FLORENCE — Make it seven straight wins for the Northampton Legion Post 28 baseball team following its 7-1 victory over Belchertown Post 239 at Arcanum Field on Thursday night.

After falling behind 1-0 during the top of the second inning, Northampton scored seven unanswered runs to advance in the winners bracket of the District 3 playoffs.

“We played a really good baseball game and that’s a really good team,” Post 28 head coach Adam Krol said. “Belchertown has great coaches, great players, great pedigree…we played our game and I’m very proud of the guys.”

Northampton pitcher James Lavalle was electric from the mound as the lefty tossed a complete game two-hitter, fanning 10 Post 239 batters along the way.

“I was looking for early strikes and they were making contact,” Lavalle said. “Ground balls, pop-outs, that’s all you can ask for.”

Lavalle totaled 99 pitches in the victory and had just three walks to his name.

“He was locked-in the moment that he got here pre-game and that’s what I expect of him,” Krol said of Lavalle. “He’s one of our captains and one of our leaders. He pitched to his ability and I could not be more proud of him. We needed that, that’s how you’re a leader.”

Post 28 began its comeback during the bottom of the third inning with a two-RBI double from Andrew Gagne. Minutes later, Northampton doubled its lead to 4-1 with a two-run home run that clipped the overhanging branches in left field and was thus ruled a four-bagger.

Aiden Keeling-Lococo cracked the homer that put the hosts in front by three runs.

“I was looking for an up-and-in pitch and he threw it right there,” Keeling-Lococo said. “I was able to get my barrel around to it so overall it was a good swing.

“I like putting the ball in play, I like getting us going,” Keeling-Lococo added.

Northampton’s No. 2 concluded the contest 1-for-3 with two RBIs from the plate.

“He’s a great talent,” Krol said. “He had a great swing, a lot of our guys were on time.”

Post 28 brought home two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to push its lead to 6-1, before a RBI double by Matt Walko in the bottom of the sixth made it 7-1.

Belchertown did not have the same fortune on the bump as it cycled through four pitchers in this one. Brodie Funk started for Post 239 and gave up four runs and three hits in two innings with one strikeout.

Ryan Gould and Josh Misiaszek earned hits for Post 239, which moves to the brink of elimination in the losers bracket. The two-time defending District 3 champions must win out moving forward to keep its season alive.

Northampton, on the other hand, is playing its best baseball at the perfect time of the year.

“We took care of business today, that’s just how it is,” Krol said. “If we keep playing our style of baseball and play to our abilities we’re going to keep rolling.”

The victors recorded six hits with Gagne and Matt Vassallo each pocketing multi-hit performances for Post 28.

Both Northampton and Belchertown will play next on Saturday morning, with Post 28 hosting an opponent to be determined.