Local roundup: Williamsport baseball rallies to beat Central Mountain

Wyatt Bair and Ryan Schur combined on a four-hitter, surrendering just one earned run with Bair throwing five scoreless innings after the first and Schur earning his second save with a hitless seventh.

Cayden Robertson smashed a three-run double and Kellen Jackson was 1 for 2 with two RBIs as Williamsport (10-7, 9-3) became the only HAC-I team to beat Central Mountain (12-4, 9-3) in consecutive seasons. The Millionaires also finished tied for second in the league after winning their final seven HAC-I games.

Blake Walker had a hit and RBI for the Wildcats, while Kevin Grenninger and Malaky Moyd both added hits and runs.

Deryk Kulp won his fifth game and combined with Preston Sortman on a five-inning two-hitter as Loyalsock routed Sayre, 11-1.

Kellen Jackson of Williamsport takes his base on a walk during the 4th inning to force in a run and tie the game against Central Mountain in Williamsport Monday evening. Williamsport came from behind to win 9-6.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The Lancers (8-10) kept their playoff hopes alive entering the Backyard Brawl and scored six first inning runs to take control. Jacob Wilson, Dante Cruz and Ethan Nagy all delivered two hits. Dolan Harman went 1 for 2 with two RBIs, giving him six RBIs in his last three games.

Nate Bieber threw a remarkably efficient game, needing just 57 pitches to go the distance and help Hughesville defeat Wellsboro, 3-1.

Bieber threw 40 of his 57 pitches for strikes, pitching to contact and not striking out or walking a batter. Tanner Clayton and Gage Thomas each provided hits and RBIs, while Angelo Ferrigno doubled and JD Lunger went 1 for 1 with a walk. Evan Snyder went 1 for 2 and Bieber improved to 2-0, helping Hughesville (13-2) win its sixth straight game.

Like Bieber, Kaiser Kistner also was dealing and the South Williamsport pitcher threw a dominant one-hit complete game, helping the Mounties defeat Midd-West, 4-1. Kistner struck out five, walked none and threw 56 of his 78 pitches for strikes, while winning his fourth decision.

He also went 2 for 4 and scored a run. Kaden Shay and Caleb Neidig both had two hits, Shay driving in a run and scoring a run and Neidig adding an RBI. Kayne Jones hit an RBI single and Marc Molina also singled as South (11-5) won for the fifth time in six games.

Cole Shuler of Williamsport slides across home safely as Watt Probst of Central Mountain tries to make the tag during the 3rd inning in Williamsport Monday evening. Williamsport came from behind to win 9-6.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

A six-run second inning helped Line Mountain defeat St. John Neumann in a close contest, 9-7.

Neumann was held to four hits. Chase Wright came up big for the Golden Knights as he beled a home run, going 2 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Andrew Walter was 1 for 4 while Angelo Birch went 1 for 3 with an RBI, a walk and a run scored.

Dathan Tyson hit a double, but he was the only Jersey Shore player to record an extra-base hit in Jersey Shore’s 6-1 loss to Jersey Shore.

James Keifer led Warrior Run with a 3 for 4 performance with two RBIs and a run scored while Tyler Ulrich went 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Griffen Harrington and Landon Polcyn each had a double in the Defenders’ victory.

Hudson Ward went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and scored twice as Canton cruised past Sullivan County, 11-2. Sullivan County held a 2-0 lead after the first inning but a huge seven-run third allowed the Warriors to take the lead and never look back.

Austin Frank of Central Mountain throws in the first inning against Williamsport in Williamsport Monday evening. Williamsport came from behind to win 9-6.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Canton held a 10-2 lead after the fourth inning.

Zac Colton had three RBIs and scored twice.

• Alizabeth Schuler overpowered Shikellamy in multiple ways, hitting two home runs, driving in four runs and throwing five innings of three-hit softball as South Williamsport won 14-3 in six innings. Schuler was 4 for 4 and scored four times as the Mounties (13-2) snapped Shikellamy’s six-game winning streak.

Sage Lorson (4 RBIs) and Lily Reidy also homered for South, while Abby Lorson was 3 for 3 with two RBIs and three runs. The Mounties collected 15 hits and stole seven bases with Gianna Goodman and Maddie Pinkerton producing two hits each. Kendall Cardone added a double as South won its fifth consecutive game.

Casey Fry, Nolah Moyer and Leah Vest all delivered three hits, helping Muncy remain undefeated and beat Bloomsburg, 9-5. Fry was 3 for 5 with a triple, double, four runs and an RBI while Moyer went 5 with a home run and four RBIs. Vest was 3 for 3 with an RBI and Jailyn Baker added two hits.

Kevin Grenninger (17) of Central Mountain celebrates with team mates after scoring in the first inning against Williamsport in Williamsport Monday evening. Williamsport came from behind to win 9-6.
DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Moyer struck out 18 and ran her scoreless inning streak to 50 2/3 innings before Bloomsburg scored five seventh inning runs. The Panthers are the only team to score against Muncy, producing a run in an early-season loss.

• In boys tennis, Central Mountain fell in the semifinals of the District 6 team tournament against an outstanding Hollidaysburg team, 4-1.

David Lindsay finished off his stellar high school dual meet record undefeated. Senior Asher Talbot played a close match in the first set but he was unable to keep it going as the match went on. Joey McCluskey played nice tennis today but in the end, Michael Waible from Hollidaysburg made one or two crucial points to get the victory.

“Tim Brinker and Joe Caimi have come a long way this year as double partners. They played nice tennis and should be proud of how they played together,” Central Mountain coach Jeff Brinker said.

Lindsay cruised past Ben Johnson, 6-0, 6-0. Talbot fell to Gurrett Bouchard, 6-3, 6-0 at No. 2 singles and McCluskey lost to Waible at No. 3 singles, 6-3, 6-2.

Brinker and Caimi fell at No. 1 doubles, 6-3, 6-2, to Feliz Xu and Yuan Chen while Central Mountain’s Ben Brinker and Wesley Cowart lost at No. 2 doubles against Jacob Sidney and Alex Arbogast, 6-0, 6-1.

• In a must-win game against Susquehanna University, senior Kylie Russell, a Jersey Shore graduate, threw a four-hit shutout and struck out eight in a 3-0 win to help the softball team clinch the fifth and final Landmark Conference Championship slot, earning her the Lycoming College softball team’s first Landmark Conference Pitcher of the Week award.

Russell was brilliant in the must-win game for the Warriors, allowing four hits and two walks in her second shutout of the year. Just one runner reached third base, in the fourth inning, when she struck out two batters to escape a second- and third-jam with one out. She retired the last seven batters she faced, striking out the first two batters in the seventh.

Russell finished the regular season sixth in the Landmark Conference with a 2.09 ERA, sitting seventh with nine wins, two shutouts and third with 81 strikeouts.

Russell joins junior Avery Eiswerth, a Williamsport graduate, who was the team’s first Landmark Conference Athlete of the Week on April 1. Russell also earned two MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week awards in 2023.

After a split against Susquehanna University was enough to help the Lycoming College softball team clinch its second straight postseason berth, the fifth-seeded will head back to fourth-seeded Susquehanna University to kick off the Landmark Conference Championship on Tuesday at 4 p.m., for the right to enter the double-elimination four-team championship that starts on Friday at Moravian University.

• Lycoming College baseball’s sophomore Noah Miller earned Landmark Conference Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing a three-hit shutout against Juniata College.

Miller, who struck out seven and walked two in the 5-0 shutout win over Juniata, allowed just the leadoff batter to reach third base and left two runner stranded at second in the second and third innings before he retired 17 of the last 18 batters he faced, including the last batter striking out looking on his 112th pitch. Miller is the first Warrior complete-game shutout since May 16, 1970, when Norm Myers tossed a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over Juniata.

Miller finished the season seventh in the Landmark Conference in ERA (3.64), eighth in wins (4), third in innings pitched (62.0) and seventh in strikeouts (45).

Miller joins junior Danny DeLucas, who was named the Landmark Conference Player of the Week on March 4, as the first Lycoming baseball players to earn the Landmark’s weekly awards.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

Williamsport 9, Central Mountain 6

Central Mountain 600 000 0–6 4 1

Williamsport 104 301 x–9 5 2

Austin Frank, Blake Walker (4) and Watt Probst. Wyatt Bair, Ryan Schur (7) and Caiden Helmrich. W–Bair. L–Frank. SV–Schur, (2).

Top Central Mountain hitters: Walker 1-3, 2 RBIs; Kevin Grenninger 1-3, run; Malaky Moyd 1-2, run. Top Williamsport hitters: Kellen Jackson 1-2, 2 RBIs, run; Cayden Robertson 1-4, 2B, 3 RBIs; Deacon Brown 1-3, run; Lucas Naughton 1-3, 2 runs; Grant Vilello 1-3, 2 runs.

Records: Williamsport (10-7, 9-3 HAC-I), Central Mountain (12-4, 9-3).

Loyalsock 11, Sayre 1

(5 INNINGS)

Sayre 001 00–1 2 2

Loyalsock 600 14–11 10 2

Apgar, Ennis (4), Strickland (5) and T. Green. Deryk Kulp, Preston Sortman (4) and Jacob Wilson. W–Kulp, (5-3). L–Apgar.

Top Sayre hitters: Bennett 1-2, 2B. Top Loyalsock hitters: Wilson 2-3, RBI; Dante Cruz 2-2; Ethan Nagy 2-4, 3 runs; Dolan Harman 1-2, 2 RBIs.

Records: Loyalsock (8-10).

Hughesville 3, Wellsboro 1

Wellsboro 010 000 0–1 6 0

Hughesville 020 001–3 5 2

McGee, Copp (6) and Tennis. Nate Bieber and Tyler Wetzel. W–Bieber, (2-0). L–McGee.

Top Wellsboro hitters: Smith 2-3; Tennis 1-2, run. Top Hughesville hitters: Angelo Ferrigno 1-3, 2B, run; Gage Thomas 1-3, RBI; JD Lunger 1-1, run; Evan Snyder 1-2; Tanner Clayton 1-1, RBI.

Records: Hughesville (13-2), Wellsboro (5-10).

South Williamsport 4, Midd-West 1

Midd-West 000 100 0–1 1 0

South 000 013 x–4 8 4

Wolfley, Rager (5) and Shutt. Kaiser Kistner and Kayne Jones. W–Kistner, (4-1). L–Wolfley.

Top South hitters: Kaden Shay 2-3, RBI, run; Caleb Neidig 2-4, RBI; Kistner 2-4, run; Jones 1-2, RBI; Marc Molina 1-2.

Records: South (11-5).

Line Mountain 9, St. John Neumann 7

Neumann 301 111 0 – 7 4 6

Line Mountain 161 001 x – 9 6 1

C. Wright, G. Birch (3) and A. Birch. T. Geyer, N. Baumert (4), Q. Dunkleberger (6) and S. Burda. W: Geyer. L: Birch.

Top Neumann hitters: Chase Wright 2-3, HR, RBI, 2 runs; Angelo Birch 1-3, RBI, BB, run; Andrew Walter 1-4. Top Line Mountain hitters: T. Geyer 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; O. Hamburger 2-3, RBI, run; G. Dunn 1-4, 2B, RBI; B. Buriak 1-3, RBI.

Warrior Run 6, Jersey Shore 1

Jersey Shore 001 000 0 – 1 3 3

Warrior Run 002 220 x – 6 10 0

G. Harrington and A. Lewis. H. Enders, Z. Myers (4) and G. Dapp. W: Myers. L: Harrington.

Top Jersey Shore hitters: Dathan Tyson, 2B. Top Warrior Run hitters: Tyler Ulrich 2-4, 2 RBIs; James Keifer 3-4, 2 RBIs, run; Griffen Harrington 1-4, 2B, run: Landon Polcyn 1-3, 2B, run.

Canton 11, Sullivan County 2

Sullivan 200 000 0 – 2 4 6

Canton 007 310 0 — 11 9 1

T. Blasi, B. Fitzgerald (4) and C. Barto. M. Harold, R. Taylor (7) and Z. Colton, B. Gardner. W: Harold. L: Blasi.

Top Sullivan County hitters: N. Christopher 1-2; K. Bagley 1-3; B. Fitzgerald 1-3; L. Price 1-3. Top Canton hitters: H. Ward 2-3, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Z. Colton 1-4, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; B. Fitch 1-3, RBI, run; M. Beers 1-1, 3 RBIs, BB; M. Harold 1-3; J. Mahosky 1-3, run; L. Crawley 1-1; C. Landis 1-3, run.

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

South Williamsport 14, Shikellamy 3

(6 INNINGS)

South 312 035–14 15 3

Shikellamy 100 002–3 5 1

Alizabeth Schuler, Kendall Cardone (6) and Lily Reidy. Kimnall, Lenner (5) and Sinko. W–Schuler, (10-2). L–Kimnall.

Top South hitters: Schuler 4-4, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 4 runs; Abby Lorson 3-3, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Reidy 2-4, HR, RBI; Gianna Goodman 2-3, 2 runs; Maddie Pinkerton 2-4, RBI, run; Sage Lorson 1-3, HR, 4 RBIs; Kendall Cardone 1-3, 2B, RBI, run. Top Shikellamy hitters: Oakes 3-3, 2B, RBI, run.

Records: South (14-3), Shikellamy (10-5)s.

Muncy 9, Bloomsburg 5

Muncy 221 020 2–9 13 3

Bloomsburg 000 005 0–5 7 7

Nolah Moyer and Taylor Shannon. Ashworth and Devine. W–Moyer, (15-0). L–Ashworth.

Top Muncy hitters: Casey Fry 3-5, 3B, 2B, RBI, 4 runs; Moyer 3-5, HR, 4 RBIs, run; Leah Vest 3-3, RBI; Rachel Paulhamus 1-2; Jaylyn Baker 2-3, 2 runs; Shannon 1-4. Top Bloomsburg hitters: Bogdanowicz 2-3, run.

Records: Muncy (15-0).

BOYS TENNIS

Hollidaysburg 4, Central Mountain 1

SINGLES

1. David Lindsay (CM) def. Ben Johnson, 6-0, 6-0; 2. Gurrett Bouchard (H) def. Asher Talbot, 6-3, 6-0; 3. Michael Waible (H) def. Joey Mccluskey, 6-3, 6-2.

DOUBLES

1. Feliz Xu/Yuan Chen (H) def. Tim Brinker/Joe Caimi, 6-3, 6-2; 2. Jacob Sidney/Alex Arbogast (H) def. Ben Brinker/Wesley Cowart, 6-0, 6-1.

LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

Allstate 13, Hughesville Legion 0

(4 INNINGS)

(MONTOURSVILLE/HUGHESVILLE INTERLEAGUE)

Allstate 652 0 – 13 9 0

Hughesville Legion 000 0 – 0 1 9

Trey Bainbridge, Luca Pulizzi (3) and James Maeulen, Jordan Houseknecht (3). Wyatt Group, Willie Ocks (2) and Cael Smith, Wyatt Group (2). W: Bainbridge. L: Group.

Top Allstate hitters: Trey Bainbridge 2-2, BB, SB, 3 runs; Jordan Houseknecht 2-3, BB, SB, 2 runs; James Maeulen 1-2, 2 BB, run; Luca Pulizzi 2-4, 2B, SB, 3 RBIs, 3 runs; Ryan Camp 1-3, RBI, run; Landon Hepburn 1-2, BB, SB, run; Brady Winter BB, RBI; Brady Engel 2 RBIs; Sy Carey BB, run. Top Hughesville Legion hitters: Wyatt Group 1-2; Gage Murphy BB.