Greg King knows the frustration of watching one get away.

King has watched his Northern Lehigh baseball team suffer six losses by three runs or less this season, each time knowing a play here or there could have swung the outcome in his side’s favor.

The Bulldogs weren’t about to let it happen again on Tuesday.

Northern Lehigh rallied late, stringing together key hits when it mattered most to knock off Jim Thorpe 6-4 in a non-league game.

“It’s very important for us,” said King. “We’ve been struggling all year. We’ve had a lot of games where we were close, and we were in it, but couldn’t put it away, letting games we could have won slip away.

“It was good to finally execute offensively.”

There were no moon shots or towering blasts, the Bulldogs (4-11) simply took what they were given to package the winning runs.

Northern Lehigh used small ball to spark a three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead.

Starting pitcher Alec Berger hit into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded to score Chase Misera to tie the game at 4-4. Daulton Lorrah followed with a bunt that plated Luke Eitner to give the Bulldogs a 5-4 advantage, and Josh Kistler delivered a sacrifice fly to score Berger.

Eitner finished 2-for-4, including a two-out, two-run double that gave Northern Lehigh a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Misera finished with two hits and a run scored.

“This whole season, it seems we haven’t been able to put the hammer down and put teams away,” said Eitner. “But today we could, and it felt good.”

The Olympians (6-9) took an early lead when James Lordi polished off a nine-pitch at-bat with a double to score Noah Snisky and make it 1-0 in the top of the first.

But Caleb Wanamaker gave the Bulldogs more timely hitting in the bottom of the frame, producing a two-out RBI single to score Aaron Rudolph to tie it at 1-1.

After Eitner’s double in the second, Jim Thorpe took advantage of several Northern Lehigh fielding miscues to grab a 4-3 lead in the top of the third.

“A lot of games, it’s fun to be winning by multiple runs, being up by five, being up by three or even four,” said Rudolph. “But in a game like that, when it’s close, 4-3, to me it’s even more fun. There’s pressure added behind it, and it just makes you want to play at the best level you can for the team, because you know that each and every out counts.

“Whether you’re bunting and you’re doing your job, or you’re swinging away and trying to knock in those runs, every job is very important on a baseball field.”

Both sides had opportunities to break through early in the contest. The Bulldogs left the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, while the Olympians had the bags full in the top of the second.

“We didn’t play fundamental baseball,” said Jim Thorpe head coach Joseph Marykwas. “We made too many mistakes on the bases. It’s baseball. You have to have a short memory, and get ready to come back. We’re back tomorrow against Lehighton at home.

“We need to play clean baseball, and fundamental baseball. If we do that, I think we’re in every game. It’s just a matter of whether or not we do that, and we’re not doing it consistently enough right now.”

Olympians’ starting pitcher Jared Marykwas struck out five, allowing two earned runs while also collecting two hits at the plate. Jake Schwartz also had two singles.

MAKE THE MOST OF IT … Northern Lehigh’s two-run second inning started when Preston Bauer reached on a dropped third strike with two outs. Rudolph walked on four pitches, and Misera reached on an error to load the bases before Eitner connected for a double.

THE STRETCH RUN … Since an 8-7 win over Panther Valley April 17 put them one game over .500, Jim Thorpe has lost four straight and been outscored 39-14 during that stretch. After today’s game against Lehighton, the Olympians have just four games remaining this season.

CHANGE OF SCENERY … Northern Lehigh will take on Northwestern May 2 at Reading’s First Energy Stadium.

Jim Thorpe 103 000 0 - 4 7 7

No. Lehigh 120 030 x - 6 7 6

Berger, Bauer (5), Eitner (7) and Rudolph; Marykwas and Joyce. W - Bauer. L - Marykwas. S - Eitner.