Keystone 11s bounce back with Monday win at states

ATHENS, PA – The Keystone 11 All-Stars on Monday bounced back from an extra-inning Sunday loss at the state Little League tournament in Athens. With their Monday afternoon 11-9 elimination game win over Mountain Top, Manager Cole Hanley’s team advances along in the losers’ bracket to a Tuesday game.

Monday saw Keystone pile up an early lead and then hold off Mountain Top. It was 11-2 Keystone going into the bottom of the fifth but Mountain Top put up five runs in that inning and two more in the sixth to make it close.

Keystone had plenty of offense, banging out 16 hits. Bryan Rote led the attack with a double, two singles and two RBIs. Evan Edwards, Carter Frank, Hayden Hanley and Logan Bower had two hits each, Frank with a double and Bower a double and two runs batted in. Hanley’s hits included a double.

Singles came from Carson Smith with an RBI, Angelo Tarantella with an RBI, Evan Batterson, Trey Lapp, Heath Marino and Cam Fuller. Keystone helped its cause with six stolen bases.

Smith and Frank split the mound duties, Smith going the first 4.2 innings, Frank finishing up. While they gave up a combined 12 hits, they walked only two while striking out eight and their defense played near perfect ball behind them.

K 2 1 5 0 3 0 = 11-16-1
MT 2 0 0 0 5 2 = 9-12-1