Basically, anyone Central Mountain has thrown this season can be considered an ace. Wednesday at Mill Hall Community Park it was Gabe Johnson and Chase Brush’s turns and they proved the point yet again.

Johnson and Brush combined on a three-hitter and Central Mountain remained undefeated, downing Williamsport, 3-1 in a well-played, hard-fought game. Johnson threw five shutout innings and struck out 11, while Brush earned the save, fanning five in two innings. Both excelled in tough spots, stranding nine runners as Central Mountain (9-0, 6-0) opened a two-game lead on Williamsport (5-3, 3-2) in the HAC-I, while staying a game ahead of Selinsgrove.

“It’s awesome. You know you can trust 7-8 guys in the lineup who can go out and throw a good game,” Johnson said. “Not everybody is the same style. We have a couple left-handed guys, some throw harder, some have pitches that move a lot. We just have a lot of different arms.”

Kevin Grenninger, Cru Stover (2 for 3) and Nate Helms hit RBI singles in three different innings as Central Mountain did just enough against Williamsport starter Cayden Robertson who threw 5 2/3 gutsy innings. And the way this year has played out thus far, giving Central Mountain’s pitchers three runs is like giving them 30.

The Wildcats have held the opposition to one or no runs in five of their last six games. They have not allowed more than three runs in a game since the season opener, have compiled a minuscule 1.23 ERA and have surrendered just 33 hits in 57 innings. Oh yeah, they also have struck out 91 and yesterday was the second time in eight days that Central Mountain pitchers combined for more than 15 strikeouts.

“We’re blessed to have that luxury of having that depth at the pitching position,” Central Mountain coach Mike Kramer said. “Gabe came out and showed why he’s a legitimate pitcher.”

He certainly did.

Johnson will join his older brother Peyton at IUP next year and showed why he will pitch at the next level throughout the game. The tall right-hander allowed just two hits in five innings, struck out the side three times and stranded six runners.

When the pressure was highest, Johnson was at his best. One-out hitters reached in each of the first two innings and both times he responded by striking out the next two batters. Johnson left two more on in the third inning when he produced his eighth strikeout. It was 1-0 in the fifth when Williamsport loaded the bases with one out and had their Nos. 2-3 hitters coming up.

Again, Johnson came thundering back. Mixing a slider which moved like a dancer and a hard fastball, Johnson had hitters off-balance all afternoon. He induced consecutive swinging strikeouts and preserved the one-run lead before Stover stretched to two in the bottom of the inning with his opposite field RBI single.

“I’m confident that I can get outs there in those types of situations but I definitely don’t want to get into them. You just have to compete,” Johnson said. “You just have to think you’re better in that type of situation. You have to trust your stuff, trust your locations, trust your fielders and trust your pitchers and go out and make good pitches.”

He did that for five innings and Brush embraced the same philosophy after taking over in the sixth. Griffin Vollman hit a one-out double before a walk and a controversial catcher’s interference loaded the bases. Christian Franzen hit a grounder which cut it to 2-1 and when the ball was booted, the Millionaires again had the bases loaded.

Like he did against Loyalsock last week, Brush owned the big moment. In an identical repeat of that game, Brush struck out consecutive hitters and kept Central Mountain up one. Brush struck out five in his two innings and worked a perfect seventh inning as the Wildcats continued their torrid start.

Together, Johnson and Brush held Williamsport to a 0 for 9 performance with runners in scoring position.

“Chase had some things go against him. He could have easily lost his composure and I compliment him on how he kept his head and just focused on what he could do next,” Kramer said. “That was key that he didn’t get rattled and kept battling.”

Robertson did that as well, containing a high-scoring offense threw his 5 2/3 innings and giving Williamsport at a shot at victory. The junior right-hander left five runners on base between the third and fifth innings and struck out two straight in the fourth inning after Central Mountain put two runners on with no outs. Braylen Corter then singled and right fielder Coen Britton made a perfect one-hop throw home to Caiden Helmrich who made the tag and kept it a one-run game.

Robertson produced his best performance this season and combined with Ethan Eckard to hold Central Mountain to its lowest run total this season.

“He threw really, really well. He picked up velocity as the game went on, and he showed grit,” Williamsport coach Kyle Schneider said. I’m excited for him for the rest of the season and for next season to come as well. I’m really seeing him develop into a very good pitcher.”

The game was scoreless until the third inning when Braylen Corter ( 2 for 2) hit an infield single, went to second on Gardy Fravel’s bunt and scored on Kevin Grenninger’s two-out opposite field RBI single. Grenninger’s bunt single was a big part of a fifth inning rally and Stover’s RBI single made it 2-0. The Wildcats produced a valuable insurance run in the sixth when Levi Schlesinger hit a lead-off single, went to second on Corter’s bunt and scored on Nate Helms’s RBI single.

While there is not necessarily a good loss, this was close for Williamsport. The Millionaires received strong pitching, played outstanding defense and were a hit away from changing the game’s complexion. In the big picture, what transpired could help Williamsport going forward.

“It was a fun baseball game. I’m not sure that the score reflects exactly how well we played and were able to play,” Schneider said. “It was a good ball game. They played solid baseball, we knew they were going to play solid baseball, and we played solid baseball.”

Williamsport 000 001 0–1 3 1

C. Mountain 001 011 x–3 8 2

Cayden Robertson, Ethan Eckard (6) and Adam Aldenderfer, Caiden Helmrich (4). Gabe Johnson, Chase Brush (6) and Nate Helms. W–Johnson, (2-0). L–Robertson. SV–Brush, (2).

Top Williamsport hitters: Griffin Vollman 1-2, 2B, BB, R; Aldenderfer 1-1; Coen Britton 1-4; Christian Franzen RBI. Top Central Mountain hitters: Kevin Grenninger 2-4, RBI; Cru Stover 2-3, 2B, RBI; Braylen Corter 2-2, R; Helms 1-4, RBI; Levi Schlesinger 1-3, R.

Records: Central Mountain 9-0, 6-0 HAC-I. Williamsport 5-3, 3-2.