Salisbury head coach Mike Pochron wants his players to want to be champions.

Last Wednesday his Falcons played like title bearers as they defeated Colonial League foe Palmerton, 8-4, at home to improve to 7-3 overall and 5-3 in the league as they continue on their quest for their third-straight Colonial League championship.

"I want to see a desire and fire from them," Pochron admitted. "I want to see them want be champions and have that fire and desire to be three-time Colonial League champions. I want to see that in their eyes."

Early on the Blue Bombers, who were 6-14 in 2013, seemed like the reigning league and district champions as they jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead. Palmerton starting pitcher Ty Achtermann went 2-for-2 with a single, a double and a RBI.

The Falcons found their identity in the third inning when winning pitcher Chad Cooperman walked and scored two batters later on an RBI-single down the third baseline by Evan Kulig. Salisbury tacked on two more runs that inning as sophomore Alex Nicholas ripped a two RBI-single up the middle to give the Falcons a 3-2 lead.

Salisbury didn't let up in the fourth as junior catcher CJ Tocci scored on an RBI-single by Cooperman to extend the lead to two. Cooperman took second as senior Brad Vangelli, who singled earlier that inning, stood on third.

That set the stage for Kulig.

The senior clean up hitter blasted his first home run of the season deep into the trees over the left-field fence to give the Falcons a 7-2 lead heading into the fifth.

"It feels good to be a big part of the production," Kulig said. "It was great to get a good performance out of Coop [Cooperman] and I was happy to be able to do the job for him."

Charley Rogers scored on a double by Vangelli in the fifth to make it 8-2 in favor of Salisbury.

Pochron was happy with the hitting for the game, as his team piled up 11 hits, but he'd like more.

"We have a few guys that are swinging the bat great, Evan is one of them," said Pochron. "We have others that have been struggling a bit though. That has actually been contributing to our losses as we have had the opportunities, we just didn't get the hits. Hopefully, the bats are coming alive."

Palmerton tacked on two runs in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 8-4. Salisbury sophomore Mason Donaldson came in to close out the game in the seventh and retired the side in order on eight pitches.

Cooperman, who is a sophomore, went six innings and gave up nine hits and only three earned runs on 77 pitches. His efforts on the mound this season have not gone unnoticed.

"He did a great job and every time out this season he has given us a great effort," Pochron commented. "He has got a couple of wins on the season. He has done a great job and we couldn't have asked for anything more from a sophomore than what he has given us on the mound and at the plate."

The Falcons followed that with a win in Monday's game against Southern Lehigh. Justin Aungst got the win while Kulig, who went 3-for-4 at the plate, came in for the save. Charley Rogers had a solo home run in the game.

Salisbury hosts Saucon Valley on Wednesday, Allen on Saturday and visits the Saucon Valley on Monday, April 28.