Jimmy Mussina from Montoursville throws throughout Fleetwood on the Third Excessive Faculty Central Excessive Faculty. Montoursville received between 6 and Four over Fleetwood through the quarter -finals 4A at Columbia Central Excessive Faculty. Dave Kennedy/Solar-Gazette
Just a few hours earlier than graduating on Thursday, Jimmy Mussina produced a reminiscence that she’s going to in all probability keep in mind rather more than receiving her highschool diploma.
He introduced the kind of alternatives that athletes dream of, Mussina supplied the biggest efficiency in her faculty profession. And that claims rather a lot as a result of the senior has repeatedly handed all through the season.
This time he may have been his final recreation, however Mussina refused to depart him. The left-handed ones threw 5 dominant reduction halves, hit a two-round doubles and helped Montursville defeat Fleetwood, 6-Four within the Aaaa State Finals. Mussina produced an assault that ends with the loaded bases, allowed solely two strokes and helped the soldiers (19-Four) win a spot within the Monday semifinals towards Pope John II.
“That is what (coach Jeremy) Eck all the time tells the primary yr. It is about. It is about being in massive locations and seeing should you can carry out,” Mussina stated. “She is a sink or swimming or swimming at the moment, walks or strikes away and I really feel that I’ve climbed.”
Oh, how did it do it. Mussina began the sport on the appropriate subject, had no heating time earlier than the sport and entered with the bases loaded and didn’t exit within the third half. From there, he generated the primary of the six assaults, escaped the opposite and induced a pop-out, limiting the injury and conserving the mountainsville at a placing distance, down Three-Zero.
It was simply the impulse that Montoursville if wanted, and Michael Reeder’s single on the backside of the half fueled a five-round assembly. Mussina took it from there, permitting solely the seventh run and getting the sixth victory this season.
“We’re speaking about this on a regular basis that when it is your higher yr, there isn’t any tomorrow,” Eck stated. “It’s a must to discover a option to full it and Jimmy continues to do it for us. It’s fairly spectacular.”
“Jimmy threw the entire season for us,” stated the Central Brody Aldenderfer after going 1 for two with a RBI and two rounds. “He threw us fantastic.”
Principally, Mussina turned a second AS on a workers that features Logan Kirby, who received consecutive victories in Playoff towards Danville and Crestwood. He’s 6-1 with a foam Zero.79 period, succeeding 46 in 40 1/Three halves. Mussina shouldn’t be an influence jug, however she is a jug of the jug, hitting stains, transferring the ball and conserving the hitters guessing.
Every part that was uncovered towards Fleetwood, a workforce that sought a second ultimate proper look Four. Mussina threw 4 with out blows getting into the seventh and solely one of many two blows he handed over. It was a efficiency much like the start of the yr, when he threw a 5 -halved closure to the 2024 Danville semifinalist and when he hit eight in 5 glorious two -halves towards Williamsport.
Certainly, it was like most if Missina exhibits this season. It was additionally a name from 2023, when a Sophomore Mussina got here large in reduction, whereas Montoreursville rallied from 5 operating and defeated Blue Mountain within the first spherical of the state tour.
“He won’t exit and throw 95, however he’ll throw strikes. He has all the time executed this,” stated the third Zack Neill Baseman after he went 1 for Three with a RBI. “He got here to gather the entire season.”
This consists of on the plate. Mussina loved a Renaissance yr there, pulling her like a rocket. After accumulating solely 4 strokes final season, Mussina flourished, hitting .453, compiling .534 on the base and driving in 23 rounds, whereas marked 20 instances.
Mussina usually excelled with runners on the premise and did this on the good time towards Christwood. With the runners on the second and third and two outputs in an equality recreation, Mussina maintained the straightforward method. He took a pitch with two strikes in the wrong way for a two-round double, which put Montoursville earlier than he stayed, 5-Three. He additionally supplied the fourth and fifth RBI in two video games of the state match.
“He won’t overcome anybody, however dig within the field and do it,” Eck stated. “Typically, his steadiness doesn’t even present, however he takes the ball there.”
That is all that issues and that is concentrated. These moments are usually not too massive for him, as a result of Mussina enjoys them. The baseball recreation is enjoyable and Mussina takes this under consideration whatever the state of affairs.
It’s a mixture of arduous work and recreation, which has helped Mussina excel all through the season. Alternatives like these are arduous to seek out, so they might hug them as nicely.
“Baseball, you need to play with a smile in your face; you need to be free and have enjoyable,” Mussina stated. “I’m all the time proud to maintain myself cool. I believe that is my finest function, it doesn’t matter what occurs, I can all the time maintain my head.”
Mussina has confirmed it once more within the seventh half. Fleetwood raised the warmth, scoring a run in two outputs and loading the bases. The binding runners have been within the scoring place and the runner earlier than. Nevertheless, on a day when the temperature was near 90, Mussina doesn’t sweat.
He labored earlier than in quantity, then induced a swing the third step earlier than being included in ecstatic teammates. The diplomas are nice, however that senior second is difficult to defeat.
“It is precisely the best way to play the sport,” Mussina stated. “It’s a must to maintain your head, combat and, lastly, good issues may occur.”
Mussina helped Montursville to attain some nice issues this season, and the work continues as the soldiers set out the objectives within the Monday semifinals. Mussina turns into the fourth of her household to succeed in the tip Four, becoming a member of her uncle Mike, Father Mark and Vărul Peyton.
The title Mussina is filled with baseball custom. However Mussina shouldn’t be labeled as Mike’s nephew or Mark’s son. It’s his personal participant and a reasonably good one. Like his cousins Brycen and Peyton, Jimmy created a reputation for him.
He additionally created just a few moments that he and his teammates will always remember.
“Jimmy has executed a improbable job,” Eck stated. “The way in which he left about his enterprise is a kind of guys you’ll look again and say it was a particular one.”