RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent South Williamsport's Jaymes Carpenter (31) rounds third after hitting a home run during a high school baseball game against Jersey Shore earlier this season.

Chase Waller is one of District 4’s youngest coaches.

But at times the last two years, the 26-year-old has felt the aging process rapidly accelerating. His South Williamsport baseball team has taken him on some wild rides during that time, although is hair has not yet turned gray.

Still, Waller is still smiling and loving the journey because, more often not, his resilient team wins those games.

A year after winning four games in their final at-bat, the Mounties already have matched that total. The latest thriller came last Wednesday at Shikellamy when South prevailed, 5-4 in eight innings. That was the third time four contests, the Mounties scored the winning run in their final at-bat, the second time it do so in extra innings and the third time it did so after the opponent had either taken a lead and/or tied the game in the seventh inning or extras.

Sure, South would prefer more games like the one it played last Friday when it dominated Canton, 17-0 in five innings. But when the pressure is turned up, this team often is at its best. That says something about the players’ talent, but so much more about their character.

It’s not that surprising either, considering all but one player is back from last year’s District 4 Class AA champion. That squad set what has seemingly become the team’s standard, producing enough daring escapes to make Houdini smile.

This was a team one strike from not reaching the playoffs a year ago and, from there, it reached the state’s Elite 8, coming within a run of taking out the eventual state champion. Even there, the Mounties tied it late, forcing extra innings against a team which cruised in its other state tournament victories.

South entered its regular-season finale at North Penn-Mansfield at 9-10 and the 3A playoff qualifiers led 9-7. Then-freshman Cole Gerber rocked a two-out, two-strike, two-run doubled which tied it and fellow freshman Jax Miller won it with an RBI bunt two innings later.

Eight nights later, top-seeded Southern Columbia loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh of a scoreless district semifinal. Gerber escaped the jam, forced extra innings and South scored seven runs in the eighth, highlighted by Marc Molina’s two-out, two-run, go-ahead single. Another comeback made South district champions, turning a one-run deficit against Montgomery into an 8-6 victory.

From wins and championships grew belief; an iron will. South has continued displaying it this season, defeating Jersey Shore, Hanover and North Schuylkill in extra innings. After Shikellamy scored three times to erase a 4-1 seventh inning deficit, South remained unfazed went back to work and went ahead on Kamdyn Bubb’s RBI single in the eighth before Chance Quimby closed it out.

South is 3-0 in extra innings this season and rallied from ninth and seventh inning deficits to defeat Jersey Shore and North Schuylkill, two tough 4A teams. North Schuylkill had scored six times in the seventh, going from three down to up, 7-4. That might have rattled most teams, but not South which stormed back and won it on Levi Butler’s walk-off single.

That’s the thing, too. Look at the different late-game heroes in the above wins. It’s not the same one two. It’s a lot and that includes several who have not been mentioned. Maybe Hall of Fame NFL coach Marv Levy could see into the future and was actually talking about South when he often told his Buffalo Bills during the 1990s that “When it’s too tough for them, it’s just right for us.”

South designs its schedule to be put through those fires, too. It does not play in a conference and consistently makes its schedule a meat grinder. This year is no different and one saw the value in how well that prepares South a year ago when it was the district’s last team in and its last out.

The challenges remain big this year, too, especially in a loaded district field. It seems that is the way this team likes it. The Mounties might bend at times, but they do not break.

Nobody has a crystal ball and can see into the future, so how this season ends remains a mystery. But one can guarantee South will be fighting the whole way.

BIG INTEREST, SMALL FOCUS

Williamsport pitcher Trey Damschroder visited Maryland and Virginia Tech’s football facilities nine days ago. He also is receiving Division I baseball interest as is fellow junior Deshaun White who decommitted from Penn State last week and again will be the apple of many recruiter’s eye.

