Morristown, N.J. – Keystone baseball wrapped up the conference season slate by clinching the top seed in next month's Colonial States Athletic Conference Championships with a double-header sweep of Saint Elizabeth, 28-11 and 13-7, Saturday afternoon at the Eagles' home field.
The Giants racked up 32 total hits and 41 runs in Saturday's games as they improved to 19-15 overall and 10-2 in the CSAC.
Keystone finishes the conference season tied with Wilson atop the standings with a 10-2 record but holds the tiebreaker to earn the No. 1 seed and hosting rights for the postseason. Both teams split the series in their March 20 matchup, but the Giants swept third-seeded Cairn — while Wilson split — to win the tiebreaker.
Saint Elizabeth, which fell to 14-20 overall and 7-5 in the CSAC, will be the fourth and final team in the postseason tournament.
Game 1: Keystone 28, Saint Elizabeth 11
The Eagles got on the scoreboard first and kept it close at 2-2 through the first three innings, but the Giants' bats came alive for 15 hits to plate 22 runs through the next three innings as Keystone ran away with the win in game No. 1.
Nate Hinkley notched career pitching win No. 27, good for second-best in the NCAA Division III amongst active pitching leaders.
Sam Beadle (Canton, Conn./Canton) closed out the final three innings on the mound for his first career save.
Game 2: Keystone 13, Saint Elizabeth 7
Keystone wasted no time getting on the board with five runs in the opening frame before adding three more in each of the fourth and fifth innings for an 11-0 lead.
Saint Elizabeth inched its way back and made it a close 12-7 game heading into the final inning of play, but Adam Kelly (Beach Lake, Pa./Honesdale) singled to bring in an extra run and Patrick Adamski (Kingston, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) closed out the final 1-1/3 innings on the mound to get the sweep.
Inside The Box Score
- Kelly continued his hot streak with a combined 6-for-11 day with five RBIs and three runs scored.
- RJ Gouldsbury (Throop, Pa./Mid Valley) followed with four hits and five RBIs on the afternoon, highlighted by two doubles and a two-run home run.
- Julio Acosta (Elizabeth, N.J./Hudson Catholic) also drove in five runs on a 4-for-10 outing while coming home to score seven times.
- JD Barrett (Moosic, Pa./Dallas) was efficient in going 4 for 5 with four walks and two hit by pitches while scoring seven times. The graduate senior transfer from Cabrini is now two hits away from reaching 100 in his career.
What's Next
- Keystone concludes its regular season with a non-conference slate of SUNY Cobleskill, Neumann and Scranton.
- Saint Elizabeth will prepare for the CSAC Championships beginning next weekend May 6-7.
