Schneck pitches Mifflinburg to division lead

TURBOTVILLE - Mason Schneck paddled into dangerous water Thursday, the kind that doesn't let you sail out unscathed.

The Mifflinburg senior lefty had one out in the third inning when Warrior Run's Collin Brandt lofted a seemingly harmless single into no man's land behind second base, turning over the Defenders' lineup. What followed were three free passes - a hit batsman and two walks - that filled the bases and forced in a run to cut the Wildcats' lead in half.

"I think I was all around the plate; I just wasn't getting strikes. That's part of the game," said Schneck. "There's been a couple times when I have that one inning of adversity, and I've just got to dig deep and find myself and push through."

Not only did Schneck right the ship, he sailed out of trouble like an altogether new vessel. He retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced - striking out seven in that span - to carry Mifflinburg to a 3-1 win over the Heartland Athletic Conference-Division III frontrunner on a cool, drizzly Senior Day.

Schneck struck out 11, walked two and hit two in six innings of two-hit ball. Wildcats freshman Brennan Snyder worked around a two-out double in the seventh for the save.

"That's a tough group to strike 11 hitters out," said Mifflinburg pitching coach Steve Hackenberg, filling in for head coach Tom Church who was ejected from Monday's game at Bloomsburg. "(Schneck) told me on the ride up here ... that he couldn't wait to get to the pitcher's mound today. For him to say that is very unusual because he doesn't say that kind of stuff normally. I knew he wanted the ball in his hand."

Mifflinburg avenged a 3-1 loss on April 11 and improved to 9-3 overall and 6-1 in HAC-III, taking over the division lead from Warrior Run (12-4, 6-2). Southern Columbia (10-3, 5-3) lurks in third place with the Wildcats left on its HAC-III slate.

The Defenders were without leading hitter Landon Tillson (.512 avg.), their senior catcher who suffered a leg injury Monday. They managed only James Keifer's two-out single in the first inning until freshman Collin Brandt singled with one down in the third. Leadoff man Cohen Zechman was hit by a 1-0 pitch, and Griff Harrington took a full-count fastball inside to load the bases. Keifer then left a 3-1 fastball up for a run-scoring walk.

Warrior Run's chance to tie the score, if not break open the game, was soon snuffed when Schneck ended the inning with a strikeout and a soft pop to shortstop. They were the first two outs in what became a string of seven that ended when an 0-1 curve broke on top of Harrington's foot with two down in the home fifth. Schneck fanned the final four batters he faced before eclipsing the 100-pitch limit.

"I knew we were going to struggle for offense, but Schneck threw a good game," said Defenders coach Derrick Zechman. "Way too many strikeouts."

Keifer started for Warrior Run and worked around one-out walks in each of the first two innings. In the third, the steady light rain appeared to soften the mound, affecting the hard-throwing righty's landing foot and delivery as he ran deeper counts. The Wildcats' Jaden Boyer reached on an infield single ahead of an infield error and wild pitch that moved both runners into scoring position. Cole Reibsome then delivered a sacrifice fly to left for a 1-0 lead, and Schneck flared a double over third base to make it 2-0.

Another flare bit Keifer in the fourth, turning a one-out walk to Chad Martin into Mifflinburg's third run. Boyer dropped a ball into shallow center for a 3-1 lead that fired up Schneck before he returned to the bump.

"I think we had the momentum," he said. "We scored another run in the top of the fourth, and I just kept building on it and never looked back. The confidence comes if I know I'm hitting my spots, I can get in a groove."

Schneck struck out every Warrior Run starter at least once except Brandt in the nine hole. The left-hander powered fastballs past three Defenders in a 1-2-3 sixth, finishing his outing with four consecutive strikeouts. His previous career-high was eight punch-outs against Central Columbia in his sophomore year.

"He just turned it around and, from (the third inning) on, he was lights out," said Hackenberg. "He was a completely different pitcher."

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MIFFLINBURG 3, WARRIOR RUN 1

Mifflinburg;002;100;0 - 3-5-0

Warrior Run;001;000;0 - 1-3-1

Mason Schneck, Brennen Snyder (7) and Jaden Boyer. James Keifer, Cohen Zechman (5) and Jackson Bowers.

WP: Schneck. LP: Keifer. S: Snyder.

Mifflinburg: Jaden Boyer 2-for-4, RBI; Jaxon Kaskie run; JP Marr run; Cole Reibsome RBI; Schneck 1-for-4, double, RBI; Chad Martin run; Landen Murray 1-for-3.

Warrior Run: Keifer 1-for-2, RBI; Collin Brandt 2-for-2, double, run.

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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 1:30 PM.