“My mindset is don’t screw it up for Briar,” Bennett said. “I know Briar has worked his butt off since freshman year and even before that. These are the kind of games we need to win, and my mindset is to finish the job.”

He did. With gusto.

Bennett built on the 6 2/3 dominant innings Persing threw, produced a five-pitch strikeout and Montgomery defeated Warrior Run, 2-1 at Brandon Park. Parker Persing went 2 for 3 with a first inning RBI single, Briar Persing stifled a potent offense and Bennett earned his second save as the Red Raiders (12-2) delivered their latest statement win, snapping Warrior Run’s 10-game winning streak.

Briar Persing improved to 4-0 and ran his scoreless streak to 25 2/3 innings before a wild pitch lost behind the plate allowed Griff Harrington to score from first with two outs in the sixth to make it, 2-1. From there, he and Bennett retired the final four batters and Montgomery avenged a defeat from the previous year for a fourth time.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Warrior Run short stop Cohen Zechman (9) fields a ground ball for an out at first base in the third inning.

“We’re a 2A school, so it’s fun to play schools that are bigger than us and be competitive,” Persing said. “I’m a competitive guy. I want to win no matter what we’re doing, so it’s amazing playing against big schools and going out and pitching well.”

Saying Persing has pitched well is like saying Michaelangelo painted well. The Penn State-bound junior has been phenomenal and Warrior Run became the first team to score against Persing since Montgomery’s season opener, highlighting that fact. He allowed just two hits, including none after the second inning, struck out 12 and came within an out of either throwing or combining on a shutout for a fourth time.

Persing is friends with many Warrior Run players, having been teammates with them throughout past summers. But he hardly treated them friendly, striking out seven different batters and inducing 16 swings and misses.

“I’ve played baseball with a bunch of those guys my entire life, so I know them well and they know me well,” Persing said. “They’re a well-coached team and I know they’re going to be aggressive and smart at the plate, so I have to confident in myself.”

“Briar was awesome. He did what he always does,” Montgomery coach Tim Persing said. “Being ahead in the counts, allowing him to go deeper into games, is a big change from last year to this year. It’s him growing and understanding that he has to get ahead in the count to stay in longer. He has made a good adjustment there.”

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montgomery's Parker Bennett (10) celebrates at second base after hitting a double in the fifth inning.

Persing made it nearly impossible for Warrior Run to adjust to his pitching arsenal. On a day he hit 94 miles per hour on the radar gun, Persing masterfully mixed and spotted his off-speed pitches, including a slider, curveball and change-up.

After leaving second and third in the first inning by producing his first strikeout and working around an infield single an inning later, Persing became virtually untouchable. Over his final 4 2/3 innings, the right-hander, who improved to 18-2 for his scholastic career, fanned seven and let just three runners reach base, one via error.

“I felt like command of my fastball was a little off, but I was able to pitch well with my off-speed and my change-up,” Persing said. “Keeping them off-balance is the main goal and hitting my spots.”

Bennett has done both well throughout his high school career and, especially, this season. Essentially, a co-ace alongside Persing, Bennett is 2-1 with two saves, striking out 40 in 18 innings. He closed out a 3-0 victory against defending District 4 Class AA champion South Williamsport earlier this season, entering after Persing went 6 2/3 innings and faced an identical situation Monday.

He ended it the same way, too. Bennett blew a 2-2 fastball by the No. 9 hitter for the game-ending strikeout and Montgomery bounced back after Millville ended its 10-game winning streak last Friday in outstanding fashion.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montgomery third baseman Gage Furman fields a high bouncing grounder before throwing to first for an out in the third inning.

“You can’t treat hitters differently,” Bennett said. “You have to treat them all like they’re the best player and you have to attack them like they’re the best player.”

Parker Persing has attacked run-scoring opportunities this season and pounced again in the first inning. After Bennett and Persing drew walks, Parker Persing ripped an RBI single up the middle and Bennett scored from second, making it, 1-0. Bennett’s brother Chase ignited a sixth-inning rally with a lead-off single before Trace Furman dropped a perfectly-placed bunt single. An error two batters later made it, 2-0.

An inning earlier, Bennett slammed a two-out double to deep left field. It looked like it might go over the wall for a home run, but the wind helped knock it down and keep it in the park. Montgomery loaded the bases, but Harrington produced a strikeout to end the threat.

Still, Bennett’s hit seemed to energize Montgomery and that bled into the sixth inning as it extended the lead.

“I got all of it but it wasn’t elevated enough, but I also think that sparked the rest of the game,” Bennett said. “I think it gave us a high note, and I think we rode that throughout the game.”

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Warrior Run second baseman Tyler Ulrich (28) fields a line drive for an out in the third inning.

Harrington threw 5 1/3 terrific innings, surrendering just an earned run and walked to open the sixth before going to second on a strike-three wild pitch. When a two-out wild pitch was lost behind the plate, Harrington hustled from home and made it, 2-1.

That seemed to only further light Persing’s raging internal fire. He struck out the final batter on three pitches that inning, then induced a grounder to Bennett and closed with his 12th strikeout in the seventh. He and Bennett doing so prevented Warrior Run from getting to the top of its order that final inning.

“It was the bottom three in the order, but I was treating it like it was the top three,” Persing said. “I was just trying to throw strikes.”

Harrington did that well after a 38-pitch first inning and combined with Cohen Zechman on a six-hitter. Warrior Run was dealt a potentially devastating blow in the third inning when all-state catcher Landon Tillson appeared to severely twist his knee while swinging. His status was unknown, but Tillson, who committed to play at Bucknell last weekend, has been one of District 4’s best players this season, hitting .512, playing sensational defense and excelling on the mound.

Tillson hit a one-out first inning single and Harrington reached on an error, but Persing ended the threat by inducing a grounder to his cousin and getting a strikeout. The Defenders would place only one other runner in scoring position until the sixth inning.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montgomery short stop Cody Sechrist (1) back hands a ground ball but was late for the out at first base in the second inning.

“I love our team. When we bring it, we can beat anybody and when we go flat, we can get beat by anybody,” Tim Persing said. “They played hard. They’re a bunch of good kids. We just have to bring it every time.”

Montgomery 100 001 0–2 6 2

Warrior Run 000 001 0–1 3 1

Briar Persing, Parker Bennett (7) and Lincoln Miller. Griff Harrington, Cohen Zechman (6) and Landon Tillson, Jackson Bowers (4). W–Persing, (4-0). L–Harrington. SV–Bennett, (2).

Top Montgomery hitters: Parker Persing 2-3, RBI; Bennett 1-3, 2B, BB, R; Chase Bennett 1-3, BB, R; Cooper Roman 1-3; Trace Furman 1-4. Top Warrior Run hitters: Tillson 1-1; Colton Ritenour 1-3; Harrington BB, R.

Records: Montgomery 12-2. Warrior Run 12-3.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Warrior Run first baseman Logan Stevenson (7) fields the throw after Montgomery's Parker Persing (4) is chased back on an attempted steal of second in the second inning.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Warrior Run second baseman Tyler Ulrich (28) fields a ground ball before throwing to second base for a force on Montgomery's Cooper Roman (3) in the second inning.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montgomery short stop Parker Bennett (10) fields a ground ball before throwing to second base in the first inning.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montgomery pitcher Briar Persing