Turner threw his latest gem, firing a three-hit complete game and Neidig went 4 for 4, while reaching base five times. The seniors set the tone and all the Mounties contributed as South put together a super all-around performance, defeating Montgomery, 14-3. South (9-4) handed Montgomery (14-1) its first loss in 15 games and won its third straight.

“I’m always feeling good when Noah is throwing,” Neidig said after also playing excellent defense. “When he’s throwing, things are good.”

South was mighty good Monday, erasing a 2-0 third-inning deficit, scoring six times in the fourth to go ahead and scoring 11 straight runs at one point. Every starter produced at least one hit and literally every Mountie on the roster played and did something positive.

Both teams are keeping things in perspective and while South cut into Montgomery’s first-place lead in the District 4 Class AA standings, it was happier simply knowing it played a complete game against a strong opponent. That goes double after Montgomery seized on two errors and took a 2-0 first inning lead. After that, however, South played about as well as at team can in all facets and started taking over.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montgomery’s second baseman Parker Bennett stretches for the ball as South Williamsport’s Tadd Lusk reaches second during a high school baseball game at Montgomery on Monday, April 29, 2024

“There was a lot of communication about how this was a big game with them being 14-0,” Neidig said. “We’ve been doing all right but we know we can do better, so this is a big game for us.”

“We have to do the little things and defensively we played well,” South coach Casey Waller said. “I’m proud of the guys. The first inning it could have went down south quickly but we were able to bounce back.”

Turner has excelled in big games the past two seasons and did so again. The senior right-hander threw his second consecutive complete game, and improved to 6-1. He struck out eight and retired 16 of 17 batters after Montgomery built its 2-0 first inning lead with no outs following a walk, Parker Bennett single and two errors.

Equally impressive, Turner completed the game, throwing 92 pitches. Turner going the distance felt like a long shot following that 23-pitch first inning and even more so after he was sitting at 53 pitches following the third.

“The first inning was shaky but I settled into the mound and the defense cleaned up. We played really well the rest of the game,” Turner said. “I definitely wasn’t on a good pace at the start. I knew a lot of things would have to go our way if I was going to go all seven.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent South Williamsport's Rem Minier gets past the glove of Montgomery's first baseman Parker Persing during a high school baseball game at Montgomery on Monday, April 29, 2024.

And all those pieces fell into place over the final four innings. A Kaiser Kistner RBI grounder made it a one-run game in the third and South erupted for six runs in the fourth, building a 7-2 advantage which was never seriously threatened.

Turner was virtually untouchable over the final six innings. After striking out five straight in the first and second innings, Turner relied on his defense and consistently retired batters on three or fewer pitches. Working ahead and effectively spotting his curveball, Turner threw 10 or fewer pitches in three of the final four innings and maxed out at just 13 pitches in the sixth inning.

Over his last two starts, Turner has gone the distance each time, surrendering just seven hits and one earned run.

“It’s nice when you have Noah on the mound because Noah is going to give us a chance. He’s always going to keep us in the game,” Waller said. “He was able to bounce back. Noah is one of those guys who’s not going to get too high or too low. He keeps that even keel.”

That mentality permeated throughout the dugout and South turned on the offense over the final four innings, scoring 13 runs and collecting 12 hits. Kayne Jones ignited the game-changing six-run fourth inning rally with a lead-off single before Trace Wertz (2 for 5) dropped a perfect bunt single, Torin Haug bunted and Marc Molina (2 for 3, 2 walks) hit a game-tying RBI single. Reminington Minier put South ahead to stay with an RBI grounder a batter later.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent South Williamsport’s second baseman Kaiser Kistner makes the tag on Montgomery's Blake Fry (7) and throws to first for an attempted double play during a high school baseball game at Montgomery on Monday, April 29, 2024

Neidig’s third single kept the rally going and Kistner provided the big blow moments later, lofting a three-run double down the right field line. Kaden Shay (2 for 4, 2 walks) and Neidig helped South build on the momentum in the fifth with both hitting RBI singles. Neidig improved to 4 for 4 with his two-out RBI single and has settled into the No. 2 spot, hitting behind one of the area’s leaders in on-base percentage, while also setting the table for the middle of the order.

“I look forward to that. He (Shay) gets on base a lot. My job is to move him over and help get him in,” Neidig said. “I was definitely seeing the ball a lot better today.”

As the game progressed, every Mountie seemed to be eyeing up pitches well. The Mounties scored multiple runs in each of the last four innings and Tadd Lusk was one of five hitters who generated at least two hits. He and Minier, who reached all five times, made big hustle plays, too, sprinting hard out of the box and forcing hurried throws which they just beat to keep big rallies going.

Haug hit an RBI sixth-inning single, Luke Stoetzel hit an RBI fielder’s choice which would have been a single if not for an Ozzie Smith-type diving stop by Briar Persing and 11 players reached base.

“Caleb is coming on strong, putting him in the two-hole. Rem in the nine-hole is turning the lineup over, and having some speed out there really helps us out and we can be aggressive,” Waller said. “We want to build on this and hopefully, take some momentum from it. I’m excited to see what happens in the second half of the season, but we have a long way to go.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montgomery’s head coach Tim Persing calls his infield for a conference during a high school baseball game against South Williamsport at Montgomery on Monday, April 29, 2024.

Persing hit a sixth-inning double and scored a batter later on Parker Persing’s RBI single. Freshman catcher Lincoln Miller showed off his arm in the top of the first, throwing out two attempted base stealers. While, obviously, disappointed with the result, Montgomery has all its goals in front of it and has a big game Wednesday against Muncy as it pursues a Mid-Penn championship.

All Montgomery had to do was look across the field following yesterday’s game to see how quickly things can change. South had lost three straight games entering last Tuesday but has turned it around and won three straight since.

“We were all extremely excited to come out and play. We all wanted this one a lot and we came and played our game,” Turner said. “It was great. It was a whole team effort. It was a good game for us.”

South 001 622 3–14 16 2

Montgomery 200 001 0–3 3 5

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent South Williamsport’s Noah Turner (7) throws for South Williamsport during a high school baseball game against South Williamsport at Montgomery on Monday, April 29, 2024.

Noah Turner and Kayne Jones. Brady Pease, Parker Bennett (4), Tyler Kuhn (6) and Lincoln Miller. W–Turner, (6-1). L–Pease.

Top South hitters: Caleb Neidig 4-4, RBI, 2 runs; Kaden Shay 2-4, 2 BB, RBI, run; Marc Molina 2-3, 2 RBIs, 2 BB, run; Tadd Lusk 2-4, 2B, run; Trace Wertz 2-5, RBI, 2 runs; Kaisser Kistner 1-3, 2B, 4 RBIs, run; Torin Haug 1-3, RBI, run; Remington Minier 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Jones 1-4. Top Montgomery hitters: Briar Persing 1-3, 2B, run; Bennett 1-3, run; Parker Persing 1-3, RBI.

Records: South (9-4), Montgomery (14-1).

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montgomery’s Brady Pease starts out on the mound during a high school baseball game against South Williamsport at Montgomery on Monday, April 29, 2024.