Schur threw a brilliant three-hit shutout and March continued his torrid hitting, going 2 for 2 with two walks as Williamsport blanked Shikellamy, 10-0 in six innings. Grant Vilello added three hits, Trey Damschroder four RBIs; DeShaun White and Christian Franzen anchored a flawless defense and Williamsport (6-4, 5-2 HAC-I) scored six sixth innings runs, shaking off the heartbreak of Saturday’s walk-off loss at Bethlehem Liberty.

“Our defense was great, so my goal was to just throw strikes and let them hit it and our defense play,” Schur said. “Any time I can get out of any type of situation it definitely pumps me up and gets the team going.”

“I definitely like being in the lead-off spot,” March said. “It’s a lot more pressure than last year but I feel like I can handle it now. I like picking up more of a leadership role this season.”

Schur and March certainly helped lead the way against Shikellamy. Schur improved to 4-0 and threw just 61 pitches, including 42 for strikes. Building off last season’s breakout season in which he compiled a 0.27 ERA and allowed just seven hits in 25 2/3 innings, Schur never faced more than four batters in an inning. The right-hander threw just 19 pitches over the last three innings, including no more than seven in any of them.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Trey Damschroeder celebrates after hitting a triple with an RBI in the second inning.

It was exactly that kind of performance Williamsport needed after Saturday’s 13-12 loss and it kept several pitching options available for later in the week. It also served as a template for how Williamsport would like winning as the season progresses.

Pitchers have struggled with walks at times, but Schur pitched to contact and let a stellar defense do its thing. White, playing second base, turned an incredible inning-ending double play in the fourth inning, sprinting into shallow right field, making an over-the-shoulder catch before wheeling and making a one-hop throw to first baseman Cole Deitrick. Franzen was a vacuum at third base, starting a double play an inning later and gobbling up anything near him.

“It reminds me how great my defense is behind me,” Schur said. “It lets me know I can just keep pounding the zone and let them hit it and we’re going to get outs.”

“The message leading into this week was efficiency and Ryan last year going into this year is a guy that is more than capable of being efficient. He was a great tone setter for us, leading into the rest of the season,” Williamsport coach Tyler Albert said. “It was really good to see Ryan induce ground balls and give our defense the opportunity to make plays and be the athletes they are.”

March, a shortstop, is one of those athletes and has developed into one of the area’s premier lead-off hitters during a breakthrough junior season. Hard work has produced terrific results and March is hitting .560 with a whopping .727 on-base percentage, reaching base in all 10 games.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Trey Danschroeder (4) is congratulated by his third base coach after driving in the 10th run to enforce the mercy rule in the sixth inning.

Doing whatever it takes to reach base, March has drawn 15 walks, while producing 14 hits, scoring 16 times and driving in 11 runs. He walked twice Monday, smoked a second-inning RBI single which put Williamsport up 20-0 and added a lead-off single which fanned the flames for the game-winning six-run burst.

“I try not to look at the average too much. I just try and focus on what I’m doing and trying to get the job done and get on base for the guys,” March said. “I’m swinging it well. I feel good and I feel confident, even with two strikes.”

“Cam is a ball player where you want him starting off the game. There’s something about Cam, that you just can’t teach. You want to take ownership of that lead-off spot and that’s what he’s done,” Albert said. “He kind of epitomizes what this team is about and how hard we want them to play and the effort and pride that we want them to take in everything that we do.”

Following that example, Williamsport started passing the bat as the game progressed and every starter reached base. Vilello did so four times and Wyatt Bair smashed a two-run double to keep the sixth inning momentum going. White walked three times, Deitrick was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and Williamsport scored eight times in its final two at-bats.

“It was a good game to bounce back,” March said. “We need to pick it up more early on and get runs across to start the game. We need to get the energy up to begin with rather than pick it up in the later innings but I’m happy with what we did.”

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Christian Franzen (21) is safe at second base as he tries to break up Shikellemy short stop Brady Kurtz' (4) throw to first on a Cole Deitrick (41) single with two RBI's in the sixth inning.

Williamsport was especially happy with how Damschroder performed. The sophomore has showcased his potential on the mound, striking out 19 batters in 9 1/3 innings and has impressed coaches with his hitting and fielding work at practices.

Dedication created an opportunity and Damschroder pounced, earning a start in right field and driving in runs in three of his four at-bats. He produced he game’s first run with a second-inning RBI single before hustling down the line to beat out a fielder’s choice which brought in two runs and gave Williamsport a 4-0 lead. Damschroder delivered again in his final at-bat, ending the game early and smacking a walk-off double down the right field line.

“His mindset, who he is as a person and as an athlete, Trey wants to contribute and he’s locked in non-stop,” Albert said. “Getting a guy like that on the field is important and it brings out the best in the rest of the guys.”

Williamsport 10,

Shikellamy 0

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport center fielder Giovanni White (12) and right fielder Trey Damschroeder (4) run off the field after Damschroeder fielded a fly ball then threw to first base for a double out in the third inning.

Shikellamy 000 000 0–0 3 2

Williamsport 020 026 x–10 11 0

Chase Snyder, Gavyn Erb (3), Corbin Stahl (6) and Tristan Yarger. Ryan Schur and Jaxson March. W–Schur (4-0). L–Snyder.

Top Williamsport hitters: Grant Vilello 3-4, 2B, RBI, 3 runs; Camden March 2-2, 2 BB, RBI, run; Cole Deitrick 2-4, 2 RBIs; Trey Damschroder 2-4, 2B, 4 RBIs, run; Wyatt Bair 1-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, run; J. March 1-3; Deshaun White 3 BB, run.

Records: Williamsport (6-4, 5-2 HAC-I).

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport second baseman Deshawn White (5) throws to first base for an out in the second inning.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport third baseman Christian Franzen throws to first base on the run for an out at first base in the fifth inning.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport third baseman Christian Franzen (21) prepares to field a ground ball for an out at first base in the fifth inning.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Grant Vilello prepares to go to bat against Shikellamy Monday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport pitcher Ryan Schur delivers a pitch against Shikellamy Monday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Grant Vilello connects for a single in the second inning.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport short stop Camden March (13) throws to first base for an out in the second inning.