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Montgomery beats South for first time since 2012

By Chris Masse 7 min read

He understands baseball is a team game, but Briar Persing also knows that when pitching it starts as a one-on-on dual.

It's one played out repeatedly through the game. Monday, Persing won nearly won every individual battle. And that helped Montgomery earn a big win.

Persing threw 6 2/3 dominant innings, allowing just two hits before Parker Bennett closed and completed a three-hit shutout as Montgomery blanked South Williamsport in a 2025 District 4 Class AA championship rematch, 3-0. Persing struck out 10 and his cousin Parker Persing hit a two-out, go-ahead RBI single in the fifth inning, breaking a scoreless tie as Montgomery (4-1) defeated South for the first time since 2012.

"It was a pitcher's dual out there and it's kind of like seeing who the better man will be. I kind of view it like that and take it personal," Persing said. "I just go out and do my job and see what I can do."

He can do quite a lot.

Persing, a junior right-hander, will play at Penn State two years from now and won his 16th scholastic game. Mixing a low 90s fastball with off-speed pitches which grew more effective as the game progressed, Persing retired the last 11 batters he faced. He threw 73 of his 101 pitches for strikes and kept every starter not named Torin Haug (2 for 3) hitless.

He left the bases loaded in the first inning and only let one runner reach second base from there. After Haug singled to open the fourth and reached second on Andrew Walter's bunt, Persing did not allow another Mountie to reach base, ending that threat with a strikeout and sailing until he reached his 100th pitch.

Levi Butler hit a two-out single off Bennett, but the senior who has allowed just two hits this season quickly ended the game a batter later, producing a strikeout and earning the save.

"I think Briar was a little amped up at the beginning because this is one of our rivals. Once he settled down a little bit and got into a groove, he did a great job as always," Montgomery coach Tim Persing said. "Parker Bennett came in and did great. It's awesome when you have two good pitchers you can go to and we have even deeper than that, so pitching-wise we're in great shape for the year."

"I knew were going to be in a ball game when they have Briar Persing and Parker Bennett available," South coach Chase Waller said. "I know those two are players."

Pitching dominated this game after offense defined the district final which South won, 8-6. South righty Chance Quimby continued his strong junior season and opened with 4 2/3 no-hit innings. Going back to his three-inning no-hitter last Wednesday against Muncy, Quimby threw 7 2/3 consecutive no-hit innings before Parker Persing hit his go-ahead single.

While Persing overpowered at times, Quimby was more finesse. He struck out one and consistently made good pitches at opportune times, keeping Montgomery 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position through four innings.

"Chance is a worker. He's one of the most coachable, respectful kids you'll get. He wanted the ball," Waller said. "He showed it last year in big games. That's a tough Montgomery lineup, and he kept them off-balance. He's going to hit his spots. He has nice pitches to work with. You know you're getting everything out of him."

Montgomery knew it would have to produce a bit of everything to end a 14-year drought against South and the team delivered in all facets, playing error-less defense behind Persing and Bennett. And, while Quimby and reliever Kamdyn Bubb, were terrific, Montgomery made sure its hits were big ones.

Cooper Roman drew a lead-off walk to open the fifth and Gage Furman bunted him to second. Following a flyout for the second out, first base was open and South chose to intentionally walk Briar Persing.

Strategically, it was a good move but Parker Persing has done a super job beating strategy and making it backfire this season. He did so in the opener when his two-run single made the difference in a 7-5 win against Lewisburg and delivered again Monday.

Persing scorched the first pitch he saw into left field, scoring Roman. When the ball was misplayed, Briar Persing came around to score. Lincoln Miller followed with another clutch RBI single and, suddenly, Montgomery led, 3-0.

"Parker came up with that big hit. He's done that a couple times now," Tim Persing said. "They might stop doing that after a while, but I would have done the same thing. You have to take your chances sometimes."

South had just three chances against Briar Persing. Each time, he quickly erased them, including in the first when, after Haug hit a two-out infield single, he induced an inning-ending grounder to Furman which left the bases loaded.

Persing has thrown 7 2/3 scoreless innings in his last two appearances and also earned the save in the opener, leaving the bases loaded in that Lewisburg win.

"You have to be extra cautious but I have to just try and do my job," Persing said. "I have to trust my offseason work and trust myself."

Persing has excellent chemistry with Miller behind the plate and that played a role as well. The two were in sync all afternoon. So, even though Persing thought his off-speed pitches could have been better, he still was able to mow through the order and give his cousin Parker a chance to provide the runs he needed in the fifth.

From there, Persing made that 3-0 advantage look even bigger, retiring the side on 13 pitches in the sixth before closing his game in the seventh after two Montgomery web gems. First, left fielder Mason Bryson made a sliding catch before Parker Persing stuck with a grounder which hit off the first base bag and made a quick throw to a sliding Briar who beat Camden Hannan by a step.

"It was changing eye level, changing locations with the fastball and mixing in a good slider, good curveball here and there," Persing said. "It was just trying to keep them off balance."

Montgomery and South have been perennial district title contenders over the years and both have big goals this season, but each team also is keeping things in perspective. They could cross paths again, but their main goal is simply keep improving each day and attacking each game the same.

"I try to tell all the kids you're playing the game, not the team. That's the way you have to keep it because sometimes it gets too big and then you start doing stuff you normally wouldn't do," Tim Persing said. "You have to come out and do the same things no matter who you're playing and play the same way and things will take care of themselves."

Montgomery 3,

South Williamsport 0

South 000 000 0--0 3 3

Montgomery 000 030 x--3 3 0

Chance Quimby, Kamdyn Bubb (5) and Garrett Lorson. Briar Persing, Parker Bennett (7) and Lincoln Miller. W--Persing. L--Quimby.

Top South hitters: Torin Haug 2-3; Levi Butler 1-3. Top Montgomery hitters: Miller 1-2, RBI; Parker Persing 1-3, RBI; Bennett 1-4; B. Persing 3 BB, run.

Records: Montgomery (4-1), South (3-3).

Starting at /week.