RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Noah and Logan Kirby confer during the PIAA Class AAAA baseball playoffs against Wyoming Area on Monday at Millionaire Mountain.

The catcher has no problem confronting the pitcher and the pitcher has no problem giving it right back. That is at practice and games.

But, hey, that’s what brothers do.

Logan Kirby and younger brother Noah are enjoying their final high school ride together, regardless of whatever unpleasant words may sometimes be shared. They helped the ride continue Monday at Millionaire Mountain; Logan throwing a brilliant two-hit complete game and Noah going 2 for 4 with an RBI double as Montoursville thumped Wyoming Area, 11-1 in six innings.

They will share the field again Thursday when Montoursville faces Boiling Springs in the quarterfinals at Blue Mountain High School.

“They’re kind of polar opposites, and they’re at practice talking crap to each other,” Montoursville coach Jeremy Eck said. “It’s fun to see and I’m glad they can hold each other accountable like that, but it’s also special.”

That fact is not lost on either brother. Logan has enjoyed a dominant senior year, going 8-0 with a 0.76 ERA, while Noah has hit .391 with 32 RBIs. The best part for both is doing all this together.

Logan will pitch at East Stroudsburg next year, while Noah finishes his scholastic career at Montoursville before heading to Shippensburg the following year. Bringing the backyard to the field these last three years at Montoursville, however, is something which bonds them as much as their blood.

“It’s definitely fun. It’s something we’re going to look back on and be like, ‘Wow, that was fun,'” Noah said. “I don’t really have that feeling right now because we’re living it. Maybe in 20 years it’ll be different.”

Better to live in the moment anyway. That is what both brothers have done throughout their Montoursville years and it has helped the Warriors enjoy immense success, including a trip to last year’s state championship, two district titles and four state tournament wins.

And, while they may annoy each other at times, Logan and Noah also bring out each other’s best. Each has improved every season at Montoursville they have played together and that is not a coincidence.

What better battery mate to have than one’s brother? What happens on game day is what has been taking place their whole lives so nothing changes. Logan knows Noah better than anyone and vise-versa, so that has created a fabulous pitching dynamic.

Logan is 16-1 the past two seasons and won his fifth postseason start over the last two seasons Monday, shutting down a potent Wyoming Area team which was hitting a collective .393. Having Noah behind the plate certainly helps, both from a confidence and chemistry standpoint.

“He’s a really good catcher. He does the job,” Logan said. “I’ve been pitching to him for years. He knows me and I know him, so we have that connection.”

“It helps me because I can get under his skin and let him know when his stuff is working and when it’s not. I can let him know what to throw; what not to throw,” Noah said. “Growing up, doing everything with him, it’s just playing baseball. It’s nothing different. Out of the blue, I know what’s going on. There’s no guessing with him.”

Logan burst onto the scene as a freshman, throwing a shutout against Loyalsock at the Backyard Brawl before throwing a masterful one-hit shutout against Midd-West in the district semifinals. His stuff has grown nastier since then, but it’s more about the work he’s put in and maturity he’s displayed which has helped Logan go to another level the past two seasons.

Early in his high school career, Logan’s pregame routine was not the stuff of legends and he endured some slow starts. But leaning on his coaches and current San Diego Padres Minor Leaguer/Montoursville alum Jaxon Dalena has helped Logan not only become a better pitcher, but a better leader. He has helped set the tone, continuing to excel against the team’s toughest opponents while embracing all the little things which make huge differences.

“I think people take it for granted but Logan comes out and just does his thing. Not that he hasn’t been mature over the years, but year after year you can see the progression and journey,” Eck said. “He’s understanding the progression of getting to the next level. For him to have success at the next level, he’s going to have to continue to progress.

“It’s nice to see. He doesn’t say much; he doesn’t show a lot of emotion. He just kind of goes out and does his thing. He’s pretty humble about it.”

Against Wyoming Area, Logan overpowered the Warriors, allowing only a second inning single fifth inning single. The Warriors scored no earned runs and Logan produced a strikeout to squash their lone threat in the third inning when runners were on the corners with two outs in a 1-0.

“He was keeping guys off-balance, being unpredictable. He just did this thing,” Noah said. “It’s like clockwork at this point. I wouldn’t say it’s anything special, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary because everything is special at this point.”

That includes Noah fanning the flames which soon became an inferno against Wyoming Area. Building on his super 2025 postseason, Noah slammed an RBI double which scored Brody Aldenderfer and put Montoursville up, 1-0. He singled in his next at-bat, reached in a five-run fourth inning and is 4 for 7 with three RBIs in two playoff games.

More than just a hitter, Noah also provides Montoursville a defensive ace. He proved it again in the fifth inning when Wyoming Area scored its lone run on an error. The Warriors pressed their luck with two outs and a man on second. Noah immediately made them regret it, throwing a laser to Elijah Eck who applied the tag and ended the inning.

“Noah being our catcher is kind of our leader at this point. He’s earned that right,” Eck said. “He’s going to have a great career in college at Ship.”

The future, however, can wait. The Kirby’s only focus right now is on the moment. The next stop on this journey is Blue Mountain and they will do whatever they can to embrace another opportunity together.

The work continues, but some day Logan and Noah will look back at these Montoursville years. What stories they can tell.

“It’s special to see the two boys doing it together. That’s what’s nice about it,” Eck said. “Those memories are going to last the rest of their lives.”