Keystone Drops Dillsburg 11-6

9-10 All-Stars Earn Shot at Redemption in State Finals

key-base-logoFLEETVILLE — Then there were two.

The 9 & 10 Pennsylvania Little League state tourney started back on Tuesday, July 28 with an eight-team field.

Heading into Sunday, Aug. 2, two teams remain in title contention and one of them, the Keystone Little League, is doing it the hard way, taking the road back to Christy Mathewson Field every day through the loser’s bracket.

They advanced to the Sunday final with another come-from-behind win Saturday, an 11-6 verdict over Dillsburg. The victory pushed Keystone to 4-1 overall and earned the Clinton County team a berth in Sunday’s 12 noon state final with undefeated (3-0) Upper Providence.

The win over Dillsburg was not easy and again more than a few Keystoners contributed. Despite a few errors, Keystone made the plays when it had to, none bigger than the game-ending catch from centerfielder Luke Simcox. Keystone had an 11-4 lead as to Dillsburg came to bat in the bottom of the sixth. But Keystone started to run through some pitchers and Dillsburg mounted a comeback, taking advantage of four walks and a hit batter, plus a single, to get plate two runs and get within 11-6, the bases loaded with one out. At that point 9-year-old Kaden Irvin was pitching in relief for Keystone. He faced Dillsburg’s Kade Kitts who drove a pitch into medium centerfield. Simcox made a diving, tumbling catch, taking away a likely bases-clearing triple from Kitts. Instead Simcox caught the ball, scrambled to his feet and fired a strike to shortstop Braylen Corter to double off a Dillsburg runner who did not get back in time, ending the game and sending a large contingent of Keystone fans into ecstasy.

Keystone, as in its Friday win over Red Land, fell behind early and had to battle back, this time down 4-0 after one. But Keystone was due to hit (held to three on Friday) and the team broke out starting in the second inning, plating four runs, built around singles from Levi Schlesinger, Corter, Ashton Probst, an RBI single from Simcox and a key error by a Dillsburg infielder.

The game stayed 4-4 into the fifth as Keystone starter Schlesinger and Dillsburg’s starter Timmy Bonin settled in. Then Keystone took a lead they would not relinquish, pushing across four in the top of the fifth. With two outs and a new pitcher in for Dillsburg, Corter started the rally with a walk, Irvin came off the bench with a pinch-single and Gardner Fravel drew a walk in his first at bat, loading the bases. Gabe Johnson cleared those bases with a triple off the glove of the Dillsburg rightfielder, putting Keystone up 7-4; Simcox doubled him in to make it 8-4 at that point.

Keystone would add three insurance runs in the top of the sixth, using a Cru Stover double, a walk to Matt Conklin, an RBI single from Schlesinger, a sacrifice fly from Corter and an RBI single from Probst, 11-4 heading to the bottom of the sixth. Schlesinger, Johnson and Irvin all saw the mound in the bottom of the inning and the Keystone defense picked them up, using a rundown to get the first out and the Simcox-Corter double-play to get outs two and three.

Schlesinger went five-plus innings to get the win, giving up seven hits and five runs, striking out five and walking three. He was particularly strong in the third inning, the game tied 4-4 at the time. Dillsburg used three singles to load the bases to start the inning and Schlesinger stepped it up, striking out the next three batters and the Harrisburg area team never recovered.

Keystone ended the game with 13 hits, spread around: Simcox with a single, double and RBI, Stover with two singles and a double; Schlesinger with two singles and an RBI; Corter with a single and sac fly; Probst two singles and an RBI; Irvin with a pinch-hit single; and Johnson off the bench with a single, his key three-run triple and a walk.

Now Keystone must come back and win Sunday to force a winner-take-all game Monday evening against an Upper Providence team which hasn’t played since its 4-1 win over Dillsburg on Thursday. UP won its first meeting with Keystone back on Wednesday, a come-from-behind last inning verdict.

Sunday’s noon-time start will again be heard on therecord-online.

AUGUST 1, 2015 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
KEYSTONE 0 4 0 0 4 3 11 13 3
DILLSBURG 4 0 0 0 0 2 6 7 3
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