There was plenty on the line for the Salisbury softball team during last week’s game with Catasauqua. In a meeting of two of the top teams in the Colonial League’s West Division, the Falcons had an opportunity to gain some revenge for an earlier season loss.

While last Wednesday’s 5-0 loss to the Rough Riders wasn’t what Salisbury head coach Jeff Appleman expected, later in the week the Falcons earned a spot in the district tournament after missing out on that feat in 2015. Wins over Moravian, Dieruff and Allen in the following days qualified Salisbury for the postseason.

Districts, however, isn’t the only thing Appleman expects of his young team.

“If we win those two games [Dieruff and Allen] that’s 10 wins and you’re in districts,” Appleman said. “And plus, I want to make leagues. Salisbury has never won leagues. To me, we’re right there in all of these games.”

In terms of last week’s game against the Rough Riders, a familiar problem crept up from the gate. Not only was it the Falcons first time being shut out this season, it continued a streak of inconsistent hitting.

“We have scored seven runs in the last five games,” Appleman said. “Now we won three of them, two of them by 1-0 scores. You just can’t continue on like that. You have to score some runs because they are going to score.”

Catasauqua went in front 1-0 in the third when Hannah Edwards reached first base on a bunt single, stole second and third bases, and later scored on a Falcon infield error. The all-state selection in Edwards was at it again in the fifth with another run after reaching base on another one of her classic bunts down the first base line.

Three runs in the sixth inning gave the Rough Riders even more breathing room. Edwards’ RBI-single scored Emma Bellesfield to make it 4-0, and Alexia Reichl, who also pitched a complete game, five-hitter, brought home Edwards with an RBI groundout.

It was a complete turn around from their first matchup, one in which Salisbury led by two runs in the seventh inning before falling 6-5.

“We did not score today,” Appleman said. “We had our opportunities, that’s for sure. We just didn’t execute.”

Falcon starter Brooke Rogers pitched the entire way and did all she could, finishing with four strikeouts. The problem was Salisbury’s inability move runners.

“How many bunts did we lay down or not lay down,” Appleman said. “I was very disappointed today. There was no execution today. That game is a lot different today if you lay those down.”

“She [Rogers] just threw a nine-inning shutout against Southern Lehigh two games ago. She shut out Northwestern, and held Bangor to three runs. She can’t do everything.”

The Falcons had at least one base runner with one or no outs in five of the seven innings, yet couldn’t bring home a run. Their biggest threat came in the fourth inning when Anna Bishop led off with a single and Peyton Stauffer added a base hit right after, only for Bishop to be caught out heading to third base.

With the end of the season approaching, Appleman doesn’t want his team dwelling on one defeat. He knows one game won’t define the season.

“To take the old Bill Parcells line - ‘You are what your record says you are,’” Appleman said. “Our record says we are pretty good. Our record says we are in second place. I don’t want everybody down from one game.”

At 7-4 in the Colonial League through Monday’s games, the Falcons are tied with Northwestern for second place in the West Division and tied with the Tigers second wild card position behind Bangor (10-2), which trails Pen Argyl by a half game for the East Division lead.