The big stage did not seem to affect the play of Emily Silberman. The freshman pitcher, playing in her first high school playoff game, threw a complete game, giving up just two runs on three hits and struck out six, while not walking a batter in seven innings in a 3-2 victory over Northern Lehigh last Friday afternoon in the Colonial League quarterfinals played at Pates Park.

“She’s very confident and plays with a lot of poise,” said head coach Jeff Appleman. “You have to talk her through things considering she’s young, but I think she’s awesome.”

Senior Brooke Rogers led the Falcon offense, going 3-for-4 with an RBI to help the No. 6 seed Falcons (15-6 overall; 12-6 Colonial League) upset over the No. 3 Bulldogs (16-5; 14-4).

Salisbury started off the game with two hits to lead off the top of the first. After a fielder’s choice put runners at first and third, Anna Bishop brought home the first run with an RBI groundout.

Kaitlyn Hoffman led off the bottom half with a base hit, the Bulldogs only one until the seventh inning as Silberman retired 17 straight batters from the first inning to the sixth. It was her second victory over Northern Lehigh in four days, as the Falcons won the late-season meeting 3-1.

“I was very confident out there,” Silberman said. “We just recently played them and that was a good game, too. I knew it was going to be another good game. I just had to be confident in myself and just pitch the ball like I know how to.”

The Falcons would tack on another run in the top of the second. Morgan Goletz led off with a double, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Hannah Lipken to move her to third.

Hoffman, Northern Lehigh’s starting pitcher, struck out the next batter, but Brooke Rogers got her second hit in two innings, this one an RBI single to put Salisbury ahead 2-0.

“I love Brooke,” said Appleman. “She’s our senior leader. She pitches. She does every little thing, gets key hits. She’s played for me for five years on my tournament team. So I know her really, really well. She comes through in the clutch. She’s a clutch player.”

After the Rogers single, the two teams would not reach base again until the sixth inning. Hoffman and Silberman combined to retire the next 22 batters.

In the sixth, Salisbury added a run by bringing five batters to the plate, and not even recording a hit.

Lilia Crouthamel reached base on an error. After stealing second, she advanced to third on a wild pitch. A passed ball allowed her to come home and give Salisbury what seemed like a commanding 3-0 advantage.

But in its final at-bats, Northern Lehigh found some life.

Paige Hude led off with a single. Lauren Hoffman crushed a pitch over the head of the right fielder for an RBI triple. After a strikeout to the next batter, Katie Yesik brought home Hoffman on an RBI groundout to the shortstop. Trailing 3-2, the Bulldogs couldn’t keep the rally going as Silberman got the final out in the next at-bat.

The Falcons advanced to Tuesday’s Colonial League semifinal against Southern Lehigh. See next week’s Press for coverage of that game.