Sometimes, the best thing a coach can tell his or her players before a game is nothing.

With most of her team unaware that a win over Palmerton would secure a spot in the Colonial League postseason tournament, Northern Lehigh had its engine running smoothly in Monday’s 6-1 win over the Bombers.

“I didn’t tell them anything about it before the game, “said Northern Lehigh coach Kate Farber. “Why put the extra pressure on them?”

Northern Lehigh’s victory gave it a 9-6 league record with one game still left to play.

Meanwhile, the result more than likely will prevent Palmerton from reaching the CL tournament, dropping them to 9-7 on the season.

NL clicked on all cylinders in yesterday’s game. Begin with Kendall Heiney, who fired up the engine from inside the pitcher’s circle. She allowed one earned run on six hits, walked four and struck out three. She stranded five runners and pitched out of a bases-loaded, one out, jam in the fourth inning.

“Kendall was just great,” said Farber. “She pitched out of some tough situations, and she shut down their big bats and retired the top of their lineup in order in the last inning.”

The motor kept running with defense. The Bulldogs played errorless softball, with a few web gems added in that helped fuel their victory. Third baseman Jordyn Hemingway turned an inning-ending double play in the third when she fielded a smash off the ground, stepped on third for a force and fired to first for the twin killing. In the home-half of the fourth, right fielder Skyler Horack made a spectacular twisting, over-the-shoulder catch of a deep drive in front of the outfield fence to thwart a Bomber rally.

“We are always capable of playing great defense, and today we did,” said Farber.

The Bulldogs also barreled up the ball. Northern Lehigh pounded out 10 hits with a 4-for-4 monster game by Hemingway, who slammed three doubles and a single that plated two RBIs. Leadoff hitter Haylie Fenstermaker drove in two runs with singles to center in the second and fourth innings.

“We finished our rallies with key hits today,” said Farber. “Jordyn was typical Jordyn at the plate. She is always a tough out.”

Palmerton could only manage a single run that scored in the fifth when Mikayla Pengelly walked, stole second, and was driven home on a line single to right field by Carlee Gaffney.

After the game, Bomber coach Bob Hock said that it’s been the same old story late in the season for his team, which now stands at 13-7 overall.

“We have been leaving too many runners on base because we’re not getting the clutch hits we had at the start and throughout much of the season,” he said.

Referring to the defensive miscues that led to two Bulldog first-inning runs, Hock said, “That’s been an issue lately, too. We gave them too many outs, and they took advantage of our mistakes.”

HOPE NEVER DIES ... Palmerton is not yet officially out of the running for the league tournament, but will need some upsets. For the Bombers to qualify, they will need either Pen Argyl (9-6) to lose to Wilson (5-9); or Palisades (8-6) to lose to both Saucon Valley (3-12) and Catasauqua (3-11). All those games will be played either today or tomorrow.

TOP HITTERS ... Besides Hemingway’s big day at the plate, Fenstermaker, Cadence Peters and Hayley Thoder all collected two hits apiece for the Bulldogs. Leading the Bombers on offense was Gaffney, who was 3-for-4, and Kelsey Balliet, who doubled and walked.

A 21-OUT EFFORT ... Farber said it was one of the Bulldogs best overall games this season. “At times this season, we have played four or five great innings, but not the full seven ... today we did. We are learning how to finish what we start, and that’s a good thing to be doing this time of the season.”

No. Lehigh 210 102 0 - 6 10 0

Palmerton 000 010 0 - 1 6 3

Heiney and Stock; Gaffney and Balliet. W - Heiney. L - Gaffney.