LIMEPORT _ Coach Erich Klein has given his Northern Valley Chargers a new nickname — the “Chippers.”

The name came about because the team has a way of just chipping away at its opponents’ lead until it turns into a Northern Valley win.

That was exactly how the opening game of the PA State Connie Mack tournament went Thursday at Limeport Stadium as Northern Valley fought back to take a 6-4 win over Hatboro-Horsham in its opening game of the double-elimination tournament.

“We just don’t like to keep a lead, but we always fight back,” said Klein. “They’re a great group of kids, and none of these kids quit. We preach that, but they do it on their own.”

Much of the credit for the win goes to pitcher Cole Dynda, who took over on the mound for Watson Church with the Chargers down 4-2. Dynda completely shut down Hatboro-Horsham with three perfect innings of relief that included seven strikeouts. His performance gave the NV offense a chance to again chip away.

Northern Valley actually took a quick 1-0 lead when Church led off the game with a triple to left and Cannon Fitch drove him home with an RBI groundball. Later, Dynda and Coy Daubert both walked but were stranded on base.

Meanwhile, Watson worked through a scoreless first two innings thanks to some help from his defense which turned a double play in each of the innings. The second-inning double play came with runners on first and second and one out to help get Church out of the jam.

Church struggled with his command in the third and issued three walks. An error also contributed to the problem as the Heat put up a four-run inning.

The bottom of the fourth started with Hatboro pitcher Stone Deacon getting the first two outs in easy fashion before he hit Brayden Buskirk with a pitch. Courtesy runner Landon Rosado stole second and, on the throw, the ball sailed into center field, allowing Rosado to move to third and prompting a pitching change by the Heat. Christopher Vargas greeted pitcher Makhi English with a groundball into left field that brought in Buskirk to make it 4-2.

Dynda then came in to pitch and immediately sent a message to the Hatboro-Horsham hitters by striking out the side in the fifth.

NV manufactured a run in the bottom of the inning to narrow the lead to 4-3. With one out, Dynda walked and promptly stole both second and third before Daubert lifted a sacrifice fly to center field.

Northern Valley showed plenty of discipline at the plate in the home sixth as English walked two of the first three hitters he faced before being replaced by Chase Kollar, who walked Vargas to load the bases. Church then scorched a line drive that went off first baseman Tristan Jones’ glove for a single which tied the score. Fitch walked to force in a run and make it 5-4 before Kaden Moyer launched a sacrifice fly to left for an insurance run.

“I think my pitching really helped us, but obviously, our offense drawing walks and getting hits when we needed them was the reason why we were able to come back and win,” said Dynda.

As far as Dynda was concerned, insurance wasn’t really necessary as he again struck out the side in the seventh to end the game and send Hatboro-Horsham into the loser’s bracket and Northern Valley on to a Saturday game against Morelanders — the No. 2 team from the Bux-Mont League.

“We’re a pretty confident team and we know the games are going to get tougher, but we are all together and we pick each other up, so we’re confident we can keep winning,” said Dynda.

AN AUDITION? ... Dynda didn’t pitch for Northwestern Lehigh during his freshman season, but may have earned himself a look for the 2025 season.

LIMEPORT HISTORY … Limeport Stadium has plenty of history to its credit, and now also has an unprecedented run as the home of the PA Connie Mack tournament as it is hosting the event for the fourth straight season.

Hatboro 004 000 0 - 4 5 2

No. Valley 100 113 x - 6 6 1

Deacon, English (4), Kollar (6) and Greenberg; Church, Dynda (5) and Buskirk. W - Dynda. L - English.