BEL AIR, Md. - The Harford baseball team finished off a long home stand with a split against visiting Northampton. Harford (17-5) won the opener, 8-2 but fell in the night cap, 3-8.
 
Brandon Smith was the spark plug on offense as he went deep twice, once in each game. Jack Hamner and Max Joseph also had round-trippers on the day as the Fighting Owls continue to feature the long ball as part of their explosive offense.
 
Harford 8, Northampton 2
It took five innings for the Fighting Owls offense to get going but a couple long balls pushed Harford over the top in the opener. Hamner and Smith both connected for home runs to turn what was a pitcher's duel into a decisive win by the Fighting Owls. Hamner backed up his grand slam against Dundalk Thursday with a go-ahead, solo shot Saturday afternoon.
 
Smith launched a three-run shot, the first of his career, six batters later. The sophomore third baseman launched a 1-1 pitch to centerfield to put the Fighting Owls ahead 6-1.
 
Brett Hash plated two more runs in the sixth inning with a double to left field. He went 1-for-3 with a run scored in the game. CJ Young went 1-for-3 with a run scored as well. The second baseman has registered a hit in all 16 games he has played in this season.
 
Dalton Reed (4-0) was the winner on the mound, allowing a run on 10 hits and two walks over five innings. The southpaw wiggled his way out of a jam in the first inning, holding Northampton to just one run despite giving up four hits. He escaped a bases-loaded, 1-out jam in the third inning, holding the Spartans scoreless.
 
James English finished off the game on the mound for Harford, allowing a run on two hits. He struck out three batters in his first relief appearance of the season.
 
Harford 3, Northampton 8
 
 
Harford never led in game 2 as Northampton starting pitcher Zach Werner (3-0) kept the Fighting Owls' bats quiet for the majority of the game. The right-handed hurler struck out 10 batters over six innings, allowing three runs on six hits and a pair of walks.
 
After falling behind 2-0 in the fourth inning, Harford cut the deficit in half as Young laid down a perfect bunt to successfully execute a safety squeeze play, scoring Ben Bomberger from third.
 
Northampton rallied for three runs in the sixth inning, opening up a 5-1 lead. Harford responded with a bang in the bottom half of the inning as Smith and Max Joseph hit back-to-back home runs. Smith hit his second homer of the day, blasting a first-pitch fastball over the wall in left center. Joseph, who entered the game at catcher as an injury substitute for Logan Mummert, stroked a 2-1 pitch to dead center to pull the Fighting Owls to within two runs.
 
The Spartans again had an answer, scoring three in the top of the seventh, putting the game somewhat out of reach for Harford.
 
Northampton (8-5) scored eight runs in game two despite not registering a single extra-base hit in the game. The Fighting Owls pitching staff struggled with command throughout the game. As a unit, they allowed seven walks, hit two batters and threw three wild pitches.
 
Anthony Atticks (2-2) was charged with the loss, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks over five innings pitched. He was dominant at times but was bitten by a walk and a couple wild pitches in a two-run fourth for the Spartans.
 
Conor Reeves and Ben Collincini both made appearances out of the bullpen and struggled. Reeves pitched an inning, giving up two runs on a hit, two walks and a hit batter. Collincini allowed three runs on two hits and three walks
 
Harford finishes the home stand going 16-2. They scored an astounding 238 runs and pounded out 25 home runs over the 18-game stretch.
 
Harford's doubleheader with Montgomery, originally scheduled for Sunday has been postponed. A reschedule will be announced at a later date. Harford's next five contests will all be against MD JUCO opponents on the road beginning Tuesday as they visit CCBC Catonsville on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.