Keystone 11-12 All-Stars Takes Walk-Off Nail-Biter from ‘Sock, 6-5

AdminJune 24, 2018Last Updated: June 24, 2018

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JERSEY SHORE – A Keystone Little League team with 2018 aspirations had a tough early tournament draw in the District 12 brackets. But Keystone negotiated two difficult early round contests, including Sunday’s come-from-behind 6-5, seven-inning win over a gritty Loyalosck team.

Coupled with last Friday’s 5-1 win over defending district champion Williamsport, Keystone sits at 2-0 and is off until Friday, June 29, a winners’ bracket semifinal at Beech Creek against the winner of a Sunday game between Jersey Shore/GSV and Newberry.

The Sunday game with ‘Sock ended with high drama. Keystone had a 4-0 lead after four and veteran Levi Schlesinger was in command on the mound. Schlesinger gave up a first inning single but nothing more into the top of the sixth. But he issued his first and only walks to the first two Loyalsock batters in the top of the sixth. Kadon Rodarmel singled to load the bases with no one out. ‘Sock would get its first run on an infield error, 4-1 Keystone and still with nobody out.

Schlesinger recorded his eleventh and final strikeout and was removed, replaced by Brady Myers. With the bases loaded, Myers picked up a strikeout for the second out. But ‘Sock’s Nick Laubach drove the ball into the right field corner for a bases-clearing double to tie the score at 4-4. Myers ended the inning with a strike out and Keystone went down scoreless in the bottom of the sixth and it was on to extra-innings.

Loyalsock used three singles, the last from Rodarmel, to produce a go-ahead run at 5-4 in the top of the seventh.

But Keystone struck quickly in the bottom of the seventh. Head coach Patrick Johnson said he told the team, “You’ve been here before; make a memory.” Keystone responded: Schlesinger hit a high bounder over third to start the inning. Pinch-runner Kevin Grenninger advanced to second on a wild pitch and Dallas Alexander plated Grenninger with the tying run on a single up the middle; when the Loyalsock centerfielder allowed the hit to get by him, Alexander went to second base. Next up was Connor Foltz, a player coach Johnson called the “Ice Man.” Foltz jumped on the first pitch and drilled it up the middle into centerfield as Alexander scored the game-winner.

Keystone had jumped to a 3-0 second inning lead when Alexander singled and Foltz and Gavin Burnell drew walks, Gabe Johnson brought in the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly and Braylen Corter in a run with a single to center, another run scoring on a ‘Sock misplay. Keystone scored a single run in the fourth off a Corter double and an error.

Schlesinger worked 5 1/3 innings, giving up two hits, four runs (three earned), striking out 11 and walking two. Myers went an inning and 2/3, giving up four hits and two runs, striking out five and picking up the win.

Corter continued his solid postseason showing with a 3-for-3 day with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Schlesinger added two singles, Alexander two singles, Foltz two singles, including the game-winner, plus a walk. Burnell had a single and drew two walks.

Also Sunday, Montgomery downed Woolrich by a 15-7 count and Montoursville shut out East Lycoming, 10-0.