Pitching, hitting, defense define run to crown
By John Lipez
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – There were four teams in the District 12 10-yearold baseball bracket this season, and the Keystone entry left no doubt who the top team was. Coach Nick Packech’s squad downed East Lycoming by a 12-0 score in three and a half innings at Volunteer Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The win over the Hughesville area squad capped a run of three 10-run rule victories, Keystone outscoring the opposition by a 33-1 margin. Earlier victories came over Williamsport, 10-0, and South Williamsport, 11-1. All three games never got beyond the fourth inning.
With the district title in hand, Keystone now sets its sights on the Section 3 tournament July 18-22 with preliminary word the event will be held at Penns Creek Little League in Snyder County.
Saturday’s win was similar to Keystone’s first two wins: shutdown pitching, timely hitting and near perfect defense. Afterwards, coach Packech said he was “proud” of his team’s performance and indicated the showing so far has been a team effort, “Again they played a really great game. They did, they’ve worked hard now for the past month or so. We’ve really stressed defense with them and they show that when the ball’s in play, they usually make the play. They know where to be. They’re down and ready. They’re doing everything we ask. And offensively, they hit the ball really well today. I think that was our best.”
After the run through the district tourney, the head coach was asked the strength of the team, ‘Honestly, I would say we’re a very deep team. Like we have 12 kids that all contribute…they all can hit, they all can play the field, and I feel like we don’t really have a weakness, I think that’s our biggest thing is we’re a complete team, all the way top to the bottom.”
Keystone’s Cooper Robinson and Mason Wright combined on a 1-hitter over four innings, Robinson setting the tempo with three no-hit innings, striking out two and walking one. East Lycoming County got its first two batters on in the top of the first on an infield error (Keystone’s only miscue) and a walk; Robinson proceeded to retire the next nine East Lyco batters. Wright finished with a scoreless fourth, surrendering one hit while striking out two.
Meanwhile Keystone touched up four East Lycoming pitchers for nine hits in only three innings at bat. Wright went 2-for-2 with two singles and Robinson had two singles. Lucas Barclay had a single and double and three RBIs. Brandon Reeder contributed a double, Grady Packech and Axel Leone with a single each. Hunter Smith had the visitor’s lone hit, a solid single to right field in the fourth inning.
Keystone was aided by seven walks and four errors from East Lyco.
As the home team, Keystone put up three runs in its first at-bat, setting the tempo, according to coach Packech: , “That’s huge. To get a lead then, it takes a lot of the pressure off of them, too, as the game goes on when you give yourself a little bit of a cushion, and they relax and they settle in, and that helps them play even better.”
While the 10s await particulars on the sectional tourney in another week, the coaches plan to give squad members a day off, then back to work on Monday.
EL 0 0 0 0 = 0-1-4
K 3 9 0 x = 12-9-1
