EDWARDSVILLE, PA- Keystone College battled until the final out Friday evening, rallying late but ultimately falling to Penn State Abington, 7-5, in the Giants' final game of the 2026 season.
Despite the result, Keystone closed the year with an impressive 28-12 record and a season filled with milestones, breakout performances, and one of the strongest campaigns in recent program history.
After Penn State Abington jumped ahead early, the Giants refused to back down. Keystone collected 13 hits on the night and mounted multiple comeback pushes throughout the final innings.
The offense began to find momentum in the fourth inning when Carlos Pascual (Paterson, N.J./International) singled up the middle and Ethan Schimony (State College, Pa./State College Area) followed with a base hit. Colson Bennett (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney) later brought home Keystone's first run with an RBI groundout to cut into the deficit.
Keystone's biggest push came late in the game. In the seventh inning, Bennett worked a leadoff walk before Dillion Bird (Westlake, La./Sulphur) reached on a single. Dee Rice (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman) continued his breakout season with an RBI single to center field, while Ray Moreta (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) followed with another RBI knock to make it a four-run game heading into the eighth.
The Giants kept battling in the eighth inning as Schimony ripped a double to right field before Emilio Portes (Miami, Fla./Monsignor Pace) drove in a run with a single up the middle. Rice struck again moments later with another RBI hit, trimming the deficit to just 7-5 and bringing the tying run to the plate.
Benny Hess (Reading, Ohio/Reading Community) capped off a tremendous season at the plate with another three-hit performance, continuing to be one of Keystone's most reliable bats all spring. Rice finished with two hits and two RBIs, while Bird added a pair of hits and scored twice. Schimony also turned in a multi-hit effort with a double and a run scored, while Portes recorded two hits and an RBI.
On the mound, Leam Powell (Phillipsport, N.Y./Chapel Field Christian) battled through 5.2 innings before Brandon Valles (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) delivered strong relief work to keep the Giants within striking distance over the final frames.
This season also saw several players emerge into major contributors for the Giants. Dante Ruby (Archbald, Pa./Valley View) continued to develop into a key piece in Keystone's lineup and middle infield, while Dee Rice (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman) became one of the team's most impactful offensive threats throughout the spring. Dillion Bird (Westlake, La./Sulphur) provided consistent energy and production in the lineup, and Leam Powell (Phillipsport, N.Y./Chapel Field Christian) stepped into a larger role on the mound with multiple strong performances during the season. Cooper Ryan (State College, Pa./State College Area) also continued to establish himself as an important contributor throughout the year.
Although the 2026 season came to an end Friday night, this year's group leaves behind plenty to be proud of. From Jamie Shevchik's 800th career victory to another postseason appearance and the emergence of several young contributors, the Giants once again showed the competitiveness and toughness that has defined Keystone baseball for years.
