With just two seniors, the Northwestern Tigers are a fairly young team.

That didn’t matter Monday in their season opener, which turned out to be a four-inning 20-4 mercy rule win over Saucon Valley.

Two freshmen hitters had big days as Morgan Farthing launched a grand slam and Brynn Balliet cracked a two-run home run to center in the 19-hit onslaught.

After the Tigers scored four first-inning runs, Balliet led off the second with a triple down the left field line. A hit batter and a walk loaded the bases with one out and Farthing went deep to left to bust the game wide open.

“I just knew once it hit the bat that it was gone,” said Farthing of the grand slam in just her second varsity at-bat. She also singled, walked and tripled in the game, driving in a total of five runs for Northwestern.

While she’s a freshman, coach Josh Zimmerman pointed out that Farthing has a lot of experience on the softball field. “She plays a lot of tournament ball and she’s a softball girl year-round and it really shows,” said Zimmerman.

With two outs and nobody on in the third, sophomore Molly Mitman singled to right and stole her second base of the game. Anna and Emily Akelaitis hit back-to-back doubles to make it 10-0 and one out later, senior Ashley Sisco singled to drive in the third run of the inning.

In the fourth, Balliet stepped to the plate with a runner on first and hit a long home run to dead center to start a stretch of seven straight hits for the Tigers, which was interrupted only by a fielder’s choice and a hit batter before Balliet doubled to left-center to end the game.

“I’m really proud of the way that all of the freshmen responded today,” said Zimmerman. “They really responded well and kept their heads in the game and eliminated the mental mistakes. I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Even though it’s a small senior class, Farthing believes that the seniors – Emily Akelaitis and Ashley Sisco – have played a big role in helping the younger players to adjust to playing at the varsity level.

“All of us communicate really well and we’ve bonded well,” said Farthing. “All of the freshmen have fit in well because the seniors have welcomed us and that’s made it easier.”

SPEED BURNER ... If Mitman singles, which she did three times, you might as well just have her go to second base. Three times she reached base and promptly stole second to get into scoring position, and all three times she was driven home.

THE LAST TIME ... The 20 runs were the most by the Tigers since April 24, 2017 against Moravian Academy, which doesn’t have a team this season. Later that year the team put up 19 runs in a win at Catasauqua. It’s been at least five years since they put up 20 runs on their home field. Their largest output last season was 16 runs, which they did three times — once against Catty and twice against Moravian.

Saucon Valley 000 4 - 4 5 1

Northwestern 443 9 - 20 19 1

Je. Barbera, Frace (3), Je. Barbera (4) and Ja. Barbera, Rudolph (4); E. Akelaitis, Balliet (4) and A. Akelaitis, Stofflett (4). W - E. Akelaitis. L - Je. Barbera. HR: Northwestern - Farthing (2nd, three on), Balliet (4th, one on).