SALISBURY TOWNSHIP — Northwestern Lehigh had baserunners in every inning Monday and hits in six of seven — just not when it mattered most.

The Tigers stranded 11 runners, nine in scoring position, in a 2-1 loss at Salisbury.

Things started on a promising note for the Tigers. Leadoff hitter Cannon Fitch drove a ball to the fence in left field that may have been held in the park by a strong wind. The ball caromed off the fence for a double, but Fitch was erased when a sacrifice bunt attempt turned into a fielder’s choice.

In the second, Northwestern stranded two runners in scoring position, added another in the third, two more in the fourth, and one in the fifth.

“We had a lot of good at-bats, and we needed that, but there were a lot of strikeouts again,” said coach Brian Polaha. “I think some guys are putting a little too much pressure on themselves. I don’t want to take anything away from their pitchers — they did a good job — but we’re getting hits, just not with runners on base.”

With one out in the sixth, Evan Fatzinger was hit by a pitch, and Luke Marazzo followed with an infield single. A throwing error on the play sent the ball out of play, moving the runners to second and third.

Salisbury turned to reliever Josiah Kuhns, who allowed a sacrifice fly to Fitch before getting a flyout to left to end the threat.

Jake Carson, who had been hit by a pitch in each of his first two at-bats, singled with one out in the seventh but was stranded at second.

Salisbury hitters had little success against Northwestern starter Cole Dynda. The Falcons didn’t get a runner into scoring position until the fourth, when Markus Jones stepped to the plate with a runner on first and launched a fly ball to left that carried just over the fence for a two-run home run — his second of the season.

Dynda allowed a leadoff single in the fifth, but retired the next six batters, giving the Tigers a chance to battle back. Dynda allowed just four hits and a walk over six innings, surrendering two earned runs.

“Cole pitched really well, and we played good defense — we just didn’t get the hit we needed,” said Polaha. “It would be nice to tag on a few runs early so we can do our thing and put games away.” DON’T SEE THAT EVERY DAY … When Dynda came to the plate with a runner on first and one out in the third inning, he hit a grounder to short and was thrown out at first.

The remarkable part of the otherwise routine play? Dynda’s metal bat snapped in two. The barrel rolled partway toward third base, while the handle dropped in the batter’s box.

Broken wooden bats are common — a metal one, not so much.

PARITY ALL AROUND ... Northwestern finds itself in the middle of tight races in both the Colonial League and District 11 Class 4A standings.

In league play, Notre Dame-Green Pond and Southern Lehigh are both 7-2, while Northwestern, Northern Lehigh, and Jim Thorpe all sit at 6-3. Five more teams are at .500 or better, with eight qualifying for the playoffs.

In the District 11 4A race, five of the nine teams are above .500, with all five separated by just one game.

With most teams past the midway point of the season, the second half should be a scramble.

Northwestern 000 001 0 - 1 8 0

Salisbury 000 200 x - 2 4 2

Dynda and Fatzinger; Leiner, Kuhns (6) and Kuder. W - Leiner. L - Dynda. S - Kuhns. HR: Salisbury - Jones (4th, one on).

Records: Northwestern (7-4; 6-4); Salisbury (6-4; 5-4).