Keystone 11s advance to District 12 final

LONG RUN, PA – The Keystone 11 all-star team is two-for-two in its 2023 season, picking up win number two by a 5-3 count over visiting Montoursville, the game played Saturday afternoon before a huge throng at the Long Run Little League Field.

The victory propels coach Tonys Miller’s team into the District 12 championship game on Thursday, July 6 at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, the opponent to be determined. (Lamade, the home to the Little League World Series championship game, is in use this season as adjacent Volunteer Stadium has had new grass put down).

Keystone jumped on top early Saturday. Lincoln Prough led off the bottom of the first with a bunt single, Carter Miller sacrificed him to second and Chase Karstetter chased Prough home with an RBI single. Brady Brungard followed with a single and Abel Jarrells plated Karstetter and Brungard with a double, 3-0 after one, Keystone on top.

Montoursville got a run back in the top of the second but Keystone answered with one of its own, using a couple Montour errors allowing Drayton Packer to score.

The game was 4-1 Keystone into the fifth when the home team added its final run on a single from Mack Packer and an RBI double from Drayton Packer.

Montour used a walk, a couple Keystone errors and a single to push across two runs in the top of the sixth, but Keystone reliever Mack Packer induced a fly ball to left field to end the game and send Keystone to Lamade Stadium next Thursday.

Packer and Ehan Nestor split the mound duties for the winners, allowing five hits while striking out eight. Keystone had six hits, doubles from Jarrells and Drayton Packer and singles from Prough, Karstetter, Brungard and Mack Packer.

Coach Miller was happy with the win: “The pitchers did their job; the defense did their job; I’m very proud of them.”

M 0 1 0 0 0 2 = 3-5-2

K 3 1 0 0 1 x = 5-6-3