Telegraph Staff Writer
Ty Glenn and Ryan Jones each drove in four runs for the Keystone Heights High School baseball team, which defeated visiting Bradford 15-2 in 4.5 innings on March 3.
The Indians (1-3) got a stellar outing from starting pitcher Gage Smith, who threw a four-inning shutout. He gave up two hits and no walks, while striking out 10.
Jones hit an RBI single as part of a three-run first inning, in which Keystone also scored runs on a balk and an error.
Keystone scored six runs in the second, with the first two runs occurring when Jeremy Miller and Dalton Hollingsworth drawing bases-loaded walks. Jones and Glenn then hit back-to-back two-run singles to put the Indians ahead 9-0.
The Tornadoes were shaky defensively, committing five errors for the game, but they did turn a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the second, with shortstop Cason Pilcher fielding a ground ball and throwing to second baseman Luke Stucky for one out. Stucky then fired the ball to first baseman Kevin Crawford for the final out of the inning.
Bradford followed that up with its best inning in the game as the Indians failed to get a baserunner on in the third. Starting pitcher Jonathan Brugh got Keystone batters to fly out, ground out and strike out.
Smith, meanwhile, was in control on the mound for Keystone. He struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced. He didn’t allow a baserunner until giving up a fly-ball single to Bradford’s Pilcher to lead off the top of the fourth. Smith struck out the next batter he faced, but Pilcher, who stole second, would come around to score when Brugh hit a line-drive single to left, making the score 9-1. Smith struck out the final two batters in what would be his final inning.
The Indians scored six runs in the bottom of the inning. Leadoff batter Miller was hit by a pitch and later scored on Connor Guy’s single. After Hollingsworth reached on an error, Jones and Glenn hit back-to-back singles to score a total of three runs. Alex Addington later hit a ground ball that scored a run, while an error on the play allowed another run to score.
After being held to two hits, Bradford hit three consecutive singles to start the fifth inning. Hayden Hughes ground into a double play that included first baseman Ashton Roach throwing to catcher Noah Branch to put out the Tornadoes’ Carson Knight at home. Hughes did get credit for an RBI as Stucky scored on the play.
Ben Goforth, who pitched the final inning for Keystone, ended the game with a strikeout.
Jones and Glenn went 3 for 3 and 2 for 3, respectively, while Addington went 2 for 4.
The Indians entered the game off a 4-0 loss at Middleburg on March 1.
Middleburg pitcher Clayton Hendry went the distance, striking out 16, while giving up one hit and one walk.
Glenn threw three scoreless innings of relief for the Indians.
Keystone hosts Fort White on Tuesday, March 8, at 6 p.m. and travels to play Bishop Snyder on Wednesday, March 9, at 6 p.m. The Indians then host Orange Park on Friday, March 11, at 7 p.m.
Bradford travels to play P.K. Yonge tonight at 7 p.m. and then travels to play Branford on Tuesday, March 8, at 7 p.m. The Tornadoes return home to play Interlachen on Thursday, March 10, at 7 p.m. before traveling to play Union County on Tuesday, March 15, at 7 p.m.
