Getting hot at the right time in a season can propel a team to potential championship heights.

The Northwestern baseball team is looking to do just that as the Tigers have not just been hot, they have been scorching the competition as of late, winning eight consecutive games to end the regular season.

Northwestern continued its blistering play on Friday in the opening round of the Colonial League playoffs, defeating Palisades 11-8 to win its ninth straight and advance to the semifinals.

“We’re just playing together. We’re playing really good team baseball,” said Northwestern head coach Chad Cooperman. “We’ve been able to pair timely hitting and good pitching, which has really improved and has been big for us.

“We came into the season with not a lot of pitchers who had significant varsity innings under their belts, but they’ve been gaining more confidence. We’ve just been playing good baseball during this stretch. These guys play for each other.”

Northwestern got its offense going early in this one, holding a 4-1 lead after the top of the third.

Hitting has been the key to the Tigers streak and Ben Boyer was not only the offensive catalyst early, but throughout the game for Northwestern.

Boyer came through with two hits and two RBIs through three innings with Josh Lichman and Shaun O’Donnell also adding RBIs during that stretch.

“There were a lot of times throughout our streak, and tonight as well, where we’ve been able to come through with big hits in the gaps with two outs,” said Cooperman. “It’s really been a difference maker for us. And tonight we also had Ben step up and have a big night. He delivered in big moments.”

However, Palisades found itself down by multiple runs a few times in the game but it did not go away quietly.

The Pirates battled back to tie the game at 4-4 after the bottom of the third and actually fought to take the lead after the fifth.

Boyle knocked in two more runs with a double in the fourth, but Palisades kept pressure on to take a one-run lead (7-6) heading into the top of the sixth.

“We’ve fought through a lot of adversity during this win streak to get to where we are. We played two 12-inning games just last week and our guys never backed down,” said Cooperman. “We got punched in the mouth tonight, but our guys responded and as a coach you’re always proud of that.”

Boyer once again came through for the Tigers in the sixth with a two-run single to put Northwestern back on top by a run.

The Tigers would then hold the Pirates scoreless in the bottom of the sixth to thwart the Palisades momentum, and gave themselves some insurance - adding three more runs in the seventh, including two more RBIs from Boyer to put the game away.

STRAIGHT MASHING ... Boyer finished the contest going 5-for-5 with eight RBIs. Justin Augustus also had a nice day at the plate, coming through with three hits.

HITTING THEIR STRIDE ... The Tigers started the season 5-7. They are now 14-7 and have not lost a game since April 22.

NEXT UP ... Northwestern advances to the Colonial League semifinals and will face off with No. 1 seed Southern Lehigh at 4 p.m. on Monday at Lehigh Carbon Community College. The Tigers swept the Spartans during the regular season, posting a 7-4 victory on April 23 and a 7-5 decision on May 5.

N’western 202 202 3 - 11 15 1

Palisades 103 120 1 - 8 11 3

Boyer, Moyer (4), Lichman (4) and Augustus; Newton, Wallbillich and Harrar. W - Lichman. L - Wallbillich.