And both players bringing that fire Monday night cooled off a Jersey Shore team which kept fighting back. Bair entered from the bullpen for a second time with the tying runners in scoring position in the seventh inning and retired the next three batters, fanning the final two, while helping Williamsport edge Jersey Shore, 10-8, at Millionaire Mountain. Franzen went 4 for 4, continuing his recent torrid stretch as Williamsport (4-2, 4-1) won a wild game which lasted three hours, featured 12 pitchers and included both 18 hits and walks.

“I just wanted to throw strikes and get outs,” Bair said. “I don’t mind it (relieving) at all. The adrenaline was definitely pumping.”

And Bair repeatedly pumped fastballs, which seemed to have some extra juice, by good hitters. Jersey Shore had trimmed a 7-0 fourth inning deficit to 10-8 after freshman Nolan Pauling scored fellow freshman Carter Rhinehart with an RBI double in the seventh. Bair had struck out the side in the second inning after relieving Cole Deitrick on a night Williamsport went with a committee approach to keep pitchers eligible because it has four games scheduled this week.

After walking Brayden Seasholtz and Seasholtz taking second on a wild pitch, Bair had to face the team’s Nos-2-4 hitters. A pitcher who excelled in big moments as a sophomore last season did so again, settling in and inducing a flyout before striking out the next two batters on seven pitches. Bair both earned the win and slammed the door, striking out five in two innings while not allowing a hit.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore second baseman Landon Welshans (5) makes a tag and looks to first for a double play during a high school baseball game against Williamsport on Monday, April 14, 2025.

“Wyatt is a guy who’s been there and done that. He did it all last year and you put a lot of faith in him,” Williamsport coach Tyler Albert said. “You call on him and he answers.”

“Last year helped a lot,” Bair said. “It’s about learning how to control the game and what to throw in situations; learning hitters and what to throw to batters.”

Opposing pitchers really don’t what to throw Franzen these days. Whatever they pitch, Franzen has been drilling it. Following a determined offseason in which he constantly practiced, the senior third baseman is on a rampage. He is 7 for 7 over his last three games, reaching base 12 straight times, while hitting for the cycle, drawing five walks, driving in five runs and scoring eight times.

Monday, Franzen was a home run from hitting for the cycle and Williamsport scored eight runs in the innings he batted. He led off the third and fourth innings with singles and Williamsport built a 7-0 advantage there.

“I’m feeling great. I know I can’t be late on the ball,” Franzen said. “I’m trying to get out early and hit it as hard as I can.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's first baseman Cole Deitrick (41) attempts a tag as Jersey Shore's Nolen Pauling is held at first during a high school baseball game on Monday, April 14, 2025.

Franzen is doing it quite well. Instead of asking himself why things went wrong last year, Franzen attacked the offseason and only focused on what could be going forward. From hard workouts have come excellent results and Franzen has helped Williamsport score at least 10 runs in each of its four consecutive wins.

Even when Franzen did not hit the ball hard in the third inning, it still worked out as his pop up was lost in the lights. He needed no assistance in his last two at-bats, scorching a triple and double, respectively.

“Last year wasn’t my best season, so all the practicing we’re doing is really helping. I just love the team, and I love the game,” Franzen said. “I just flipped the switch this season.”

“There’s definitely been a switch from last year to this year in the intent. He just seems to be more confident in himself and in wanting to push himself,” Albert said. “We saw a lot of that in the offseason. We looked at each other and said, ‘Christian is different.’ That happens your senior year because you know you’re going to give it your all and Christian has been that guy.”

Jersey Shore was down but not out after falling behind 7-0. The Bulldogs scored eight runs in their final four at-bats, including three in the fifth when Landon Welshans’ RBI single helped it claw within 8-5. Hunter Enders (2 for 4) hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Zach Myers hammered an RBI double, making it, 10-7.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's third baseman Christian Franzen (21) attempts a tag on Jersey Shore's Conner Winters (24) during a high school baseball game on Monday, April 14, 2025.

The Bulldogs loaded the bases and only a sensational sliding catch by shortstop Camden March on the outfield grass, between short and third, prevented them from pulling closer.

“We just have to fight. I told these guys tonight that they’re not baseball players, they’re competitors,” Jersey Shore coach Joe Dunn said. “I’ll take competitors any day of the week over baseball players.”

