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Phillips leads gutsy showing in Montoursville exit

BLOOMSBURG –Gabe Phillips wore an ice bag over his right shoulder moments after Montoursville’s Class AAA state tournament opener against Wyoming Seminary concluded Monday night.

Maybe it should have rested upon his chest. Because Phillips was all heart at Central Columbia High School, delivering a performance that perfectly epitomized everything he represents. In his final scholastic game, Phillips emptied the barrel, put his toughness on display and showed Army what a good pitcher it is receiving.

But Montoursville could not reward their determined pitcher with a win. Aiden Murphy would not allow it.

Phillips overpowered Wyoming Seminary with 6 2/3 innings of shutout relief, but Murphy threw a complete game four-hitter, struck out 11 and helped the Blue Knights defeat Montoursville, 3-1. Phillips tried willing the Warriors (19-4) to a win, but their season ended while Seminary (15-6) earned its first state tournament win and a quarterfinal Thursday against Notre Dame-Green Pond.

“What is frustrating for me is that Gabe Phillips absolutely pitched his butt off for his career and we couldn’t find a way to get a big hit or get it done with him. That is what is upsetting for me,” Montoursville coach Jeremy Eck said. “That is a senior giving everything he has.”

Seminary scored three runs before many fans had settled in at sun-splashed Central with Todd Phillips hitting a leadoff single, Charlie Kutz walking, a potential double play ball being misplayed and Amend Jackson and Ari Lonstein hitting consecutive singles that made it 3-0.

With two on and one out, Montoursville quickly called upon Phillips who stomped out the rally. And then the right-hander went into overdrive, surrendering just four singles over his brilliant 6 2/3 innings and growing stronger as the game progressed.

Phillips recorded two straight strikeouts in the sixth with runners on the corners and fanned five of the last six batters he faced, striking out the side in the seventh and reaching a career-high 11 strikeouts. Phillips put an exclamation point on his fantastic postseason, allowing just four hits and no runs while striking out 15 in 10 2/3 innings.

“That’s who he is. That was my message in the sixth inning when we brought them in here. Gabe Phillips is giving us a chance. He had his back against the wall when he entered the game and he is giving us a chance and we are not getting it done for him,” Eck said. “I love Gabe like he is my own. He’s a great kid. He’s a competitor and they didn’t battle for him.”

Montoursville was stunned, but it did show promise in the bottom of the inning. Phillips hit a two-out double and Cameron Wood fought back from 0-2, hitting an RBI single that made it, 3-1. Maddix Dalena followed with a single that put runners on the corners, but a sign was missed on what Montoursville was hoping would be a potential double steal and Murphy induced an inning-ending fielder’s choice.

What looked like Montoursville’s first chance at breaking through, ultimately because its last. Outside of Logan Ott hitting a third-inning leadoff single and reaching second on Nolan Kutney’s bunt, Montoursville did nothing against Murphy who erased its offense.

Murphy put on a pitching clinic, not allowing a hit after Ott’s single and retiring 15 of the last 16 batters he faced, nine via strikeout. The right-hander had everything working, retired 10 batters straight between the third and sixth innings and ended Montoursville’s season by striking out the side on nine pitches.

“It felt good, especially in front of a guy who’s going to be in the Hall of Fame in (pitching coach) Mike Mussina,” Murphy said. “My catcher and I had it on with each other. We had that connection. We were on the same page the whole game and my fielders made some nice plays.”

Murphy was at 51 pitches through three innings, but started efficiently mowing through Montoursville’s lineup and finished at 101. The Warriors struggled the entire postseason offensively, scoring just eight runs in four games. They had found a way to win all three games, but met their match against Murphy who was at the top of his game.

“I was pumped up and ready to go. I just wanted to go out and get the win,” Murphy said. “It’s the program’s first state win and that feels good. We know we already made history for the school and we want to make more history.”

The end was disappointing, but Montoursville did put together another excellent season. It won 19 games and repeated as both HAC-II and district champions while playing one of the state’s most demanding schedules. The Warriors also repeated as district champions for the first time since 1999-2000.

“Obviously, we’re not satisfied because the ultimate goal now is to get to states every year and try and make a deep run, but to win a very tough league and district is an accomplishment in itself,” Eck said. “We have some guys that need to figure out how much they love baseball going into next year and what kind of effort they want to put into next year, but I strongly believe we’ll be back here next year.”

Seminary 300 000 0 — 3 8 0

Montoursville 100 000 0 –1 4 1

Aiden Murphy and Amend Jackson. Jaxon Dalena, Gabe Phillips (1) and Maddix Dalena. W — Murphy. L — Dalena.

Top Seminary hitters: Todd Phillips 2-4, R, SB; Amend Jackson 1-2, 2 RBIs; Ari Lonstein 2-3, RBI. Top Montoursville hitters: Phillips 1-2, BB; Cameron Wood 1-3, RBI; M. Dalena 1-3; Logan Ott 1-3.

Records: Seminary 15-6. Montoursville 19-4.

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