All that is exciting. But that is the future. Neither knows who their future team will be, but they are only focused on their current one. For both, the future is now and all their effort and concentration is going toward helping Williamsport become the best team it possibly can.

“Right now, I’m really focused on doing everything for the team. Baseball is a team sport and I’m only a person on the team,” White said after going 2 for 3 with an RBI in a 6-1 win at Central Mountain last Monday. “My personal matters don’t matter when I step on this field. I want to win and help the team anyway I can whether I’m committed or not.”

“The stuff off the field, I feel like that will come as I help my team do better,” Damschroder said after throwing 5 1/3 dominant innings to earn the win. “If do the things I need to do to help my team, that will definitely help off the field, too.”

White and Damschroder have helped Williamsport (11-1) enjoy their best start this decade. The Millionaires have won nine straight and the two juniors are vital reasons why. White is hitting .533 with 16 RBIs, while Damschroder is 3-0 with a 1.39 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings.

Both are five-tool players with White possessing power, speed and the ability to hit to all fields. Damschroder also is a jet on the bases and both have seven stolen bases. Damschroder is hitting .357 with eight RBIs, so the duo’s contributions certainly are spread out.

Still, it’s the people they are which also provides Williamsport a boost. Both are as well-rounded as they are talented, excelling off the field, providing strong leadership and putting the team above the individual.

One day they will wear different colors as they play, but White and Damschroder simply are happy to be where they are right now, playing alongside their friends and making the most of their high school opportunities.

“No matter if I know where I’m going or not, I’m playing for this season; this team,” White said. “This is my family right here. Family comes first all the way. I bleed Red, White and Black.”

EXTRA BASES

Muncy (7-4) is coming on strong and won its third straight game Friday at Northwest, doing so in dramatic fashion. The Indians scored three runs in the top of the seventh before Graden Dohl struck out the side in the seventh inning, sealing a 4-2 win. Dohl and starter Corbyn Gardner combined on a three-hitter and Dohl went 2 for 3 with a home run and four RBIs two days earlier in a 9-3 win against CMVT. The Northwest game was the second time this season, Muncy has rallied in the seventh inning to win … Kane Meixel won his third decision, striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings as St. John Neumann defeated Sullivan County, 7-4. He also hit a double and Avery Taddeo had two hits. Sullivan sophomore Madden Fries struck out seven as well … Jersey Shore (6-6) boosted its playoff hopes with an 8-5 comeback win against Shamokin. The Bulldogs scored six times in the fifth to erase a three-run deficit. Nolen Pauling produced three hits and Hayden Kelley and Landon Lathan threw 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Tucker Hanna went 2 for 2 … Drake Dupont threw six innings of three-hit baseball and struck out eight in a 5-3 win against Bloomsburg which also helped the Lancers (5-6) as they fight for a playoff spot. Dupont also had two hits and an RBI … Cowanesque Valley (14-1) has won seven straight games for a second time this season after thumping Addison and Williamson. The Addison win was an eye-opener with the Indians turning a 7-2 third inning deficit into a 22-8, five-inning win … Hughesville sophomore pitcher Gage Webb is heating up and threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings in Friday’s 7-2 loss against Warrior Run. That extended his scoreless streak to 9 1/3 innings and Webb has allowed just four hits during that stretch, while striking out 13 … Two days after hitting a game-tying, two-run seventh inning home run which tied the game against NTL-I leading Athens, Marek Mascho dominated on the mound, throwing a three-hit shutout in a 2-0 win against Towanda. Mascho also doubled and drove in a run as Wellsboro (8-2) won for the seventh time in eight games.

Dr. Masse’s top 5 rankings:

1. Williamsport (11-1): Williamsport snapped Central Mountain’s 17-game HAC-I winning streak last Monday and is the only team to beat the Wildcats in league play the past three seasons. The Millionaires can do no worse than share the league crown if they win their final three league games. Williamsport rallied for an exciting 11-10 win against Mifflinburg, overcoming a deficit in the fifth inning or beyond for the second time in three games. Seven players had hits in Friday’s 9-6 win against Shikellamy and, four days after hitting a clutch two-run, two-out double at Central Mountain, Zane Rogers added two more hits, including a double, with three RBIs.

2. Montoursville (9-2): Montoursville also handed an opponent its first loss, this one its first, period, this season when it blanked Mount Carmel, 3-0 last Wednesday. The Warriors are the only team to beat Mount Carmel in 12 games and pulled even in the HAC-II as they try winning their first league crown since 2019. Logan Kirby delivered his fourth straight masterful performance, throwing a four-hit shutout. The senior ace is 4-0, has thrown two shutouts and has allowed just one run each in his two other starts. Two days earlier, Elijah Eck combined with Kirby on a two-hit shutout in a 1-0 win against Midd-West and Brody Aldenderfer and Gabe Moser continued the pitching brilliance with a three-hit shutout in Friday’s 12-0 win against Lewisburg. The staff carries a 20-game scoreless streak into today’s game at Jersey Shore.

3. Warrior Run (12-2): Warrior Run also is receiving stellar pitching and Griffen Harrington, Landon Tillson and James Keifer all threw gems during a 3-0 week. Harrington struck out 10 over six innings and Warrior Run avenged one of its two defeats with the help of Colton Ritenour’s clutch three-run sixth inning double in a 4-1 win against Southern Columbia. Landon Tillson struck out 10 in a complete game against Lewisburg and James Keifer (6-0) become the area’s first six-game winner, fanning 11 while allowing just two hits in six innings of a 7-2 win at Hughesville. Warrior Run has won 10 straight games and highlighted its depth in that Hughesville win with nine players producing hits and seven players scoring runs.

4. Central Mountain (8-2): The Wildcats came back strong Friday, cooling off a streaking Selinsgrove team and winning, 12-1. The Wildcats generated 14 hits and have scored six or more runs in their last five victories. Senior catcher Watt Probst is having another strong season and went 2 for 3 with two RBIs against Williamsport, hitting a two-out, RBI single and adding a sacrifice fly.

5. Montgomery (11-2): Montgomery opened the week with impressive victories against two of the Mid-Penn’s premier teams in Northwest and Benton, outscoring them, 21-1. Five errors, however, proved too much to overcome against 11-win Millville Friday and a 10-game winning streak was halted as the Quakers won, 7-1. Sometimes a wake-up call like that can do a team good and that is the goal moving forward. Parker Bennett struck out nine against Millville in 4 1/3 innings and opened the week with a five-inning no-hitter against Northwest. Bennett struck out 12 of the 16 batters he faced there. He then went 3 for 3 with a triple, three RBIs and three runs in the 11-1 win against Benton. Parker Persing hit safely in all three games, going 4 for 8 with three RBIs.

Players of the Week

Lucas Naughton, Williamsport and Kamdyn Bubb, South: Naughton set the tone for a strong team-wide offensive week, going on a three-game rampage. The senior catcher went 7 for 9 and doubled in each game. He also tripled and one of those doubles was a 390-foot moon shot at Central Mountain which does not have a fence. Naughton was retired just once in his final 11 plate appearances, collecting four RBIs and six runs. Bubb is one of several unflappable South players and has been especially strong in tense moments. He proved it again at Shikellamy, hitting the go-ahead RBI single in a game in which he also smashed his second home run. Bubb opened his week by throwing 5 2/3 innings against Towanda, allowing no earned runs and improving to 3-0. He then went 4 for 5 with the home run, a double and six RBIs in the next two South victories.

Game of the Week

Montgomery vs. Warrior Run at Brandon Park: Today’s game at Lycoming College’s field is a showdown between district title contenders who are 20-1 over their last 21 games. Both aces are available to start with Harrington and Briar Persing both having terrific seasons. This should be a fun one and is a game which can help both teams as they move forward.

–Masse may be reached at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse