The Northampton softball team’s district championship winning season came to an end Monday night as they were defeated 7-0 in the first round of the PIAA 6A tournament by North Penn of District 1.

The K-Kids capped their season with a record of 21-4 and their first district title and state playoff berth since 2013.

Although the score was a little lopsided, Northampton was only a couple of plays from keeping the game close. The Knights opened the scoring in the second inning by getting a 2-out single followed by double to drive in the run.

In the third inning, North Penn scored on a wild pitch.

In the fourth inning the Knights recorded 3 singles in the first four batters, but the Kids’ defense held the runners and recorded another out, setting up a bases loaded situation with two outs. From there, North Penn scored five runs, putting the game out of reach.

Northampton’s margin for error was small because they were facing the Knights’ star pitcher, Mady Volpe. Volpe has signed with Division I Coastal Carolina and showed an arsenal worthy of someone moving on to that level of competition.

The K-Kids managed just two hits: a first-inning leadoff single by Rilee Ehrlacher and a 1-out single in the seventh inning by Kate Stuhldreher in her final high school at bat.

Head coach Kristy Henritzy described her feelings after the game.

“It stinks that we had to lose in this fashion,” she said. “At this point we’re district champs and we’re leaving sad. We can’t hang our heads. We won the district championship in a really difficult district.”

For the eight Northampton seniors: Lindsey Nemeth, Kendyll Strohl, Ren Herschman, Jessica Hunt, Kaela Edelman, Taylor Sommer, Ryley Stanchock, and Stuhldreher, this was their final game in the orange and black.

Stuhldreher offered some final thoughts.

“Coach Henritzy built the culture,” she said. “So coming up all the younger kids – I’m excited to see what they can do with it because she built a really good program for us.”

Despite the departures of many talented seniors, Northampton will have the nucleus of a team capable of defending its district title in 2022. They will have five returning EPC All-Stars: Taylor Kranzley, Devyn Demchak, Ehrlacher, Kaitlyn Renson, and Lily Stuhldreher, as well as top pitcher Kaira Zamadics, who found her mojo late in the season. They will also be boosted by the hopeful return of Chrissy Rabenold from her knee injury.