There are just two weeks left in the high school baseball regular season and Salisbury is hanging on the edge of playoff contention in both the Colonial League and District 11.

This past week saw the Falcons (7-7 overall, 6-5 Colonial) square off against two of the better teams in the area and unfortunately, come away from the two games with losses, leaving them coming into this week with a two-game skid, the only time this season they have dropped back-to-back games. The week did start well with a win over Palisades (5-9, 4-8).

A week ago, the Falcons hosted Palisades and took care of business with a 14-4 win. Salisbury took a quick 4-1 lead after an inning and stretched it to 7-1 with a three-run third inning. Palisades came back with three in the top of the fourth, but Salisbury put the game away when it pushed seven runs across the plate in the bottom of the inning.

Jacob Bucchin opened the onslaught with a solo home run on a 2-1 pitch. The shot to left field was Bucchin’s third of the season and made it 8-4. Jordan Tocci was hit by a pitch and Mike Stauffer followed with a double before Jake Zellin was also hit by a pitch to load the bases. Owen Fogel and Austin Spisszak followed with RBI singles to make it 11-4. One out later, Tom Lovelidge walked to load the bases and Matt Nunez drew another walk to push a run across the plate and make it 12-4. A fielder’s choice by Bucchin made it 13-4 and a wild pitch allowed Lovelidge to race home from third, making it 14-4.

An error allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base in the top of the fifth against Lovelidge, but the junior pitcher got the next three batters to end the game.

In an 11-7 loss to Saucon Valley (10-2, 9-2), Caleb Gonzales went 4-for-4 and scored two runs, while Nate Nunez had three hits and drove in two runs. Jake Zellin had two hits, scoring one run, and driving in another.

Next up was Palmerton (9-5, 7-5), who edged the Falcons 7-5. With the game tied at one, the Blue Bombers scored two runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to make it 7-1 before the Falcons mounted a rally in the top of the seventh.

Matt Nunez doubled to center and Bucchin was hit by a pitch before Jordan Tocci walked to load the bases with no outs. Zellin singled to center to drive in two runs and Fogel followed with a hit to center to load the bases with nobody out in the inning and Salisbury down 7-3. Spisszak hit into a fielder’s choice to bring home Tocci to make it 7-4 and one out later, Nate Nunez walked to load the bases with two outs. Another bases-loaded walk, this time to Stauffer, pushed Zellin home and made it 7-5, but a ground ball ended the rally, leaving the Falcons just a little short of a full comeback.

This week does not get any easier for the Falcons. They host Catasauqua (3-10, 2-10) before having to play Northwestern Lehigh (9-6, 7-5) and a rematch with Palmerton (9-5, 7-5) on Saturday.