Trenton, NJ (5-21-10) – The Keystone College baseball team saw its dream of a trip to the Division III World Series come to end early Friday afternoon, as the Giants fell to Widener University 7-3 in an elimination game of the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional.
Widener, which survives to play another game, moves to 27-13 on the year, while Keystone wraps up its season at 30-9
Pride starting pitcher Kevin Culbert kept the Keystone bats off balance all game long with a mix of off-speed pitches. Culbert worked eight innings allowing two earned runs on four hits while striking out five.
Mike Hanley absorbed the loss for the Giants, tossing four and two-thirds innings, allowing six earned runs on eight hits, while striking out two. Hanley, a senior who came into the game with a 7-0 record on the season, suffered his first loss since his sophomore year.
The bottom half of the Widener order provided the spark for the offense, as the number six through nine hitters were a combined 8-14 with five RBI.
Eric Groff picked up two of Keystone's four hits, with Kory Leicht and Donald Reese each adding a hit.
Keystone got on the board in top half of the first when Groff drilled a three-two pitch over the right field wall for an opposite field shot and a 1-0 lead. Groff's homer, his 18th of the season, gave him the single season mark at Keystone, breaking the previous record of 17 which was held by Nelson Gomez.
Widener put together a two-out rally in the second, pushing across three for a 3-1 lead. After a leadoff walk and single sandwiched around a fly ball out, Hanley looked like he might get out of it after an infield fly. However, back-to-back singles by Tom Mahoney and Mike Villarii made the score 2-1. A passed ball allowed Mahoney to eventually score outing the Giants in an early hole.
It looked like the Giants would draw closer in the third after back-to-back errors by the Pride, mixed in with a wild pitch, put Giants on the corners. However, Groff hit into a double play to end the threat.
The Giants failed to pick up a hit after Groff's first inning home run until a Reese double in the fifth. Keystone was able to get runners on in those early innings, but double play balls in the third and fourth extinguished any rallies. They were able to close the gap in the fifth to 4-2, as Reese advanced to third on a Leicht sacrifice and scored on a Ray Jackson sacrifice fly.
Widener extended their lead in the fifth scoring twice with two outs on RBI singles by Dennis Hocker and Colin Keelan to chase Hanley and build their led to 6-2.
Brad Higgins relieved Hanley pitching a third of an inning. Frost took over the mound duties in the sixth, striking out five in three innings of works.
The Giants attempted to stage a late game comeback in the eight when they loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit. Angel Fargas worked a full count before drawing a bases loaded walk to pick up the RBI, as the Giants cut the margin to 6-3. With the sacks still full Andy Vega took a called third strike for the third out ending what could have been a big inning for the Giants.
Widener got back the run they gave up in the top half of the inning, as the Pride put runners on first and second with no-one out. Frost made a good play to get an out at third on attempted sacrifice, while a Fargas to Arbello pick-off at first was successful for out number two.
The Pride plated their two out run when the Giants couldn't get the final out on a slow roller between the mound and first base.
Box Score/Play by Play
