At the Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field, on Saturday, the Mustangs (16-5) achieved that goal by defeating the Montoursville Warriors (14-8) by a final score of 3-1. The Mustangs trail only the 2005 district title winners for most wins in a season in program history. That 2005 team finished their run with a loss in the state quarterfinals and a record of 23-1.

The victory ended Montoursville’s quest for three-straight District 4 championships.

Despite a matchup containing two of the most lethal offenses in the district, Saturday’s contest proved to be a pitchers’ duel between Midd-West’s Caden Wolfley and Montoursville’s Maddix Delana.

“When Caden is on, there’s no stopping him,” Wright said. “When he’s on, he’s lights out.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Mid West players pose for photos and show off the championship award after winning the District 4 Class AAAA baseball final on Saturday at Bowman Field in Williamsport.

AJ Llorente got the start on the mound for the Warriors, but his inability to find the strike zone got Montoursville into trouble in the second inning. Llorente started off the frame getting Julian Krainak to strike out and Cam Richard to pop up to second base. But the Mustangs remained patient at the plate, as Logan Rager and Trey Wagner drew walks to put runners on first and second.

It looked like Llorente had worked his way out of trouble, getting leadoff man Hunter Wolfley to hit a routine grounder to the Warriors’ second baseman Cameron Francis. However, the ball skipped under Francis’ glove, went between his legs and rolled into right-center field, allowing Rager to score the game’s first run.

The Mustangs would get their only RBI of the game as Griffen Paige drew a bases-loaded walk to increase Midd-West’s lead to 2-0.

Paige’s patient approach and clutch walk forced Montoursville’s coach to pull Llorente from the game in favor of Delana, who ended the inning on the next batter, getting Brayden Swineford to strike out.

With the two-run lead, Caden Wolfley was able to control the pace of the game on the mound. Getting the start in a district title game would cause most pitchers’ emotions to run high, but even more so if that pitcher is a freshman, which Wolfley is.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Grayson Rinker dives back to first as Midd West's Griffen Paige (35) reaches down for the tag during the District 4 Class AAAA baseball final on Saturday at Bowman Field in Williamsport. Midd West won 3-1.

“Warming up in the bullpen pre-game, I just tried to stay humble,” Wolfley said. “I had a few butterflies, but coach told me to stay calm.”

The ninth grader pitched with poise and was fearless attacking the zone. With a strong defense behind him, Wolfley knew that if a ball was put in play, the Mustangs would track it down and make the play.

“My past few outings, I threw really great,” Wolfley explained. “I tried to keep that rolling. I threw at practice one time in the past two weeks, and I didn’t know how it was going to go tonight, but I couldn’t be any happier.”

In his five innings of work, the southpaw struck out five and allowed no runs on two hits. His 80-mph fastball and wicked off-speed kept the heavily left-handed lineup of the Warriors uncomfortable in the box and unable to square up many pitches.

Wolfley’s performance was an exclamation point on the embarrassment of riches the Mustangs have on the mound. Wright and his coaching staff are confident that whoever they put on the mound will get the job done.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Rocco Pulizzi tries to avoid the tag by Midd West's Camden Richard in a run down between first and second during the District 4 Class AAAA baseball final on Saturday at Bowman Field in Williamsport. Midd West won 3-1.

“We go with whoever we feel best about at the time,” Wright explained. “There’s no set rotation… we have so many kids out here that can come in and throw quality innings for us.”

Somehow, despite holding the lead, the Mustangs’ offense was being no-hit through four innings. Delana came in and shut down Midd-West but the Warriors trailed for most of the game.

Paige broke up the no-hitter in the bottom of the fifth as the Mustangs’ three-hole hitter rocketed a double that kicked off the fence in the left-field corner. Swineford immediately followed with a single, that put runners on the corners with nobody out.

Swineford’s single was the second, and final, Mustangs’ hit of the game, but the crafty Midd-West team was able to add another insurance run.

Swineford was picked off first and after Preston Arbogast struck out swinging, the Mustangs looked as if they were going to miss the chance to capitalize on runners on first and third with nobody out, but a wild pitch from Delana kicked away far enough from catcher CJ Signor for Paige to sprint home with the Mustangs’ third run.

“We can score so many ways, we can put numbers up so many ways,” Wright said. “We put a lot of balls in play, some of them just didn’t go our way.”

Sticking with a lefty on the mound, the Mustangs brought Garrett Leitzel in relief of Wolfley. But Lietzel was greeted rudely by Nolan Kutney who ripped a long triple into the left-center field gap which rolled all the way to the wall. Leitzel plunked Delana in the next at-bat to put runners on first and third with nobody out–the Warriors best scoring chance of the ballgame.

Leitzel picked off Delana at first, who got in a rundown long enough for Kutney to score Montoursville’s first run, before being tagged out at second. With one out and nobody on, Leitzel settled in and got the next two batters to fly out and ground out to shortstop.

With the scoreboard displaying a 3-1 lead in favor of the Mustangs, the Warriors came up to bat in the top of the seventh looking to put together a season-saving rally.

Leitzel walked Grayson Rinker to start the inning and bring the tying run to the plate. But again, Leitzel settled down and got the next two runners to ground out, putting the Warriors on the brink of elimination, with a runner on second.

Montoursville’s leadoff man, Nick Reeder, was the last hope for the Warriors in the district title game, but Wolfley struck him out looking on a 1-2 pitch that clipped the outside part of the plate, winning the game for Midd-West and starting the on-field celebration.

Wright and the entire Mustangs coaching staff realize how fortunate they are to have such a talented and hard-working team and were beaming with pride at the end of the game.

“These young men out here… you wouldn’t believe how they worked their butts off,” Wright said. “It’s just amazing what these guys will do for us.”

The District 4 Class 4A champion Midd-West Mustangs will continue their season on June 7 as they will take on the winner of the District 2 Class 4A title in the opening round of the PIAA tournament.

Midd-West 3, Montoursville 1

M: 000 001 0–1-3-1

MW: 020 010–3-2-1

WP: Caden Wolfley. LP: AJ Llorente. SV: Garrett Leitzel. SO: Wolfley 5, Leitzel (MW); Maddix Delana 9, Llorente 3 (M). BB: Woflley 4, Leitzel (MW); Llorente 4, Delana 3 (M). 3B: Nolan Kutney (M). 2B: Griffen Paige (MW). MH: Kutney 2-2 (M). RBI: Paige (MW).