taylor struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

With one out in the home first, Collin Peacock lifted the first of his two home runs over the right field fence. The next batter - Brayden Rader - followed with another round tripper, again over the right field fence. Caden Deegan then doubled to right center, moved to third on a base hit by Zach McCoy and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dylan Pyle.

Becahi (17-7) added another run in the bottom of the second for a 4-0 lead on a double by Peacock, which scored Petros Tsihlis - who had reached on an error.

While the Tribe remained scoreless after three innings, the Hawks put up a five spot in their half of the third to go ahead, 9-0.

McCoy walked and Pyle homered. With one out, Joey Richards doubled to right center and scored on a double by Bryce Blawn. Peacock then homered again, and the Tribe was facing a large deficit heading into the fourth.

“We could have let the game go, but there is no quit in our team” said Dietz.

Lehighton rallied for three runs in the fifth. Dawson Keiser walked to lead off, but was forced out at second by Rarick’s ground ball. Rarick advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a passed ball. An infield single by Brady O’Donnell plated Rarick for the Tribe’s first run.

Adam Bastone singled O’Donnell to second base, and Michael Yeakel walked to load the bases. Carter Birnbaum singled in the second run, and the third run came across on an infield out by Cole Dietz.

The Hawks scored their 10th - and final - run in the sixth on doubles by Deegan and Pyle. Pyle finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Birnbaum, O’Donnell and Dietz all had RBIs for Lehighton.

After the game, coach Dietz told his team they had lost to a very good team, quoting assistant coach John Serfoss, “You don’t get to the EPC tournament finals if you’re not a good ballclub.”

That said, Dietz reflected on the game and the 2024 season.

“I thought our pitchers battled, but those fly balls over the fence put us in a difficult hole. We won 13 games in back-to-back seasons, and that’s largely credited to our seven seniors who put Lehighton baseball back on the map.

“We will miss them, and we extend our gratitude for the effort they’ve given us for the past four years.”

NINE FOR NINE … All nine starters for Bethlehem Catholic had hits, and the winners finished with 14.

PICK SIX? … Becahi has won five previous District titles, and will earn No. 6 if they can get by Tamaqua on Sunday.

DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN … The Tribe won 13 games last year and this year, and both years they lost to Bethlehem Catholic in the districts.

LEFT ON BASE … In six of the seven innings, Lehighton’s first hitter reached base with only Keiser scoring a run in the fifth-inning rally.

Lehighton 000 030 0 - 3 8 1

Bethlehem Cath. 315 001 x - 10 14 1

Lewis, Keiser (3), Birnbaum (3) and Light; Taylor, Cosciano (2), Fyrer (5) and Richards. W - Cosciano. L - Lewis. HR: Bethlehem Catholic - Peacock 2 (1st, none on; 3rd, one on), Rader (1st, none on), Pyle (3rd, one on).