JOHNSTOWN — Delweld got the shutdown pitching performance the Johnstown franchise needed on Thursday night at Point Stadium.

Veteran right-hander Matt Skoner tossed seven-plus strong innings and limited Buffalo New Era to one run. Two relievers finished the job, and Delweld’s offense and aggressive base running provided the final pieces to a 6-1 victory that kept Johnstown alive in the 66th annual AAABA Tournament.

“I just wanted to come in, throw strikes and keep it low in the zone,” said Skoner, a 6-foot-4, 20-year-old in his third tournament.

“I tried to use my defense. My defense played great. (Center fielder) Spencer White made a heck of a catch out there, and everybody else was solid.”

Skoner allowed five hits while striking out one and walking one batter. He induced 13 ground-ball outs.

“We knew he was the guy for this team,” Delweld manager Chris DelSignore said. “He throws strikes. He involves the defense. He’s a very easy pitcher to play behind. He works fast. That was a typical Matt Skoner performance. Outstanding.”

Delweld (3-1) will play Philadelphia (3-1), which was knocked from the undefeated ranks by Baltimore on Thursday.

The first pitch is set for 7 p.m. at the Point. Buffalo (2-2) is eliminated after opening the tournament with two straight wins for only the second time since 1980 and first in 10 years.

“Our backs were against the wall, and we had to be desperate and play with a sense of urgency,” DelSignore said.

Delweld methodically built its lead. In the third, leadoff man Matt Donaldson walked and scored after singles by George Roberts and Drew Westover.

The Roberts-Westover combination in the No. 3 and No. 4 spots continued to produce for Delweld. Roberts had two hits, a run and drove in a run one night after collecting three hits against Baltimore. Westover had three hits, including a double, and drove in a pair against New Era.

Donaldson was hit by a pitch in the fifth. The speedy second baseman stole second and third base, and then scored on a Roberts single. Roberts stole second and was breaking for third when Westover punched a hit-and-run single through the left side, plating Roberts to make it 3-0.

“It’s important to be aggressive on the bases when you have a chance to,” DelSignore said.

“Their pitcher was kind of slow to the plate, about 1.7 or 1.8. I have a guy like Matt Donaldson on there, he can really get things moving. The next thing you know the catcher is calling more fastballs and it opens things up for the offense. That’s how you’ve got to play.”

Buffalo got its run in the sixth.

Justin Urschel singled and scored on Steve Karnyski’s single.

Delweld answered with a pair in the seventh. White singled and moved up on a wild pitch.

Donaldson reached on an infield single and stole his third base of the game. Zach Vignero had an infield single that plated White. Donaldson scored after Roberts hit into a double play.

Donaldson’s infield single and an error enabled Matt Cornetti to tally the final run in the eighth. Donaldson went 3-for-3 with three runs and three steals.

“It was important to get guys on base and focus and have good at-bats,” DelSignore said. “We had to get runners on base and get them moving. Then, it’s exciting to hit.”

On the opposite end, Skoner kept Buffalo at bay.

“Skoner hadn’t pitched since before the (local AAABA League) playoffs so I wasn’t sure how he was going to throw with that layoff, but he ended up throwing pretty well for us,” Westover said. “He worked the defense. It boosts your confidence when you have faith in your pitcher to get the job done. You like to see your pitcher get in there and throw strikes.”

DelSignore called on Plummer after Skoner walked the lead-off batter in the eighth.

Plummer induced a double play and ended the inning on a ground out.

“Nate Plummer did a real good job,” Skoner said. “I didn’t like going out and giving up that walk. Nate came in and got the ground ball for a double play and got me out of the inning. The other Nate (Kohuth) did a great job and got out of the ninth inning.”

Kohuth, a pick-up player, worked a scoreless ninth.

“When you get this deep in the tournament you’ve got to have a great pitching performance out there, and you can’t waste it,” DelSignore said.

Next up is a highly regarded Philadelphia team that opened the tournament 3-0 and won three games in one day to take the Altoona Regional title.

“They’re a pretty solid team with a lot of Division I kids,” Westover said. “We’ve got to bring our A game.”