LA PLUME, PA- The Keystone baseball team tallied their opening home game with a win at Christy Mathewson Field, taking down the Pioneers of William Paterson University, 8-3. Emilio Portes (Miami, Fla./Monsignor Pace) sent a ball out of the park in the sixth inning, thwarting any kind of comeback that the Pioneers were attempting to muster.
The Giants struck first and early in the contest, knocking in the first run of the game off a SAC fly from Dante Ruby (Archbald, Pa./Valley View), giving Colson Bennett (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney) a chance to score from third. Keystone continued to keep the pressure on the Pioneers, knocking in two additional runs in the second inning. Dee Rice (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman) sent a SAC bunt to the the Pioneers pitcher, giving enough time to Dilion Bird to cross home plate for the Giants second run of the evening. Keystone was not satisfied with just one run in the inning, as Colson Bennett (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney) sent a ball out to left field, scoring the speedy Ethan Schimony (State College, Pa./State College Area).
William Paterson mustered up three hits in the third inning, only being able to cross one run across the plate. KC and WP locked into a pitching duel for the next two innings, until Keystone broke a hit off in the fifth inning, from Dante Ruby (Archbald, Pa./Valley View). Ruby's hit gave Cooper Fesh (Bethel, Conn./Bethel) a chance to score from first base, after Fesh stole second just mere seconds before Ruby made contact with ball.
The sixth inning was all Keystone, as the top half of the frame was struck out by Luke Baker (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Blue Mountain) and Leam Powell (Phillipsport, N.Y./Chapel Field Christian). Emilio Portes (Miami, Fla./Monsignor Pace) capitalized on the momentum, sending a ball out of the park down the left field line to give the Giants a 5-1 lead entering the seventh inning.
The Pioneers tacked on two runs in the seventh, cutting the KC lead down to two, but came up short on any additional runs throughout the remainder of the contest. Keystone stayed hot on offense in the eighth inning, knocking in three runs to seal the game 8-3. Dee Rice (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman) continued to sacrifice his at-bat, sending yet another SAC bunt to the Pioneers third baseman, giving Dillion Bird (Westlake, La./Sulphur) a chance to take home plate. A Dante Ruby (Archbald, Pa./Valley View) double to center field scored the Giants two remaining runs with the likes of Cooper Fesh (Bethel, Conn./Bethel) and Ethan Schimony (State College, Pa./State College Area) both crossing home plate.
The Giants home stand continues on March 28 as the team welcomes United East foe Notre Dame of Maryland University in a double header scheduled for 12 PM and 3 PM.
