One, she can throw a mean knuckleball, which is even more rare compared to softball’s male counterpart due to the size of the ball. And two, she operates alongside a dual ace in sophomore Camdyn Weaver, a pairing that’s worked wonders for the Wildcats through head coach Taylor Thompson’s first year at the helm.

That duality is something Thompson has stuck with since Day One, even after its standing appeared rough following a Game Two shootout loss at Williamsport. Since that loss, that strategy has paid dividends, a huge contributing factor in the team’s 14-game win streak spanning that April 1 loss to its current position as District 6/9 champions.

It’s a strategy that’s been built on trust between the pair from the beginning, one that comes with an underlying benefit.

In a season where weather forced Central Mountain and other area teams to stuff multiple weeks in April, sometimes playing three or four games within the span of five days, that dynamic has given each pitcher additional rest between starts. Apart from a two-game starting spree from Shultz near the end of April, the pair have swapped each game.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain sophomore Camdyn Weaver pitches during the District 6 Class 5A title against Hollidaysburg on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at Mount Aloysius College. The Wildcats won 12-1 in five innings.

But the trust aspect is more notable, the one that gets mentioned each time either player is discussing it.

Whenever one pitcher is having an off night or is starting to stall, the other can step in and turn the tide. Examples of that mostly occurred early, with Shultz stepping in for Weaver to finish off a hard-fought Day One win against DuBois and stifling a Shikellamy rally two weeks later.

But even as each pitcher has solidified themselves as complete-game specialists down the stretch, knowing that an assured arm is always behind you in left field is a confidence booster. It helps one keep a cool head when they’re in a hole or experiencing early challenges, and that’s translated into a plethora of great showings.

“I like that me and Camdyn can work together, like it doesn’t just all fall on one person,” said Shultz on the dynamic following an early win against Hollidaysburg. “I know that if I would need there, she’s always there and vice versa.”

“I think we work off of each other, like if one of us is having a bad day, the other one’s always there to show up,” emphasized Weaver after the team’s District 6 title win against Hollidaysburg. “We have each other’s back, so I like that a lot.”

TIM WEIGHT/For The Express Central Mountain’s Joslyn Shultz competes against DuBois in a Class 5A subregional game on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at Bald Eagle Area. The Wildcats won 3-1.

Outside of the dynamic, the two pitchers have mirrored each other in terms of reliance and production throughout the regular and postseason.

Heading into June, Weaver has pitched 52 2/3 innings, posted an ERA of 3.25, logged 50 strikeouts to 19 walks and surrendered 47 hits and 27 runs. And on the other hand, Shultz has pitched 48 2/3 innings, posted an ERA of 3.36, logged 51 strikeouts to 15 walks and surrendered 43 hits and 21 runs.

Highlights through the regular season include a 14-strikeout, four-run win for Weaver against Bloomsburg, a three-strikeout, three-inning perfect start for Shultz against Selinsgrove, the pair’s eight-inning, three-run victory over DuBois to kick off the season, and many more. And in the postseason, each posted their respective highlights.

With the game still in question early in the team’s District 6 title win over Hollidaysburg, Weaver pitched her way out of a bases-loaded, one-out hole in the third, finishing the inning with a strikeout and concluding the day with seven strikeouts, six scattered hits and just one surrendered run.

Then, in its ensuing District 6/9 subregional victory over DuBois, Shultz shook off a homer in the first and 1-0 deficit through two, throwing a masterclass that featured six scoreless innings, three retirements and nine strikeouts to three hits and two walks.

TIM WEIGHT/For The Express Central Mountain’s Camdyn Weaver competes against DuBois in a Class 5A subregional game on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at Bald Eagle Area. The Wildcats won 3-1.

Coupled with assured field play across the board, their pitching prowess has played a large role in the Wildcats earning hardware and heading into the PIAA Class 5A Championships with confidence. The question is, how far can this one-two punch and Central Mountain’s deep cast class go?

BACK TO PROMINENCE

Outside of Clinton County, another big-class team within the area has built a win streak of its own, steamrolling its way through May and picking up its respective District 6 and District 6/8 subregional victories in Class AAAA to clinch a PIAA bid. That team lies in Centre County, and its mascot is the Red Raider.

After missing the state tournament in 2024, Bellefonte (16-2) has come back stronger than ever, dropping just two games through April to Class AAA’s upper echelon before never losing another on its way to its return to the big dance. Since its last loss over a month ago, it’s won ten in a row by a combined score of 65-10.

At the risk of contradicting one of my claims in the lede, one of the biggest contributing factors to that success has been Bellefonte’s own one-two punch from the mound.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte freshman Adrienne Masullo prepares to pitch during a game against Somerset on Friday, May 2, 2025, at Bellefonte. The Red Raiders won 11-1.

Through the last ten games, freshman duo Abby Herr and Adrienne Masullo have pitched lights out to say the least. Within that span, both have logged an ERA of 1.5 or lower – with Herr throwing a 1.35 – and have been strikeout machines, with Herr striking out 31 through 20 innings and Masullo 25 through 18 innings. Alongside those numbers, they’ve given up just 19 hits and 16 walks with Masullo surrendering six of each.

With the pressure at its peak heading into next week, it’ll be interesting to see what the pair can put forth in their state tournament debuts. Whatever happens there, the future is alarmingly bright when it comes to Bellefonte pitching.