East Lycoming edges Keystone 11s, 8-7; forces Saturday title game

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PA – It was a hard-fought game, not decided until the last pitch, the District 12 11-year-old match-up at Volunteer Stadium on Friday. And that last pitch saw a spectacular catch by East Lycoming left-fielder Roman Mechbach, robbing Keystone’s Camden Fuller of extra bases and preserving an 8-7 East Lycoming win over Keystone.

The bases were loaded at the time and had Mechbach not made the catch in the top of the sixth, Keystone would have taken the lead. But he did and EL forced a Saturday 10 a.m. winner-take-all game.

Keystone put up three runs in the top of the first, the big hit a 2-run homer from Bryan Rote. But East Lycoming answered back with three in the bottom of the inning and the nail-biter was on. Keystone moved ahead 6-3 in the top of the fourth but EL answered with three in the bottom of the inning and two in the fifth to take an 8-6 lead. Keystone answered with one in the top of the sixth but Mechbach denied them any more.

Carter Frank had two singles for Keystone as did Heath Marino. Singles came from Logan Bower, Carson Smith, and Maverick Shultz; Camden Fuller had a double, Rote with his homerun.

Keystone used three pitchers in Rote, Smith and Evan Edwards.