Jersey Shore repeatedly showed it has many competitors. That included Enders who excelled behind the plate and Pauling (1 for 1) who produced an inning-ending strikeout to leave the bases loaded in the sixth to give Jersey Shore a shot at rallying in the seventh.

“We’ll be all right,” Dunn said. “I’ve told these guys it doesn’t matter who we play, whether it’s going be this year’s state champion or a team that goes 0-20, we have to be prepared and ready to go.”

Albert told Jaxson March he better be ready to go following a strong JV season as a freshman catcher last year. He heeded that advice, kept grinding and now has come through in clutch fashion after Lucas Naughton and Kellen Jackson both suffered injuries. Thrust into a major role, March keeps delivering and his defense was vital to Williamsport winning.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's pitcher Nathan Crowe (11) makes a tag at home on Jersey Shore's Mason Winter during a high school baseball game against Williamsport on Monday, April 14, 2025.

In addition to hitting an RBI single which made it, 9-5, March constantly blocked balls in the turf, kept the running game in check and used his hustle to produce a game-altering out in the fifth. After Jersey Shore had cut it to 8-5, it looked like another run would come home on a wild pitch. Instead, March sprinted toward the backstop and slid, before wheeling and making a perfect throw to pitcher Brayden Wolfhope who applied the tag which ended the inning, stranding two runners.

“He goes hard non-stop. He’s a kid you can push to the point of exhaustion because you know it’s so demanding as a catcher and the amount of growth from his freshman season to now is impressive,” Albert, a former catcher, said. “He’s stepping up great. It’s a really cool thing to see a kid that puts that much effort into something and then has success with it. I can’t say enough about his mindset and his mental toughness because that’s a tough thing to do.”

Giovanni White produced his 10th hit in four games during a five-run Williamsport second inning, smashing an RBI triple down the right-field line. Zane Rogers went 3 for 3 and followed with an RBI single before Camden March and Grant Vilello drew RBI walks. Williamsport did a good job manufacturing runs to go up 7-0 an inning later when Trey Damschroder, who struck out five in two innings, hit an RBI grounder and Ryan Schur followed with a sacrifice fly.

Jersey Shore      000 232 1–8 8 1

Williamsport      052 120 x–10 10 3

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Cole Deitrick (41) throws during a high school baseball game against Jersey Shore on Monday, April 14, 2025.

Landyn Rhea, Landon Lathan (2), Greyson Confair (3), Carson Watkins (4), Zach Myers (5), Nolen Pauling (6) and Hunter Enders. Cole Deitrick, Wyatt Bair (2), Trey Damschroder (3), Chase Kelley (5), Nate Crowe (5), Brayden Wolfhope (6), Bair (7) and Jaxson March. W–Bair. L–Rhea.

Top Jersey Shore hitters: Enders 2-4, RBI; Pauling 1-1, 2B, 2 BB, RBI, R; Myers 1-4, 2B, RBI, R; Landon Welshans 1-3, RBI, R; Carter Rhinehart 1-3, RBI, R; Mason Winters 1-3, RBI. Top Williamsport hitters: Christian Franzen 4-4, 3B, 2B, 2R; Zane Rogers 3-3, RBI, R; J. March 1-3, RBI; Giovanni White 1-3, 3B, RBI, 2R; Ryan Schur 1-2, 2 BB; Cole Deitrick 2 RBIs; Camden March 2 BB, 2 RBIs.

Records: Williamsport 4-2, 4-1 HAC-I. Jersey Shore 4-4, 0-3.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's first baseman Wyatt Bair (23) attempts a tag as a Jersey Shore player dives back to first during a high school baseball game on Monday, April 14, 2025.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Landyn Rhea (10) throws during a high school baseball game against Williamsport on Monday, April 14, 2025.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Landyn Rhea (10) throws during a high school baseball game against Williamsport on Monday, April 14, 2025.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's catcher Jaxson March (1) meets with pitcher Wyatt Bair (23) on the mound during a high school baseball game against Jersey Shore on Monday, April 14, 2025.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's first baseman Cole Deitrick (41) attempts a tag as a Jersey Shore player is held at first during a high school baseball game on Monday, April 14, 2025.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Cole Deitrick (41) throws during a high school baseball game against Jersey Shore on Monday, April 14, 2025.