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Phillips propels Warriors to win

BLOOMSBURG — Gabe Phillips could actually run toward first base this time. And he could keep running right to Bowman Field.

Like taking a time machine to 2018, Phillips batted with the bases loaded and one out Friday night at Central Columbia. Just like he did a year ago against Loyalsock, Phillips played the hero without swinging the bat and capped the latest classic in a series that is becoming defined by them.

Phillips drew an eighth-inning walk-off walk and Montoursville edged Loyalsock, 3-2, in the District 4 Class AA semifinals. The Warriors rallied from a one-run late-game deficit for a second straight game and earned a spot in both Tuesday’s district championship against Central Columbia and the state tournament. It was deja vu for Montoursville after Phillips, injured at the time, drew a walk-off walk against Loyalsock in the 10th inning of last year’s 3-2 championship win.

“I’d say that third pitch where I kind of hitched was one I really wanted to hit because I knew I didn’t want to walk again, but whatever it took,” Phillips said. “It was a roller coaster throughout the whole game for sure. There were moments it got tough, but it worked out in the end.”

Loyalsock pitchers Dane Armson and Matt Worth combined on a two-hitter and stranded 11 baserunners through seven innings and the Lancers (13-9) took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh. After Jaxon Dalena hit a second-inning bunt single, Montoursville (18-3) did not deliver another hit until Hunter Shearer laced a one-out two-strike pitch into right field, igniting the game-winning rally.

The Warriors went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position and timely hits remained elusive. But Montoursville survived and advanced. That is all that matters at this time of year and no matter how it plays out any win is a good win.

Just like it did against Wellsboro in the quarterfinals, Montoursville rallied after trailing 2-1 in the sixth inning and earned a shot to defend its championship. All that matters right now is Montoursville still has an opportunity to achieve all the goals it set for itself last March.

“I know every single guy going to the plate is trying their hardest to get the job done for their teammates. It’s just not happening,” Montoursville coach Jeremy Eck said. “We’re sitting at 18-3 and we really have not played good baseball but I’m proud. They could have buried their heads in the sand and they didn’t and once again they found a way.”

Logan Ott and Phillips were a big reason why, combining on a six-hitter. Ott fought through five innings and Phillips threw three scoreless innings of relief as the duo gave Montoursville a shot at another comeback.

Loyalsock took a 2-1 lead when it scored runs in the fourth and fifth innings off Connor Watkins and Rees Watkins RBI singles. It stayed that way until the seventh when Nolan Kutney led off and reached second on an error. Again a Phillips timely walk produced a run when the fourth ball bounced away and allowed Kutney to score.

Worth, who dazzled against Montoursville all four times he faced them this season came up huge and left runners on the corners, forcing extra innings with a strikeout. After Phillips stranded a runner at second in the eighth, Shearer then gave Montoursville the spark it needed with his one-out single. Ott and Kutney followed with walks, setting the stage for Phillips.

Phillips worked ahead 2-0, took a strike and drew two more balls as jubilant Montoursville players poured out of the dugout and the many blue-clad Warrior fans who helped flood the third-base line breathed a collective sigh of relief in a game that last 3 hours, 10 minutes.

“We started to play more as a team,” Phillips said. “Coach said we were given a gift and lets take full advantage of it the rest of the way. Logan pitched a good game. We were confident and we knew we would do whatever it took.”

Loyalsock used the same approach and was two outs from reaching states during a year when it started 3-5 and 7-8. The Lancers came a long way and won five straight games entering Friday’s game, winning the Backyard Brawl and reminding so many how good this program is.

“We thanked our seniors who athletically and baseball-wise were one of the most talented classes and we told the players that this isn’t going to be the worse thing that happens to you in life. This is a crappy moment and it stings, but life is 5% what happens to you and 95% how you react to it, so you have to pick yourself off the floor,” Loyalsock coach Zac Martin said. “We’ve dealt with a ton from the outside, we’ve dealt with a ton from the inside, but the one constant we had was the boys stuck together. I’m just super proud of them.”

Armson and Worth did not allow an earned run, but Montoursville took a 1-0 second-inning lead when Dylan Bower drew a leadoff walk and scored on Dalena’s perfectly placed bunt single and an ensuing throwing error.

A year after erasing a 2-0 deficit against Loyalsock, Montoursville went into comeback mode again and together, these rivals, again produced one of the year’s most exciting area games. They have now met four times in the playoffs since 2013, splitting those four games that have been decided by five combined runs.

“It’s just tough, but we’re not going anywhere,” Martin said. “We know where we want to be next year, but we know they’ll be across from us so we have to remember this and move on.”

Montoursville 3, Loyalsock 2

(8 INNINGS)

(DISTRICT 4 CLASS AAA QUARTERFINALS)

Loyalsock 000 110 00-2 6 5

Montoursville 010 000 11-3 2 2

Dane Armson, Matt Worth (5) and Rees Watkins. Logan Ott, Gabe Phillips (6) and Jaxon Dalena. W–Phillips. L–Worth.

Top Loyalsock hitters: Rees Watkins 2-4, 2B, RBI; Connor Watkins 1-3, BB, RBI; Nick Barone 1-3. Top Montoursville hitters: Hunter Shearer 1-4; Jaxon Dalena 1-3, BB; Gabe Phillips 3 BBs, RBI.

Records: Montoursville (18-3), Loyalsock (13-9).

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