It was a big moment and quite a challenge, so naturally, Damschroder felt right at home. Because when the heat gets turned up, Damschroder stays cool and often owns those moments. The junior has done it throughout his baseball life and did so again Monday against Central Mountain.

Damschroder threw 5 1/3 brilliant innings, not allowing an earned run and twice leaving the bases loaded as Williamsport snapped Central Mountain’s 17-game HAC-I winning streak, winning, 6-2. Lucas Naughton, Deshaun White and Wyatt Bair all produced two hits; Zane Rogers scorched a clutch two-run, two-out single and Williamsport (9-1, 7-1) avenged its only defeat while moving into a first-place tie. Williamsport can do no worse than share the league crown if it wins its final two league games.

“That (tense moments) is when I have the most adrenaline,” Damschroder said. “I knew coming in here I was going to have to do everything right. All my pitches were going to have to work and I was going to have to throw my best game.”

He did.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Central Mountain pitcher Blake Walker(10) throw to first base for an out in the second inning.

Damschroder improved to 3-0 and the left-hander let just one hit leave the infield. Naughton and White staked their teammate to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Naughton walking, White hitting a single and Naughton coming home on an error. Damschroder took it from there and when he reached 100 pitches with one out in the sixth inning, Williamsport led, 6-1.

Nolan Brelsford threw well in relief, closing out the game and stranding runners in both innings.

“I trust him no matter what. He will go out and be a dog the entire time,” White said. “I’ve played with him my entire life, so when he’s doing this it’s nothing new.”

That is true. Damschroder has electric stuff, throwing hard, mixing his pitches and putting good movement on them. Above all that, however, he is defined by his toughness. Time after time this season, Damschroder has encountered situations similar to those he did Monday.

Time after time he has left them unscathed.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Williamsport's Lucas Naughton (10) is safe at third base as Central Mountain pitcher Austin Frank (11) chases the throw on a single by Deshawn White in the fourth inning.

“The way Trey threw today was expected, but it doesn’t change the fact that he threw extremely well,” Williamsport coach Tyler Albert said. “I think a lot of that (toughness) comes from his trust in his guys behind him. It’s like a broken record, but that’s just the player he is. He’s always finding ways to impact the game.”

With college scouts watching Monday, he did so in a massive way against Central Mountain.

Damschroder introduced himself to the area when he threw as a freshman at the Backyard Brawl and worked out of a bases loaded, no-out jam to help Williamsport win the championship. He faced the same situation Monday in the second inning when Watt Probst (2 for 3, 2 RBIs) and Aiden Jones (2 for 4) hit infield singles and an apparent force out at third turned into a safe call.

Instead of growing frustrated, Damschroder grew more determined. He struck out the next two batters before inducing an inning-ending pop out to first baseman Camron Spanger, preserving the 1-0 lead. In those first four innings, Central Mountain hit 0 for 6 against Damschroder with runners in scoring position.

“That was crazy. The momentum shifted big-time. It went from no outs to three outs, and that’s momentum,” White said. “That’s what we needed right there. He’s a big-time guy. All the props to him and the team as well.”

MARK NANCE/For The Express Williamsport short stop Deshawn White (5) throws on the run on a single in the fourth inning.

“I’ve been in those situations plenty of times. Every time I’m in them I just try and make sure I do what I can to get out of them,” Damschroder said. “I just have to do anything to get out of it. I have to pitch to contact. I know I have a defense behind me that can catch anything.”

They can hit most things, too. Blake Walker shut Williamsport down a few weeks ago, throwing six scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory. The senior was effective again and allowed one run through four innings, but Williamsport learned from its last outing and the first four innings and came alive in theHe fifth inning, scoring three times and building a 4-0 lead.

James Naughton hit a one-out single and his brother Lucas followed with an infield hit. That set the stage for White who ripped an RBI single the opposite way, making it, 2-0.

“My approach never really changes. It’s do what I can; never let the moment get too big,” White said. “He gave me a fastball pretty much down the middle and I took it the other way and scored a run for my team. It was a big moment. I’ve gotta do what I have to do there.”

After Probst hit a two-out RBI single to make it, 4-1 in the fifth, Rogers embraced a similar mentality when he came up in an inning later. Rogers has hit the ball hard all season, but also run into bad luck at times with several wicked line drives being hit right at defenders.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Williamsport's Giovanni White (12) connects for a double in the fourth inning.

He earned another chance when Bair hit a one-out single and James Naughton reached on a fielder’s choice. Lucas Naughton then blasted a 390-foot ground rule double which would have been a home run at nearly every field but not at Mill Hall Community Park where there is no fence.

With first base open, Central Mountain intentionally walked White. Rogers made the Wildcats pay one pitcher later, lasering his two-runs single into center field and giving Williamsport a 6-1 advantage.

“Credit to Zane Rogers. I don’t know where his average is at, but it doesn’t reflect the hitter he is because of how many hard hit balls he’s had,” Albert said. “He’s a barrel machine. I love that kid and he will run through a wall for you. He’s always prepared.”

Brelsford was prepared for his big moment, inducing a groundout and striking out the next batter after replacing Damschroder in the sixth. Central Mountain fought back in the seventh inning with Darius Shade, Walker and Jones all hititng singles and Probst a sacrifice fly. Like Damschroder, however, Brelsford stayed cool and induced a game-ending flyout.

Fittingly, Damschroder, playing in right field, caught that final out as Williamsport gave Central Mountain (7-2, 5-1) its first loss in eight games.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Williamsport short stop Deshawn White (5) puts the tag on Central Mountain's Felix Oquendo (4) for an out on an attempted steal in the third inning.

“This game speaks for itself. You’ve got a really good team here at Central Mountain, great players and a great coach,” Albert said. “It’s very evident how much they care about the games in this town.”

Williamsport collected 10 hits, the most Central Mountain has allowed this season. Equally exciting for the Millionaires, seven different players delivered those hits and eight reached base.

Wins against Central Mountain never come easy. It takes a complete team effort and Williamsport generating that had it leaving there a winner for the first time this decade.

“We’re barreling balls up every single game,” Albert said. “There’s a confidence that’s starting to brew with these guys and there is a togetherness which is is impressive. They’re not afraid of anything.”

Williamsport 100 032 0–6 10 2

C Mountain 000 010 1–2 6 2

Trey Damschroder, Nolan Brelsford (6) and Lucas Naughton. Blake Walker, Darius Shade (7) and Watt Probst. W–Damschroder, (3-0). L–Walker.

Top Williamsport hitters: Naughton 2-3, 2B, BB, 3R; Deshaun White 2-3, BB, RBI; Wyatt Bair 2-4; Zane Rogers 1-3, 2 RBIs; James Naughton 1-3, R; Giovanni White 1-4; Damschroder 1-4; Cole Deitrick RBI. Top Central Mountain hitters: Probst 2-3, 2 RBIs; Aiden Jones 2-4; Shade 1-4, R; Walker 1-4, R.

Records: Williamsport 9-1, 7-1 HAC-I. Central Mountain 5-1.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Williamsport third baseman Cole Deitrick (41) throws on the run on a single in the second inning.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Williamsport pitcher Trey Damschrader throws.