Feelings like these are so unique, so hard-earned but Montoursville players soaked in the moment as they continued raising the proud program’s standard higher yet again.

Neill threw 3 2/3 dominant innings of no-hit relief; Aldenderfer slammed a two-run double and every Warrior did his part as Montoursville defeated Boiling Springs, 4-2 in Thursday’s Class AAAA state quarterfinals. Kane Moore and Gabe Moser made two game-changing defensive plays; Logan Kirby hit an RBI single and Montoursville (19-4) reached a second straight Final 4.

There, it will play District 1 champion Holy Ghost Prep Monday at a time and place to be determined. Holy Ghost defeated Mid-Valley, 6-2 in the other Eastern Region semifinal.

“It’s different. There are not many feelings that are equal to it,” Neill said after retiring 12 of 13 batters he faced while earning the long save. “It’s different for sure. I love it and I want to do it again.”

EVAN WHEATON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Boiling Springs reacts after scoring a run against Montoursville during Thursday's PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinal.

“It’s special. It matters and that’s what we talked to them about out there,” Montoursville coach Jeremy Eck said after earning his seventh Final 4 berth in 15 years coaching at Loyalsock and Montoursville. “We talked to them about sticking together and having each other’s backs and that’s what we did today.”

Montoursville is District 4’s first team to make consecutive Final 4 appearances this decade and will do so for the third time since 2018. Neill, Moser and Elijah Eck combined on a six-hitter and Montoursville built a 3-0 lead after two innings before fighting off a Boiling Springs comeback effort.

It’s been a long and winding road, but it again has brought Montoursville to the Final 4.

“I was just stunned,” Aldenderfer said. “We had full belief, but it’s just hard to do it. It’s incredible.”

“Just to keep playing with these guys means a lot” Moore said. “It’s so much fun.”

EVAN WHEATON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville players react after a run is scored during Thursday's PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals.

Neill made sure the best season in Boiling Springs history did not have a fun ending. The Bubblers clawed within 3-2 with two runs in the third inning, but Moser made a fabulous play on a grounder to the mound, catching the lead runner leaning and throwing him out at third. That saved a run as the next batter singled before Moser induced an inning-ending pop out.

An inning later, Neill took over, entering with runners on first and second and one out. A wild pitch turned up the heat, moving them into scoring position but Neill and Moore stayed cool. Moore made a spectacular lunging catch to save a potential go-ahead single and Neill then induced an inning-ending grounder to Moore, preserving the lead.

That was pretty much all Boiling Springs would get as Neill pitched his best high school game from there. The junior right-hander retired the first seven batters he faced before issuing a one-out, sixth-inning walk. He then shut down the next five batters, closing the game with his fourth strikeout and retiring the top of Boiling Springs’s order in order.

“I haven’t gotten a lot of innings but I was grateful for Coach to trust me with the ball,” Neill said. “It was a dogfight and we were going to do everything we had to do to win and that’s what we did.”

Coming off an 11-1 opening round win against Wyoming Area, Montoursville jumped on excellent Boiling Springs pitcher Torin Williamson, generating three runs and five hits in its first two at-bats. Some two-out thunder produced a first inning run before the bottom of the order sparked a rally which the top finished the following inning.

EVAN WHEATON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville scores a run against Boiling Springs on Thursday.

Noah Kirby hit a two-out single in the first before Neill walked and Logan Kirby laced a two-strike RBI single. An inning later, Carson Menne produced his fourth state tournament hit, ripping a one-out single before Eck scorched a two-strike single. Eck passed the bat to Aldenderfer and the senior center fielder kept the terrific two-strike hitting going.

After falling behind 0-2 and then taking two balls, Aldenderfer went the opposite way with a 2-2 pitch, barreling it up and sending it to deep left field. Menne and courtesy runner Moser easily scored and Montoursville went ahead, 3-0.

“Getting down 0-2, I remembered before the at-bat Coach Eck was telling me to time him and find a gap and find a ball to drive,” Aldenderfer said. “I found a ball and drove it.”

Williamson settled in from there and retired the next 11 batters until Neill drew a sixth inning lead-off walk. Logan Kirby then dropped a well-placed bunt and Austin Davidson continued making things happen this postseason moments later.

Davidson, who had two hits and two RBIs Monday against Wyoming Area, hit a harder grounder toward shortstop which was bobbled. In a hurry to get the ball to first and throw out the hustling Davidson, the fielder overthrow the first baseman and courtesy runner Cole Weaver hustled home with a valuable insurance run.

EVAN WHEATON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Boiling Springs pitches against Montoursville during Thursday's PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals.

“When we scored that fourth run, it started settling in a little bit. It was like, we’re winning now by two and have a real shot,” Eck said. “These kids are special.”

“He was a fantastic pitcher,” Neill said. “He’s a great player but we’re fighters and we’re not going to quit any time.”

Staff ace Logan Kirby earned the win in Monday’s first round game and was unable to pitch against Boiling Springs. But the Warriors long ago proved they are a well-rounded team, not just a group riding one pitcher. That quality shined through again Thursday as Eck, Moser and Neill all delivered in big moments.

Eck started and threw two scoreless innings to open, working out of a first and second no-out jam in the first. He induced a double play from Josh Snyder, who had homered in Monday’s first round, before coaxing a flyout against leading hitter Dom Beck.

Eck stranded another runner in the second inning and Moser’s alert throw to third, followed by an inning-ending pop out blunted the momentum Boiling Springs was building.

EVAN WHEATON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville competes against Boiling Springs during Thursday's PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals.

Again, it was not about one or two players delivering, but all the Warriors doing so together. This team has mostly been together since the first put on baseball spikes. It has won a lot of games; achieved a lot of special accomplishments.

The ultimate goal remains out there and the work continues. But Montoursville may be even more excited that it has a more few days together than about the fact that it again is Final 4-bound. They know how special and rare these moments are, so might as well savor the fruits for some intensely hard-earned labor.

“We’ve been playing together forever,” Moore said. “Being able to cherish these moments with them is special.”

Boiling Springs 002 000 0–2 6 1

Montoursville 120 001 x–4 5 0

Torin Williamson and Cody Schaffer. Elijah Eck, Gabe Moser (3), Zack Neill (4) and Noah Kirby. . W–Moser. L–Williamson. SV–Neill, (3).

Top Boiling Springs hitters: Chance Flor 2-4, 2B, R; Jonah Weimer 1-2, BB, R. Top Montoursville hitters: Brody Aldenderfer 1-3, 2B, 2 RBIs; Logan Kirby 1-2, RBI; Elijah Eck 1-2, R; Carson Menne 1-3, R; N. Kirby 1-3; Neill 2 BB.

Records: Montoursville 19-4. Boiling Springs 17-7.

EVAN WHEATON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Elijah Eck throws during Thursday's PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinal.

EVAN WHEATON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Boiling Springs players react between innings on Thursday during the PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals vs. Montoursville.

EVAN WHEATON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Zack Neill pitches during Thursday's PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals.

EVAN WHEATON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Zack Neill high fives teammates during Thrusday's PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinals.