LIMEPORT - In the first inning, Northern Valley may have figured they were due for a bad night.

The Chargers had a runner picked off first. Three batters later, they had a runner caught getting back to second on a line drive that ended in a double play.In the top of third, their fears were confirmed as Nazareth scored seven runs, mostly due to three errors.As a result, the Chargers dropped their opening game to Nazareth, 11-2, in the Connie Mack State Tournament at Limeport Stadium. Northern Valley will meet the loser of the Northampton-Hatfield-Towamencin game that is scheduled for Saturday morning. The Chargers will play Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the double-elimination tournament.Northern Valley, which trounced Nazareth 12-3 in the league tournament last week, managed just four hits and couldn't get its offense in gear. The Chargers were victims of nine strikeouts from a combined effort of Tanner Yob and Justin Zerfass. Yob was hit on the hand from a line drive and gave way to Zerfass in the fourth, but he returned to the mound in the sixth to finish the game.They did score a pair of runs in the fourth when Nic Beers walked, and Derek Holmes smacked a double to center. Beers scored on Luke Eitner's groundout and Holmes crossed on a wild pitch. Northern Valley had a pair of runners in scoring position in the fourth and fifth, but couldn't capitalize.The Chargers finished with seven errors and they were also touched with seven stolen bases."We probably played our worst game of the year," said head coach Erich Klein. "We made physical and mental errors in the field. It is unfortunate, but this is a double-elimination tournament."But we battled back and we didn't quit. We just couldn't put it together tonight."Northern Valley starter Eitner looked strong in the opening inning as he struck out the first two batters and got the third to ground to second.Nazareth pushed across a run in the second due to an error, and then sent 10 men to the plate in the third. Vinnie Castrine relieved Eitner and pitched through the next three innings.However, Castrine was hit on the elbow by a laser shot off the bat of Nazareth's Damon DeJesus, the second batter in the seventh, and was forced to leave the game. Eric Nothstein finished the inning for the Chargers. Castrine will be re-evaluated Saturday, but Klein expected him to play Sunday.Klein said Ryan King likely will get the start Sunday afternoon. He had reservations about King making his third start against Nazareth this year. King did defeat Nazareth in the league playoffs."King would have pitched three times against Nazareth this year," said Klein. "We thought they might tee off on him and it was my call. We have to put this behind us and get back at it Sunday."BUCKS DOMINANCE ... Bux-Mont, which is the other league along with Lehigh Valley in the tournament, has won the past 13 tournaments.Nazareth 017 100 2 - 11 10 1No. Valley 000 200 0 - 2 4 7Yob, Serfass (4), Yob (6),and Fontana; Eitner, Castrine (3), Northstein (7) and Holmes. W- Yob L- Eitner.