It was the type of power display that has the ability to warm Falcon fans’ hearts, on even the coldest spring days. And Joseph Carpenter was at the forefront of the offensive explosion.

Just call him the leader of the ‘Bash Brothers’.

On a cool Monday afternoon at Cedar Crest High School, Carpenter led the Falcon baseball club to a 16-2 dismantling over Northern Lebanon, in both Lebanon County teams’ season opener. With Carpenter raking at the plate, Cedar Crest scored eight times in the first inning, then added two more runs in the second and five in the third, and never looked back.

The game was shortened to five innings by the mercy rule.

Carpenter, a senior first baseman, began his year red-hot, going four-for-four at the plate. Included in his afternoon were two doubles and a triple. A Delaware University recruit, Carpenter hit .317 for Cedar Crest as a junior.

But the Falcons are expecting even more from Carpenter this year, as they seek continued improvement on the diamond. Carpenter should hit in the middle of a Cedar Crest order that is loaded with good batters.

Last summer, Carpenter also competed for the Richland entry in the Lebanon County American Legion Baseball League.

– Jeff Falk