Naughton, a freshman second baseman, suffers from Osteochondritis (OCD) in his knees and will have surgery to fix both following his travel ball season this summer. Still, he has started every game. White missed two games after pulling his hamstring early this season and as he has healed up, he has heated up.

Injuries past and present link these two in one way. But they were bonded in another key way Wednesday night against Jersey Shore–Naughton set the table and White helped clear it.

Naughton reached base all three times and scored twice, White drove in five runs and Williamsport defeated Jersey Shore, 12-2 in five innings at Millionaire Mountain. Trey Damschroder threw a complete game four-hitter, and every starter reached base as Williamsport (7-1, 6-1 HAC-I) won its fifth straight game.

“I was going to get knee surgery, but I wanted to play with my brother (Lucas) before I had to get that,” Naughton said. “I really wanted to play with him since it’s his senior year and I’m happy about the opportunity.”

Trey Damschroder of Williamsport pitches in the first inning against Jersey Shore in Williamsport Wednesday evening. Williamsport won 12-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“I’m excited to be back. Sitting on the bench and supporting the guys is one thing but when you’re out there helping them it’s so much better,” White said. “Now that I’m back to full health our outfield is looking strong and everything is coming together.”

It sure looks that way. Williamsport scored the game’s final 11 runs over its last three at-bats, Damschroder pitched great in big moments, and White was part of an outfield which helped stifle a second inning rally. Zane Rogers (1 for 1, 3 runs) and Cole Deitrick each produced two RBIs and Lucas Naughton and Deshaun White both had hits, while scoring three runs. Camron Spangler continued surging, adding two hits and drilling a walk-off single.

Seven players collected hits, but James Naughton was not one of them. It did not matter, though, because he reached base in all three plate appearances, and that was every bit as good as going 3 for 3. He walked twice, was hit by a pitch and fought back from an 0-2 count in his final at-bat, drawing a walk.

Equally important, Naughton ignited game-changing rallies in the third and fourth innings as Williamsport scored seven times and took control. He also was in the middle of the game-winning fifth inning eruption and did a superb job turning over the lineup to a dangerous set of hitters at the top.

“Even through some nerves that take place being a freshman playing varsity, James has handled it extremely well. He works hard and he has a good head on his shoulders,” Williamsport coach Tyler Albert said. “He has fun with the guys. He’s just a kid playing baseball. He sets a good tone as far as when to have fun, but he also knows how to work, and it shows on the baseball field.”

Zane Rogers (15) of Williamsport celebrates an RBI double in the third inning against Jersey Shore in Williamsport Wednesday evening. Williamsport won 12-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Lucas is on deck when James bats and provides both encouragement and lessons. After James swung at a pitch outside the zone in his final at-bat, Lucas advised to stop overthinking things. From there, he fouled off two pitches, took four balls and kept the rally going before Lucas followed with a walk.

“He helps me a lot,” James said. “I don’t want to let him down.”

He certainly has not and James fanned the flames against Jersey Shore. Giovanni White turned them into an inferno.

The senior center fielder hit an RBI grounder during a four-run second inning before smashing a two-run single the next inning. White capped his performance with a two-run double, belting it down the right-field line.

“Being in the five-hole, it’s about the only thing you can do (embrace driving in runs),” White said. “Pretty much every time I come up, there are guys on base. Being in that role again and having that opportunity is fun to be a part of.”

Zane Rogers (15) of Williamsport celebrates an RBI double in the third inning against Jersey Shore in Williamsport Wednesday evening. Williamsport won 12-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

A few days ago, White could be found at Millionaire Mountain following practice throwing bats. No, he was not having a temper tantrum, this was just White seeking improvement. The coaching staff asked White where the bat would go if he released it after he swings. Putting words into actions, White spent 25 minutes finding out and it paid dividends against Jersey Shore with both hits, as well as the RBI grounder, going the opposite way.

“Gio has worked extremely hard from the fall to now when it comes to having more consistency with his swing,” Albert said. “He always asks questions. He wants to learn. When you come to him with something, he doesn’t turn his nose up to it. He tries to process what you’re saying, and he tries his best to do it.”

That includes defensively where White has become one of the area’s top center fielders. He proved it again in the second inning when Jersey Shore tried extending a 1-0 lead. Two runners were on when Carter Rhinehart drilled a ball deep and toward the right-center field gap.

Off the bat, it looked like it would go for at least a double and score two runs. Instead, White turned on his jets and made an impressive catch while running backward.

“Carter hit that ball to Gio that he tracked, I thought was going to be a double. But then I thought about it and who was out there and I said, ‘That ball’s caught,'” Jersey Shore coach Joe Dunn said. “Top to bottom, they’re a great team. You just tip your cap.”

