Photo courtesy of Bethlehem Steel FC. “Go gold” on social media by using this picture as your profile icon to support Pediatric Cancer Foundation of Lehigh Valley’s efforts.

The transcendent stretch of Bethlehem Steel’s season so far has been the three-game sequence of consecutive road trips to St. Louis, North Jersey, and Harrisburg from June 11 through June 20 that was the heart of their undefeated streak in mid-season.

The schedule-makers back-loaded their challenges this season, and Hurricane Irma has intensified that back-loading.  In consequence, the Steel again need to grasp consecutive moments of excellence in a sequence of three games.  After they bore the conference-leading lion this Friday in the den called Louisville Slugger Field, they:

• Host Pittsburgh         Sunday, September 24^th                     at 3 pm
• Host Tampa Bay        Wednesday, September 27^th              at 3 pm
• Visit Tampa Bay        Saturday, September 30^th                   at 7:30 pm

These three games in seven days will neither qualify them for the playoffs nor eliminate them, probably. But they will do a great deal to determine whether the Steel’s lossless stretch was born of desperation or of legitimate team talent.