Keystone 12s pull out wild opener at state tourney

PublisherJuly 28, 2022Last Updated: July 28, 2022
2 minutes read
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BRADFORD, PA – It wasn’t easy and with half an inning to go, it appeared near impossible, but somehow the Keystone 12 Little League All-Stars pulled out an 8-6 extra inning win over DuBois in its Wednesday opener at the Pennsylvania state tournament at the Kessel Athletic Complex at Pitt-Bradford.

Manager Ben Falls’ team found itself down 5-0 after a disastrous bottom of the fourth when DuBois scored four runs on one hit to open the five-run lead as Keystone came to bat in the top of the sixth. But this time it was DuBois which came unglued, committing two errors as Keystone scored five runs on three hits, tying things up at 5-5.

After Keystone’s fourth pitcher, Jaiden McCloskey, shut down DuBois in the bottom of the sixth, the contest went to extra innings at 5-5. DuBois, which had played a perfect game defensively to that point, committed two errors in the top of the seventh; coupled with two Keystone hits, the Clinton County team scored three times to open an 8-5 lead. DuBois plated one run in the bottom of the seventh, but McCloskey got a couple fielder-choice outs to end the game and secure the win.

With the victory, Keystone moves in to a second-round game Thursday at 7:30 p.m. against Hollidaysburg, a 6-2 winner over Hermitage.

Gabe Killlinger, hitting out of the ninth spot in the line-up, picked his team up down the stretch with a 3-RBI double in the sixth and an RBI single in the seventh. Luke Nonemaker had a double and a single and an RBI, that single coming in the sixth inning. Hayes Donley had a single and drew a walk with the bases loaded in the seventh for an RBI. Kyle Everett had a clutch single in the seventh, a line drive off the pitcher’s glove to drive in a run. McCloskey had a key double in the sixth inning.

Four Keystone pitchers held DuBois to five hits, McCloskey picking up the win.

Manager Falls called the victory a “team win…everybody contributed.” He called the victory a confidence builder, knowing it can come back. As for Thursday’s game, he said, “We just gotta’ keep playing.” He said he told squad members late in the game, when they mounted their comeback, to do it “one base runner at a time” and they did. He noted they finally began to make solid contact down the stretch.

K 0 0 0 0 0 5 3 = 8-7-1

D 0 0 1 0 4 0 1 = 6-5-2

 

 

PublisherJuly 28, 2022Last Updated: July 28, 2022
2 minutes read
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