CENTER VALLEY – The scoreboard told one story. The season told another.

Palmerton’s remarkable turnaround campaign came to a close Tuesday with a 13-3 loss to Notre Dame-Green Pond in six innings in the District 11 Class 3A baseball championship at DeSales University.

The second-seeded Blue Bombers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first, but a relentless Crusaders lineup responded with 12 runs over the second and third innings to secure its first district title since 2019.

Palmerton started the season 0-2, then dropped to 2-4 and later 3-5 before reeling off 10 wins in its final 11 regular-season games to earn the No. 2 seed in the district tournament — and a spot in the Colonial League playoffs. The Bombers picked up a 6-5 win over Salisbury in the Colonial League quarterfinals before falling in the semifinals, then carried that momentum into the district postseason.

After struggling to finish games last season, Palmerton showed its growth this spring by consistently closing out tight contests and maintaining leads — a sign of both maturity and leadership. Much of that turnaround began after a players-only meeting early in the season, led by senior captains Mason George and AJ Borger, and juniors Jason Carrelli and Cameron Pengelly.

“That switch flipped and we took off,” said head coach Tyler Svetik. “This group gave me more leadership than I’ve had in my last three years combined. They were in sync with me. They set the tone.”

Palmerton, seeking its first district title since 2016, defeated No. 7 Palisades 6-0 in the quarterfinals and edged No. 6 Pen Argyl 3-2 in the semifinals. But on Tuesday, Notre Dame-Green Pond — which narrowly escaped No. 5 Pine Grove 3-2 and upset top-seeded Allentown Central Catholic 8-6 — continued its impressive postseason run with another dominant effort.

Notre Dame strung together seven runs in the second inning on six hits, one error and several disciplined at-bats. They added five more in the third – all with two outs – highlighted by four hits, including a two-run double from Austin Casal and an RBI hit from Paul Smith.

“We didn’t play clean,” Svetik said. “They attacked fastballs, kept the pressure on us, and we just didn’t execute. They earned it.”

Despite the outcome, Palmerton showed flashes of what made its turnaround so special. Carrelli walked and scored in the first, Mason Becker hit a sacrifice fly in the second, and Luke Matsko doubled home a run in the third. Pengelly had a hit, two walks and scored once.

Notre Dame senior Michael Martino threw all six innings, limiting the Bombers to five hits and three runs while striking out six. He also doubled and drove in a run.

“He’s a senior that doesn’t want to stop playing,” Crusaders head coach Michael Bedics said. “He’s been consistent all year, but these past few weeks he’s taken it to another level. You can’t get the ball out of his hands right now.”

Bedics, in his 19th year at the helm, said the fourth-seeded Crusaders’ earlier loss to Palmerton — an 8-2 defeat on April 10 — helped shape their current identity.

“When we played them early, I told our kids it was probably our worst performance of the year,” he said. “We were still figuring out our lineup. Now we’ve found who we are.”

Notre Dame, which used five sophomores prominently Tuesday, advances to the PIAA Class 3A tournament. Palmerton, meanwhile, closes a season that reestablished the program’s standard.

“It hurts now,” Svetik said. “But this group gave the town and our program something to be proud of again.”

CRUSADER LEADERS ... Notre Dame-Green Pond was led by Austin Casal, who went 2-for-4 with a double, four RBIs and two runs scored. Paul Smith finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs, a run scored, a walk and a stolen base, while Michael Martino tossed a complete game, allowing five hits and three runs (two earned) over six innings with four walks and six strikeouts; he also added a double and an RBI at the plate. Jason Frederick went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored, Christian Rivituso had a hit, an RBI and scored twice, Michael Wachter chipped in with two hits, an RBI and two runs scored, and Colin Pevorus added a pair of hits and scored twice.

TOP BOMBERS ... For Palmerton, Luke Matsko went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, Cameron Pengelly reached base three times with one hit, two walks and scored a run, Mason Becker added an RBI single, and Jason Carrelli walked and scored.

WEB GEM ... Notre Dame senior second baseman Matthew Robertshaw, who entered as a substitute, made a leaping, diving grab on a ball that looked to be headed into the outfield for the final out of the game.

NDGP 075 001 — 13 14 0

Palmerton 111 000 — 3 5 5

Martino and Hull; Reph, George (3), Borger (4) and Ahner. W - Martino. L - Reph.

Records: NDGP (15-9); Palmerton (16-8)