LA PLUME, PA- The Keystone College softball team closed out its 2026 season Thursday afternoon with a doubleheader at home, battling through both games and showing fight all the way to the final outs.
Game One: (Brandywine 8, Keystone 0)
Game one was a tough start, as Keystone fell behind early, but the group never really let the energy drop. The Giants kept working to create chances, with Shalimar Lopez Ramirez (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) picking up a hit and Aimee Lyons (Ajax, ON/Pickering) finding her way on base and into scoring position. Even without much to show on the scoreboard, Keystone continued to compete in each inning and stayed engaged defensively behind starting pitcher Amaia Smith (Berlin, N.J./Overbrook), who went five innings in the circle.
Game Two: (Brandywine 9, Keystone 1)
In game two, the Giants came out with more rhythm offensively and looked much more comfortable at the plate, finishing with seven hits. Keystone got on the board in the first inning after Lopez Ramirez led things off with a hit and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Briana Aponte (El Paso, Tex./Chapin).
Lopez Ramirez had a strong day at the plate in the finale, going a perfect 3-for-3, and she wasn't alone. Isabella Benitez (East Windsor, N.J./Hightstown), Krista Cortazar (Throop, Pa./Mid Valley), Aponte, and Lyons all contributed hits as the Giants consistently found ways to get runners on base. Keystone had traffic in multiple innings and kept putting together competitive at-bats, making the most of their opportunities late in the season.
Benitez also handled the pitching duties in game two, working through five innings and continuing to battle in the circle. Behind her, the defense stayed active and made the routine plays, helping the team push through to the end.
Keystone wraps up their 2026 campaign against the Lions, finishing the year 5-21, 3-13 in United East Conference play. The Giants look ahead to next year as the team will be welcoming both returning and new faces. Isabella Benitez (East Windsor, N.J./Hightstown) and Emily Shultz round out their incredible careers in the orange and blue, with both players being remembered as some of the best players to put a Keystone College Softball jersey on.
