LA PLUME, Pa. — The Keystone College baseball team mounted a late comeback effort Friday afternoon, scoring three runs in the eighth inning, but ultimately fell to Lancaster Bible College, 11-6, in a United East Conference playoff contest at Mathewson Field.
Keystone will now face Penn State Abington at 7 pm at Wilkes University. PSU Abington fell to Penn State Harrisburg 16-3 earlier in the day.
Lancaster Bible opened the scoring in the first inning before putting together a four-run second inning to build a 5-0 advantage. Keystone responded with its first run in the bottom of the fourth when Benny Hess (Reading, Ohio/Reading Community) drove in Ray Moreta (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) on a fielder's choice.
The Giants added two more runs in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 8-3. After singles from Ethan Schimony (State College, Pa./State College Area) and Dee Rice (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman), Moreta delivered a two-run single to right field that plated both runners.
Keystone's offense came alive again in the eighth inning. Dante Ruby (Archbald, Pa./Valley View) launched a solo home run to left-center field to begin the frame before the Giants continued to pressure Lancaster Bible pitching. Later in the inning, Dillion Bird (Westlake, La./Sulphur) produced an RBI fielder's choice and Emilio Portes (Miami, Fla./Monsignor Pace) followed with an RBI single to center, trimming the deficit to 11-6.
Ruby finished with two hits, including the home run, while Moreta drove in two runs and scored once. Schimony added a pair of hits, and Portes, Rice, and Bird each contributed offensively for the Giants.
On the mound, Cooper Ryan (State College, Pa./State College Area) provided valuable relief innings for Keystone, working 5.1 innings while striking out five batters. Nico George (Smyrna, Del./Caravel Academy) also tossed a scoreless ninth inning in relief.
Lancaster Bible was led offensively by Dylan Witkowski, who recorded three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run homer.
