A winning streak often has timely hitting, good defense and a little help from the baseball gods.

But Jim Thorpe coach Pat Joyce knows there’s one thing that’s necessary above everything else.

“We’ve had really good pitching,” he said Thursday after his team defeated Northampton, 7-4, for their sixth straight Lehigh Valley Connie Mack victory.

This time it was Spencer Hunsicker, who threw 6 2/3 strong innings to pace Thorpe to their eighth win against four losses.

“Spencer did not walk a batter and when you pitch to contact, you have a great chance to win,” said Joyce.

Hunsicker worked out of a first-inning jam. A hit batsman, a single and a stolen base put runners on second and third with no outs. JT shortstop, Michael Cadugan-Daugherty gloved a ground ball and threw home to nail the lead runner at the plate. Then with runners at the corners, catcher Drew Wimmer gunned down an attempted steal at second base with the lead runner holding at third. Hunsicker then induced a groundout to second to keep the visiting team off the board.

In the home first, Garrett Lienhard singled to right center, stole second, and moved to third on a passed ball. Nate Sampel hit a sacrifice fly to center to give Jim Thorpe an early 1-0 lead.

Northampton tied the score in the top of the third. Cameron Fisher led off with a pop fly single to right. After a force out at second and with two outs, an infield error scored Jacob Colocino from second.

Thorpe would take a lead it would never relinquish in the home half of the third. Blaine Dart led off with a walk and moved to second on a groundout. Richie Strack then hit a first-pitch fastball for a hard single to left field to drive in the go-ahead run.

The 2-1 lead held up as Hunsicker shut out Northampton from the fourth through the sixth innings.

“Spencer held his composure and he did the little things to keep his control in the strike zone,” said Joyce. “He pitched to his spots, especially the outside corner and he got key strikeouts (six total) to kill any chances at their extending rallies.”

Thorpe would tack on two runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth, which were helped by four Northampton errors. Cadugan-Daugherty’s line single to left center was the big RBI hit in Thorpe’s three-run sixth.

Northampton rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh but D. J. Richebacher relieved Hunsicker and ended the game by inducing a groundout.

“We got some timely hits and we worked out some key walks tonight,” said Joyce. “We have good depth too after bringing up some players from our Babe Ruth team. We’re about building a program here and it’s good to see some of our younger players getting opportunities to contribute. They’ve been coming through for us.”

KERPLUNK … Despite giving up no walks, Thorpe’s Hunsicker hit three Northampton batters, including leadoff hitter Matt Merced twice.

BAD MOON RISING … Jim Thorpe has now won their last two rained-out makeup games to move solidly into the top 10 of the 21-team Lehigh Valley Connie Mack standings, leading one to believe that the upcoming opposition better hope for fair skies.

Northampton 001 000 3 - 4 6 5

Jim Thorpe 101 023 x - 7 5 3

Ackerman, Merced (6) and Fisher; Hunsicker, Richebacher (7) and Wimmer. W - Hunsicker. L - Ackerman.