ALLENTOWN – Play Day turned into payday for the Northwestern Lehigh softball team.

It was a good evening for a struggling pitcher Ema Freeman Friday.

It was a better evening for a pair of sluggers, Abby Dunstan and Ainsley Behler.

That trio sparked the Tigers (7-3) to an impressive 9-1 win at fabled Patriots Park, blowing past Pen Argyl (4-7).

Freeman found her groove in the circle and she said it was all about her “mechanics” releasing the ball.

For Dunstan and Behler, it was pop-pop, bang-bang, as they swatted home runs in a four-run sixth inning rally that culminated a night of confidence.

“People who were sitting behind the fence said the ball (Dunstan) hit was well over the fence,” Northwestern head coach Kate Farber said. “I’ve been here for a lot of games, but I’ve never seen a ball hit that far.”

It landed over 260-feet in left center.

“I don’t know what I hit, I just see the ball and hit it,” Dunstan said. “I just knew I made great contact and it flew over the fence.”

Behler didn’t think twice when she belted her round-tripper.

“When I go up (to bat), I just said to myself, ‘wouldn’t it be cool if I hit one,’” Behler said.

She nearly duplicated Dustan’s solo home run.

Behler went 3-for-3 and drove in three runs. Avery Seyler had a pair of hits and drove in two runs. Natalie Conner had two hits and two walks to reach base in all four plate appearances. Chipping in with one hit apiece were Freeman, Lilly Kinnon and Lizzie Diehl, who also drove in a run.

Northwestern Lehigh took a 1-0 lead in its first at bat when Conner crossed home on Behler’s RBI single.

The winners rallied for four runs in the second, sending nine batters to the dish flailing away with two hits and taking advantage of Pen Argyl error. Conner walked to get the rally started. Behler drove in a run with a single. Diehl added a hit in the rally that sent the Tigers to a 5-0 lead.

“Freeman was feeling herself and that was a big plus for her,” Farber said. “She’s been working (hard) on getting herself back to where she is comfortable and looked more like herself again.”

Freeman legged out an infield hit in the sixth inning and then advanced to second on an error before racing home moments later on Conner’s single.

That brought Dunstan to the plate and she walloped her home run, collecting two RBIs. Not long after, Behler took a first-pitch offering nearly in the same place where Dunstan homered to elevate the lead 9-1.

“Any home runs is electric,” Farber said. “There’s a reason why they’re back-to-back in the lineup. They’re essentially both four hitters.”

GREAT PLAYS… Both teams had some fantastic plays in the field. The big wow occurred in the top of the sixth. Pen Argyl’s Abby Scherer smoked a ball back at Freeman who got her mitt on the ball, it ended going to shortstop Connor who pegged out the runner. It was also a tremendous stretch from first baseman Behler to complete the 1-6-3 play.

QUOTEABLE… “Diffently not overthrowing or not hitting her spots, but just mechanics.” Farber on Freeman’s pitching.

PLAY DAY… It’s a novel idea and a great way to get all the Colonial teams to play non-league games.

JUST FIVE… The Green Knights managed just five hits off Freeman. Scherer and Isabella DeCesare each with a double, Ella Bonatz, Talia Curtolo and Angelina Beltran. Freeman had eight strikeouts and one walk.

Pen Aryl 000 000 1 – 1 5 3

NWL 104 004 x – 9 11 1

Bonatz and Scherer; Freman and Dunstan. W – Freeman; L – Bonatz.