Rhea, a left-hander, relies on location and movement. Pauling brings the heat.

Different approaches, different styles … same winning formula.

Rhea threw six brilliant innings of two-hit baseball Monday against South Williamsport and Pauling struck out the final two hitters, stranding the tying runner, after taking over in the seventh as Jersey Shore continued its torrid start, edging the Mounties, 3-2. The two combined on a three-hitter and fourth inning doubles from Zach Myers, Landon Welshans and Carson Watkins helped Jersey Shore (4-0) hold off a late South rally.

“I was locked in since 1 this morning. I was dialed in,” Rhea said after scattering two hits in his six innings. “I was ready for this. I wanted to get them back since last year.”

MARK NANCE/For The Express Jersey Shore second baseman Landon Welshans (5) throws from his knees on a single by South Williamsport's (9) in the sixth inning.

“You just have to stay calm. You can’t get scared or nervous,” Pauling said. “You just have to keep pumping.”

Pauling brought a fire and ice combination after entering in the seventh with no outs and Jersey Shore leading, 3-1 following an error that put the lead runner on second base. Pauling induced a grounder for the first out before allowing his first hit this season, when Jaymes Carpenter ripped an RBI single hard off his foot.

The tying runner on base with one out, Pauling went into overdrive. A freshman who plays with the maturity of a seasoned veteran blew through the next two hitters, striking out both on eight pitches and sealing the victory. It was Pauling’s second save in three days after fanning the side in the ninth inning Saturday against Wellsboro, and the fourth time he has clinched victory this season.

“I felt like I could shut them down,” Pauling said. “I love the challenge. I live for it.”

It sure has shown. Also a talented shortstop who went 1 for 2 with a run, Pauling has done his best Mariano Rivera impersonation early this season. In his four appearances, including against defending District 4 Class AAAA champion Danville, the hard-throwing right-hander has surrendered no runs, one hit and struck out eight in 3 1/3 dominant innings.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Jersey Shore's Carson Watkins (00) safely steals third base as South Williamsport third baseman Torin Haug (11) fields the ball in the fourth inning.

“He’s the real deal. He’s got ice in his veins. He’s accepted the closer role and closed out every game we’ve had,” Jersey Shore coach Joe Dunn said. “He never teeters. He just does what he needs to do.”

So does Rhea.

The senior lefty pitched the game of his life Monday, retiring 15 of the first 17 batters he faced and allowing just one hit through five innings. Pitching is not about velocity, but about control, location, accuracy, mixing and poise. In that sense, Rhea produced a pitching clinic.

Not only did Rhea never walk a batter, he went to a three-ball count just once. He threw 48 of his 65 pitches for strikes, including first-pitch strikes to 14 of 21 batters faced. Letting his defense work, Rhea struck out two and repeatedly induced weak contact, getting South batters out on their front foot for either slow rolling grounders or pop outs.

It was not just an impressive performance, but a clutch one, too. Jersey Shore was limited pitching-wise after burning up three options in Saturday’s wild win at Wellsboro. Rhea wanted the ball, wanted the moment and then owned his moment.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Jersey Shore's Landon Welshans (5) celebrates after hitting a double with an RBI in the fourth inning.

“It’s amazing. I knew they were a tough team coming in and I just had to bring it,” Rhea said. “My speed change was working. I’m not going to blow it by anyone. I just try and make them roll over and pop things up.”

“We keep trying to tell him that his stuff is good enough and he doesn’t have to overdo it. He has so much movement on his ball,” Dunn said. “He’s got good stuff and he did a nice job staying within himself.”

Jersey Shore supplied Rhea and the Pauling all the runs they needed in the third and fourth innings. Pauling ignited a third-inning rally, hitting a lead-off single before stealing second, going to third on an error and scoring on Austin Rhinehart’s sacrifice fly. An inning later, Myers and Welshans hit the inning’s first two pitches for doubles, the Welshans double to deep center field, making it, 2-0.

Carson Watkins followed two batters later and belted an RBI double, giving Jersey Shore a 3-0 advantage. And while the Bulldogs did not produce another hit, they showed they can win in different styles. After mashing their way to a 10-9 win at Wellsboro, they did it with pitching this time and continued building early-season momentum.

“I just wanted to pump strikes and make them hit the ball to our defense,” Rhea said. “I think we have the best defense in PA.”

MARK NANCE/For The Express Jersey Shore's Carson Watkins (00) celebrates after hitting a double with an RBI in the fourth inning.

Like Pauling, South left-hander Cole Gerber continues turning heads during his freshman season. Gerber entered in the fourth after Levi Butler threw 3 ½ quality innings and closed with 2 2/3 hitless innings. He struck out five and stranded three runners.

South broke through for its first run in the sixth inning when Rem Minier, who covered ample ground in center field, hit a one-out infield single. Tadd Lusk reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second and third before Marc Molina hit an RBI single.

“I’m happy with how they competed. They didn’t fold,” South coach Chase Waller said. “It was 3-0 and they could have hung heads and they showed some fight. We had a chance at the end and that’s all you can ask for.”

Third baseman Torin Haug produced South’s first hit in the third inning and also made a sensational defensive play, snaring a wicked line drive which robbed Collin Berguson of a likely lead-off, third inning double. Those are some of the building blocks South (1-2) will use as its foundation as it continues moving forward.

“I’m still trying to get them to build better team chemistry,” Waller said. “It’s a long season and it doesn’t get any easier. There are a lot of tough games on the schedule, but you want those games and you want to compete.”

MARK NANCE/For The Express Jersey Shore's Zach Myers (16) celebrates after hitting a double in the second inning.

South 000 001 1–2 3 2

Jersey Shore 001 200 x–3 5 3

Levi Butler, Cole Gerber (4) and Trace Wertz. Landyn Rhea, Nolen Pauling (7) and Hunter Enders. W–Rhea. L–Butler. SV–Pauling, (2).

Top South hitters: Jaymes Carpenter 1-3, RBI; Rem Minier 1-3; Torin Haug 1-3. Top Jersey Shore hitters: Austin Rhinehart 1-1, BB, RBI; Zach Myers 1-3, 2B, R; Landon Welshans 1-3, 2B, RBI; Carson Watkins 1-3, 2B, RBI; Pauling 1-2, R.

Records: Jersey Shore 4-0. South 1-2.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Jersey Shore second baseman Landon Welshans (5) fields a fly ball for an out in the second inning.

MARK NANCE/For The Express South Williamsport third baseman Torin Haug fields a ground ball for a put out at first base in the first inning.

MARK NANCE/For The Express South Williamsport's short stop Marc Molina (13) fields a pop fly for an out in the first inning.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Jersey Shore pitcher Landyn Rhea delivers a pitch against South Williamsport Monday afternoon.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Jersey Shore second baseman Landon Welshans (5) back hands a ground ball before throwing to first base for an out in the first inning.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Jersey Shore short stop Nolen Pauling (4) fields a ground ball for a put out at first base in the fifth inning.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Jersey Shore pitcher Landyn Rhea delivers a pitch against South Williamsport Monday afternoon.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Jersey Shore second baseman Landon Welshans (5) throws to first base for an out in the first inning.