A stellar pitching performance from Brandon Ratti allowed the Birches to post a NORCO win over Nazareth on Friday.

Elsewhere, Northern Valley routed Stroudsburg in Connie Mack play.

NORCO LEGION

Nazareth-Birches

Brandon Ratti pitched a three-hit shutout to lead the Birches to a 1-0 Northampton County Legion victory over Nazareth.

Ratti walked two and struck out five in outdueling Ashton Johnson. The Nazareth hurler gave up four hits and no walks, while fanning five.

The Birches, who improved to 6-6-1, pushed across the only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Nate Loch led off with a triple and Jack Smale hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Loch.

Ryan Kymer had a double, and Nate Mostosky and Austin Ratti had singles to account for the Birches’ other hits.

Nazareth 000 000 0 - 0 3 0

Birches 000 100 x - 1 4 1

W - B. Ratti. L - Johnson.

LV CONNIE MACK

Northern Valley-Stroudsburg

Nine different players had hits for Northern Valley, who rolled to a 12-3 Connie Mack victory over Stroudsburg.

Sam Mauro, Zach Russo, Josh Lichman, Bobby Croneberger and Shaun O’Donnell all had two hits for the Chargers. Croneberger scored three runs, while Lichman crossed home twice. Lichman and O’Donnell also knocked in a pair of runs.

The winners, who raced to a 5-0 first-inning lead, also received two RBIs from John Meltsch. Wesley George chipped in with a hit and two runs.

Croneberger also picked up the mound win with relief help from George.

Northern Valley 511 401 - 12 14 4

Stroudsburg 002 010 - 3 6 7

Croneberger, George (5) and Russo; Sopko, Gizzo (2), Civico (4) and Kirby. W - Croneberger. L - Sopko.

Palmerton-Moore Township

Moore Township scored runs in every inning to earn a 12-2 Connie Mack league victory over Palmerton.

Jed Colyer had four hits and scored a run for the winners, while Owen Laury added three hits, three runs and two RBIs.

Palmerton received a pair of hits and two runs from Trey Sterling. Kaleb Eitner chipped in with a hit and an RBI.

Moore’s Sam Erschen earned the win, allowing just one earned run and striking out four in four innings.

Palmerton 101 000 - 2 6 3

Moore Township 122 142 - 12 12 0

Netznik, N. Stroup (4) and T. Stroup; Erschen, Fosko (5) and Colyer. W - Erschen. L - Netznik.

Jim Thorpe-Becahi

Becahi scored all its run in the first three innings in dealing Jim Thorpe an 8-2 Connie Mack league loss.

Winning pitcher Jaiden Ellis-Lahey allowed only three hits and struck out four. At the plate, he helped his own cause with a hit and two RBIs. Becahi also received two hits and a run from John Reichard.

For Thorpe, Adam Romanchik had a hit and scored a run. Casey McArdle and Andrew Bosi had the other hits, while Rick Strack scored the team’s other run. Strack also tossed three innings of hitless relief.

Jim Thorpe 000 200 0 - 2 3 5

Becahi 125 000 x - 8 8 1

Romanchik, Strack (3), Yurchak (6); Ellis-Lahey. W - Ellis-Lahey. L - Romanchik.