For the third time this season, Northwestern Lehigh and Southern Lehigh faced each other on the diamond.

After splitting their two regular season games, the foes met in the Colonial League semifinals Monday where the Tigers downed Southern Lehigh 7-3 behind a strong outing from Carter Welch.

Welch - who was facing the Spartans for the third time this year - not only handled things on the mound, he also joined Justin Holmes and Randall Zack in collecting two hits each in the game. Zack also scored a run, while Welch and Holmes each scored twice. Meanwhile, Nick Henry drove in two runs.

Northwestern (17-4) opened the game with three runs in the bottom of the first. Welch led off with a double to left center, and Rafe Perich followed with a double to almost the same spot. Holmes’ single put runners on first and third, setting up a Henry sacrifice fly on a little pop up to short right field. Ryan Kensinger later delivered an RBI single to make it 3-0.

Welch retired the first six batters he faced until Mike Andrews led off the third with a base hit. Welch then put down the next five batters before a two-out single by Matt Tankred in the fourth. Two more singles followed to load the bases before Welch walked Andrews to make it 3-1.

“I worked more with off-speed pitches than I did the first couple times I faced them,” said Welch of his strategy coming into the game. “I used the fastball to keep them off balance, and to get them to chase some pitches.”

Holmes doubled to center to lead off the third and advanced on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Dylan Witkowski that turned into a hit. Ben Boyer’s ground ball to second allowed Holmes to score, making it 4-1 in favor of the Tigers. For a team with a lot of power and strong hitters, Northwestern played some small ball, collecting three bunt singles and getting a sacrifice bunt in the game.

“Trust me, we work on bunting all the time,” said Northwestern coach Duran Porrino. “Even before the game we set up our machine and we worked on bunting. In our mind, it keeps certain guys out of hitting into double plays and puts guys in scoring position for us.

“Our kids have bought into it, and that’s the biggest thing because sometimes high school kids don’t want to bunt and aren’t used to bunting, but our guys have really bought into it.”

The third bunt single of the day came in the bottom of the sixth when Zack dropped a bunt and beat it out to open the inning. Romig bunted him to second, and an error allowed Zack to score the Tigers’ fifth run. Another error and two hit batters pushed across two more runs, breaking the game open.

The Spartans (13-7) had threatened at times throughout the game, but couldn’t get the big hit they needed to produce runs.

In the seventh, with Perich on in relief, Justin Balliet reached on an error and one out later, Gavin Bealer launched a long home run to left to make it 7-3. Perich settled in and put down the rally without any further damage.

FAMILIAR FACES ... The semifinal meeting was the fourth straight Colonial League Championship Series that saw Northwestern and Southern Lehigh meet in the semifinals. The familiarity doesn’t end there. For the third time in the past four championships, Northwestern will face Notre Dame Green Pond (17-4) for the league title Thursday afternoon at Saucon Valley High School. The Crusaders won the two other meetings, leaving the Tigers looking for their first league championship since 2003.

WHO’S NEXT ... One problem all season has been finding someone to step up on the mound behind Welch. After reaching the 100-pitch mark against Southern Lehigh and having to exit, Welch will be unavailable to pitch against Notre Dame, and Porrino isn’t sure where he’ll turn for a starter. “We have to sit down as a staff and figure out who we’re going to go with. It’s been tough finding someone to step up, so hopefully, with it being playoffs, someone will take over that spot,” said Porrino.

So. Lehigh 000 100 2 - 3 7 2

Northwestern 301 103 x - 7 10 1

Tankred, G. Bealer (6) and Woodring; Welch, Perich (6) and Kensinger. W - Welch. L - Tankred. HR: Southern Lehigh - G. Bealer (7th, one on).