The Birches opened NORCO Legion playoff action with a shutout victory against Nazareth, while the Carbon Monarchs fell to North Parkland in their opening Lehigh Valley Legion playoff game.

Elsewhere, Palmerton and Northern Valley picked up Connie Mack wins, while several Little League and Schuylkill Teener League teams were also in action over the holiday weekend.

NORCO LEGION

Birches-Nazareth

Dallas Greenzweig tossed a four-hit shutout to lead Birches past Nazareth 1-0 in a NORCO Legion playoff contest Monday.

Greenzweig struck out two and walked one, while Andrew Meitzler had an RBI in the top of the third inning.

Zach Walters finished with two hits for Birches, and Jack Smale collected a double.

Birches leads the best-of-three series 1-0. Game 2 is tonight at Saylorsburg, with Game 3 scheduled for Wednesday at Nazareth if necessary.

Birches 001 000 0 - 1 5 1

Nazareth 000 000 0 - 0 4 0

Greenzweig and Meitzler; Pinel, Slim (6) and Palladino. W - Greenzweig. L - Pinel.

LV LEGION

Monarchs-N. Parkland

North Parkland blanked the Carbon Monarchs 5-0 in a Lehigh Valley Legion playoff contest Monday.

The Monarchs dropped to the loser’s bracket of the six-team, double-elimination tournament where they will host Lower Mac tonight at 6 p.m.

Joseph Algard struck out 12 in a complete-game shutout for North Parkland, allowing just three hits and surrendering just one walk.

Michael Cadogen-Daugherty doubled for Carbon, and also struck out five in six innings of work.

Carbon 000 000 0 - 0 3 1

N. Parkland 111 002 x - 5 6 0

Cadogen-Daugherty and Kocher; Algard and Razzis. W - Algard. L - Cadogen-Daugherty.

LV CONNIE MACK

Palmerton-Jim Thorpe

Trey Sterling’s big day at the plate powered Palmerton to a 12-2 Connie Mack win over Jim Thorpe Monday.

Sterling was 3-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored for Palmerton. Kaleb Eitner also doubled twice and knocked in three runs, while Nate Steinmetz added a double among his two hits and had two RBIs.

On the mound, Luke Netznik and Nate Stroup combined to allow three hits over five innings.

Adam Romanchik, Tanner Yurchak and Evan Murphy (RBI) all had hits for Jim Thorpe.

Palmerton 050 34 - 12 13 0

Jim Thorpe 000 20 - 2 3 2

Netznik, Stroup (4) and Stroup; Romanchik, Yurchak (2), Murphy (5) and Schwartz. W - Netznik. L - Romanchik.

Northern Vy.-Nazareth

Northern Valley used strong pitching and timely hitting to cruise past Nazareth 12-0 in a Lehigh Valley Connie Mack game Monday.

Shaun O’Connell (four strikeouts), Davyn Hankee (two) and Nate Buskirk (two) combined to hold Nazareth to six hits over seven innings in the win.

Wesley George was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored for Northern Valley. Erik Mather had two hits, a pair of RBIs and three runs scored in the win, while John Meltsch collected a pair of hits with a run scored and an RBI.

N. Valley 220 300 5 - 12 10 0

Nazareth 000 000 0 - 0 6 10

O’Donnell, Hankee (5), Buskirk (7) and Russo; Givone, A. Trimmer (2), D. Trimmer (7) and Panovec. W - O’Donnell. L - Givone.

SCH. TEENER LEAGUE

Sch. Haven-Valley Athletic

Valley Athletic blanked Schuylkill Haven 10-0 on Sunday in a Schuylkill Teener League contest.

Timmy Fritzinger was 3-for-3 with a run scored for Valley Athletic. Cian McLaughlin had two singles and scored a run. Gianni Valentine also had two hits and scored twice in the win, while Ryan Vecolitis, Blaise Gigli, Peter McGinley and Nate Fannock all had a pair of hits and scored once.

On the mound, Ryan Vecolitis struck out three.

Branch-Valley Athletic

Valley Athletic posted a 9-3 win over Branch in Schuylkill Teener League action Friday.

Timmy Fritzinger had three hits and a run scored for Valley Athletic, while both Cian McLaughlin and Ryan Vecolitis added a pair of hits and scored a run.

D18 LITTLE LEAGUE

10-12 Tournament

Tamaqua-Tri County/Weathely

Tamaqua downed Weatherly 12-6 in the completion of a suspended game in the District 18 10-12-year-old Tournament on Sunday.

Tamaqua led 5-0 in the third inning when the game was halted due to rain on Saturday.

Jake Yenser had two hits for Tamaqua, while Damian Jazowski, Logan Dieter, Brody Schlier and Conner McCabe also added hits.

On the mound, Brayden Witkowski started and went two inning allowing three hits, two runs with one strike out. Lucas Franko came on in relief for four innings, allowing three hits, four runs and three strikeouts.

Price was 3-for-3 for Tri County/Weatherly.

Franklin Twp.-Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe edged Franklin Township, 3-2, on Saturday.

Brody Schrantz allowed just one hit over six innings for Jim Thorpe, striking out eight and also doubled with an RBI and a run scored at the plate.

Nate Frantz had two singles and two runs scored for Thorpe, while Zack Murphy added a pair of singles and drove in a run. Nick Faust doubled.

Alex Bedocs had a hit for Franklin.

8-10 Tournament

Franklin Twp.-Jim Thorpe

Franklin Township posted a 13-2 win over Jim Thorpe in the District 18 8-10-year-old Tournament on Friday.

Carter Spotts doubled, singled and scored twice for Franklin. Brock Atwood had two singles, a walk and scored a run. Brian Mriss also had a hit, a walk and scored once, while Alex Kish singled and scored twice.

On the mound, Ethan Laible pitched four solid innings, allowing four hits, two walks and striking out eight.

Carter Grant, Ben Remmel and Bryce McElmoyle all singled for Jim Thorpe.

Tamaqua Blue-Jim Thorpe

Tamaqua Blue rolled to a 21-9 win over Jim Thorpe in the District 18 8-10-year-old Tournament on Saturday.

J. Rex (double) led the way for Tamaqua with four hits, three RBIs and two runs scored, while G. Shannon (double) and C. Barron each had three hits, scored twice and knocked in three runs. B. Eltringham (two RBIs, two runs scored), J. Vidzicki (double, three runs scored, RBI) and K. Lawfer (RBI, two runs scored) all had two hits apiece in the win. R. Holmberg also doubled and scored four times.

Carter Grant had two hits and scored twice for Jim Thorpe, while D. Calcano added a hit and three RBIs with a run scored. B. Reese also had a hit and two RBIs.

Tamaqua and Franklin Township will meet tonight in Tamaqua (7:30 p.m.) in the finals of the Red Division. Unbeaten Franklin will capture the division title with a victory. If once-beaten Tamaqua Blue wins the game, the same two teams will meet on Wednesday, with the winner of that game capturing the championship.

Tamaqua 150 843 - 21 18 5

Jim Thorpe 410 400 - 9 5 8

Vidzicki, Shannon (4), Smith (5) and Barron; Grant, Knopf (4), Schaeffer (4), McElmoyle (5) and Knopf, Remmel. W - Vidzicki. L - Grant.