James Naughton (36) of Williamsport scores in the third inning on an RBI single by Deshaun White against Jersey Shore in Williamsport Wednesday evening. Williamsport won 12-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Jersey Shore (5-5, 2-3) has a young team, but encouraging signs appeared against Williamsport. The Bulldogs showed marked defensive improvement, making no errors after committing five against Central Mountain two days earlier. Nolen Pauling shined behind in the plate in his first scholastic start at catcher, making two outstanding second inning plays and Rhinehart also made a super play at shortstop, robbing Damschroder of a third inning single.

Pauling and Rhinehart also had hits, while Hunter Enders was 1 for 2 with a walk. Pauling drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Rhinehart singled before scoring on a throwing error to make it, 7-2 in the fifth inning.

“We’re building. We can hang right there, we just have to build up our pitching,” Dunn said. “They’ve been playing sharp and working hard. We’re asking a lot from some young players in that regard to play. We’ve had some guys moving all over, and they’re coming into their own.”

One can say the same about Damschroder. The junior left-hander is 2-0 this season with a 1.88 ERA. He locked in after the second inning, allowing only Rhinehart’s single from there and surrendered just one earned run.

But as hard as he throws and as good as his stuff is, Damschroder is more defined by his toughness. A player who has excelled in pressure situations the past two seasons, including twice at the Backyard Brawl, Damschroder again was at his best in tense moments Wednesday.

Deshaun White of Williamsport hits an RBI single against Jersey Shore in Williamsport Wednesday evening. Williamsport won 12-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Jersey Shore went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position against Damschroder. He limited the damage in the second inning after Jersey Shore loaded the bases with no outs and Damschroder stranded five runners the first three innings, ending each one with a strikeout.

“Trey is a dog. He has a winning mentality; he loves his guys on the team, and he will go to war for you,” Albert said. “There is no situation or moment that is going to be too big for him. He has that mindset. He’s just a really good kid; a really good person. He plays his butt off and having a guy like that on your team is dangerous.”

Williamsport looked especially dangerous over the last three innings. Deshaun White slammed an RBI single off the right field fence which tied the game in the third before Rogers, belted a go-ahead RBI double, Deitrick an RBI single and Giovanni White his RBI grounder. As he did that inning, James Naughton again reached to open the fourth and Giovanni White’s two-run single made it, 7-1.

“It makes the opportunities occur that much more because when we have guys that can hit at the top like we can complemented by guys like Cam (Spangler) and James getting on base it makes it easier for everybody,” Giovanni White said. “You’re a lot more confident when you know everyone on the team can hit.”

Jersey Shore 010 01–2 4 0

Williamsport 004 35–12 9 2

Hunter Enders, Mason Winter (4), Jace Rummings (4), Nate Moore (5), Carson Watkins (5) and Nolen Pauling. Trey Damschroder and Lucas Naughton. W–Damschroder. L–Enders.

Top Jersey Shore hitters: Pauling 1-2, RBI; Carter Rhinehart 1-3, R; Enders 1-2, BB; Greyson Confair 1-2, R. Top Williamsport hitters: Giovanni White 2-4, 2B, 5 RBIs; Camron Spangler 2-4, RBI; Deshaun White 1-2, , RBI, 3R; Zane Rogers 1-1, 2B, 2 BB, 2 RBIs, 3R; Cole Deitrick 1-2, 2 RBIs; Lucas Naughton 1-3, BB, 3R; Camden March 1-2, BB; James Naughton 2 BB, 2R.

Records: Williamsport 7-1, 6-1 HAC-I. Jersey Shore 5-5, 2-3.

Hunter Enders of Jersey Shore throws in the first inning to Williamsport in Williamsport Wednesday evening. Williamsport won 12-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Cole Deitrick of Williamsport waits for the throw as Carter Rhinehart of Jersey Shore scores in the top of the 5th inning in Williamsport Wednesday evening. Williamsport won 12-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Lucas Naughton of Williamsport is safe at second as Carter Rhinehart of Jersey Shore tries to catch the ball during the bottom of the 4th inning in Williamsport Wednesday evening. Williamsport won 12-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

James Naughton of Williamsport is forced out at second by Mazden Lupton of Jersey Shore on a single in the fourth inning by Lucas Naughton in Williamsport Wednesday evening. Williamsport won 12-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Deshaun White of Williamsport scores in the third inning against Jersey Shore in Williamsport Wednesday evening. Williamsport won 12-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Greyson Confair of Jersey Shore scores in the top of the second inning against Williamsport in Williamsport Wednesday evening. Williamsport won 12-2. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette