SANATOGA PARK, PA- The Keystone College baseball team kept its momentum rolling on Friday, erupting for 26 combined runs in a thrilling United East Conference doubleheader sweep over Valley Forge. In a pair of back and forth battles filled with timely hitting and late game heroics, the Giants outlasted the Patriots 9-8 in game one before powering their way to a 17-13 victory in the nightcap, stretching their win streak to eleven games.

Game One: (Keystone 9, Valley Forge 8)

The Giants continued to roll as they took on the Patriots in a United East Conference match up, defeating the Patriots 9-8 in a back and forth battle. The game started out in a defensive battle, with neither team finding any kind of rhythm offensively. The third inning was when the Giants were able to find some offense, jumping out to the early 1-0 lead. Jaxson Monroney (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney) singled, scoring Ethan Schimony (State College, Pa./State College Area). Keystone was unable to do any additional damage in the inning. KC held the 1-0 lead for the next few innings, until Valley Forge was able to find some offense in the fifth inning. The Patriots knocked in two runs in the inning, taking the 2-1 lead into the sixth. 

The Giants responded right away, knocking in two runs of their own in the sixth inning, regaining the lead 3-2. Ethan Schimony (State College, Pa./State College Area) singled, scoring both Ray Moreta (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) and Benny Hess (Reading, Ohio/Reading Community). The Giants lead did not hold long though, as in the seventh inning, the Patriots answered once more, knocking in two runs to take teh 4-3 lead. The back and forth battle continued into the eighth inning, where KC regained the lead 6-4. Ray Moreta (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) doubled, scoring Benny Hess (Reading, Ohio/Reading Community) to knot the game back up, with Ethan Schimony (State College, Pa./State College Area) and Emilio Portes (Miami, Fla./Monsignor Pace) both earning a hit to take the lead back for the Giants. 

The valiant Patriots would not be quelled though, as they once more fought back in the eighth inning, tying the game back up at 6-6. Keystone got the last laugh in the game though, knocking in the eventual deciding three runs in the top half of the final inning of play. Carlos Pascual (Paterson, N.J./International) scored on a SAC fly by Ray Moreta (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield), with Ethan Schimony (State College, Pa./State College Area) reaching first base on a throwing error, scoring the game's two winning runs in Benny Hess (Reading, Ohio/Reading Community) and Dante Ruby (Archbald, Pa./Valley View). The Patriots made the botttom half of the ninth inning interesting, however, the two runs that Valley Forge scored were not enough, with Keystone earning the win in game one, 9-8.

Game Two: (Keystone 17, Valley Forge 13)

The Giants took down the Patriots in game two in thrilling fashion, following the game one win. As like last game, neither team found any offense to open the game, with KC earning two hits in the opening inning, but leaving both runners on base. The second inning was when the offense started for KC, as Dee Rice (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman) doubled, scoring Teegan Monroney (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney). The Giants held the 1-0 lead into the third inning, where they once more struck. Ethan Schimony (State College, Pa./State College Area) continued his impressive day, adding another hit to his resume, while also scoring Carlos Pascual (Paterson, N.J./International) for the early 2-0 lead.

The Patriots did not wait long to knot the game back up though, as they knocked in two runs in the third inning. Kesytone regained the lead in the fourth inning with a Carlos Pascual (Paterson, N.J./International) two run home run, scoring both himself and Dee Rice (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman). Valley Forge exploded on the offensive side of the ball in the fourth inning, knocking in five runs to take their first lead of the contest. Both teams offense went cold in the fifth inning, right before the Giants exploded for seven runs in the sixth. Dante Ruby (Archbald, Pa./Valley View) singled, scoring Carlos Pascual (Paterson, N.J./International) to start the scoring. Dillion Bird (Westlake, La./Sulphur), Emilio Portes (Miami, Fla./Monsignor Pace), Dee Rice (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman), and Jaxson Monroney (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney) all added a hit in the inning, all resulting in at least one run scoring. Benny Hess (Reading, Ohio/Reading Community) singled in the seventh to push the Keystone lead to five. 

The Giants came close to wrapping the game up in the eighth, coming one run short of the run rule, outscoring the Patriots, 16-7 into bottom half of the frame. Valley Forge added one run in the eighth inning. Jaxson Monroney (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney) scored in the ninth inning for the Giants, touching home plate after Dante Ruby (Archbald, Pa./Valley View) SAC flew out to right field. Despite the late surge in offense from the Patriots, they were unable to muster enough runs to take the lead in the bottom of the ninth, falling to the Giants 17-13.

Keystone extends their win streak to eleven as the team takes one more pit stop to fellow United East opponent, Wilson College on Saturday, April 11. The Giants remain unbeaten in United East Conference play.