BETHLEHEM - Four different momentum shifts happened Tuesday in Jim Thorpe’s 6-4 loss to Bethlehem Catholic in the quarterfinals of the District 11 Class 4A baseball tournament.

For the first four-and-a- half innings, the Olympians had their way with the second-seeded Hawks. Starting pitcher James Lordi was cruising along, allowing just two hits while fanning 11 of the 17 hitters he faced.

Meanwhile, JT had built a 3-0 lead. In the visitor’s second, Lordi lined a single to centerfield. He moved to third on a stolen base and a throwing error. After DJ Richebacher walked, Ian Henkels bounced an infield single over the mound driving in Lordi. Garrett Lienhard then laced a base hit to right scoring Richebacher, giving Thorpe a 2-0 lead.

The seventh-seeded Olympians would add another run in the top of the fifth. Michael Cadogan-Dougherty reached on an error and moved to second on a wild pitch. Richebacher, who drew three bases on balls in the contest, walked. Henkels singled and with two outs, Caiden Hurley drove in Cadogan-Dougherty. On the play, Richebacher was thrown out at the plate by the Hawks’ left fielder Gavin Hirsch.

The game then took a sudden turn and a momentum shift toward Becahi’s favor in the home half of the fifth.

Eric Wert slammed a long drive to right where Henkels got his glove on the ball, but when he crashed into the fence, it popped out and Wert raced all the way to third. After Chaise Albus walked on a full count, Matt Martinez belted a home run over the left center field fence, and just like that, the game was knotted at 3-3.

“We battled all game long,” said Jim Thorpe coach Joe Marykwas. “With a hit here or a play there, there might have been a different result. They made big plays, and the three-run homer really changed the way the game was going.”

Thorpe would regain the momentum and the lead in the sixth with one mighty swing by Ian Hubbard. JT’s senior catcher, who barely missed a dinger with a deep drive to the left field fence in the third, hit a laser beam over the right center fence for a 4-3 lead.

The one-run advantage was short-lived, however as Becahi (14-8) loaded the bases with no outs in the home sixth on two walks and a hit batter. Albus singled to center, plating two runs. With one out, Cole Hershman’s sacrifice fly to left scored Wert for what would be the final 6-4 score.

Marykwas was pleased with his team’s effort right through the final pitch as he reflected on a season in which the Olympians finished with a 12-9 record.

“I’m proud the way we fought hard, especially after we lost a whole year due to COVID,” he said. “Our seniors gave me everything they had and since they were freshmen, they changed the losing culture this program was known for. Now we need to keep it going forward.”

Thorpe was paced by three hits from Henkels, and two each from Lordi and Lienhard. The Hawks received two hits from Wert.

FENCE FREE FALL ... A pivotal play in the game was Wert’s drive that landed momentarily in Henkel’s glove, but JT’s right fielder’s momentum buckled the safety fence and his fall to the ground shook the ball free. With a stable fence in place, it’s quite possible the catch would have been made.

NEXT UP ... In the District 11 Class 4A semifinal matchups, Bethlehem Catholic will host North Schuylkill, a 3-2 winner over Saucon Valley, while top seeded Northwestern will be at home against Allentown Central after the Vikings’ 7-2 victory over Blue Mountain. Both games are scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

Jim Thorpe 020 011 0 - 4 10 0

Becahi 000 033 x - 6 5 3

Lordi, Codigan-Dougherty (5), Marykwas (6) and Hubbard; Albus, McNally (5), A. Martinez (7) and M. Martinez. W - McNally. L - Cadogan-Dougherty. HR: Jim Thorpe - Hubbard (6th, none on); Bethlehem Catholic - M. Martinez (5th, two on).