Keystone 12s lose first game at states, next game Sunday

BRADFORD, PA – There was no late game anxiety/excitement Saturday for the Keystone 12 All-Star team and its followers at the state Little League tournament in Bradford.

Greencastle jumped on Keystone with five runs in the top of the first and never looked back, achieving a 13-2, five-inning win over Keystone in the winners’ bracket final. The win puts Greencastle into the Monday championship game; the loss drops Keystone into a Sunday 3 p.m. losers’ bracket final with Hollidaysburg. Sunday’s winner moves on to play Greencastle Monday.

Saturday was a tough one for Keystone. Greencastle right-hander Connor Flohr, throwing a 68 mph fastball, held Keystone to five hits, four in the first inning when Keystone scored its only two runs. They came on an Ashton Falls lead-off triple, an RBI ground out from Luke Nonemaker, a double from Hayes Donley and an RBI single from Kyle Everett. There was also a first inning single from Brody Swanger but Keystone left the bases loaded.

Manager Ben Falls’ team had only one hit the rest of the game, a final inning single from Donley.

Meanwhile, Greencastle touched up six Keystone pitchers for 13 runs on 13 hits. Quinton Carr led the winners with three hits, including a double.

Sunday’s game with Hollidaysburg will be a challenge. Keystone edged the Blair County team on Thursday by a 5-4 score.

Manager Falls complimented Greencastle, stating, “They put the ball in play; we (our pitchers) missed some spots and they made us pay.” He said his team “got behind the eight-ball” and it was a good game for Greencastle.

He said he looks for Keystone to bounce back Sunday against Hollidaysburg and noted by using half a dozen pitchers on Saturday, he’ll has some arms for Sunday, adding, “We just have to put the ball in play and see what happens.”

G 5 0 5 0 3 = 13=13=2

K 2 0 0 0 0 = 2 – 5 -1