BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Keystone Heights High School’s baseball team heads into the District 2-3A tournament off a loss as Clay pitchers Brandon Adams and Elijah Rogers gave up give hits in defeating the Indians 5-2 on April 28 in Keystone.
The Indians (13-12) are the third seed in the district tournament, which is being hosted by Bishop Snyder High School. Keystone has a first-round bye and will play second-seed Baldwin in a semifinal game on Tuesday, May 3, at 3:30 p.m.
Against Clay, starting pitcher Ty Glenn and reliever Jesse Stanley combined to give up just five hits, but four went for extra bases, including a two-run home in the top of the seventh that concluded the scoring.
The Blue Devils loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first on a hit batter, a walk and a single, but scored just one run on a sacrifice fly.
In the third, Clay took advantage of an error and a double to go up 2-0, while a leadoff double in the top of the fifth helped the Devils plate another run.
Keystone finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Alex Addington drew a leadoff walk and advanced on a Noah Branch sacrifice bunt before scoring on an Ashton Roach single.
The Indians made it a one-run game in the sixth. Connor Guy hit a one-out triple and scored on a wild pitch.
After Clay made the score 5-2 on Alec Burke’s two-run homer in the top of the seventh, Keystone put its first two batters on in the bottom of the inning when Addington drew a walk and Branch hit an infield single. Clay’s Rogers struck out two straight batters before walking Dalton Hollingsworth to load the bases. Rogers rebounded with another strikeout to end the game.
Guy was the Indians’ only multi-hit batter, going 2 for 3.
Glenn gave up three runs on four hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out seven.
Prior to playing Clay, the Indians hosted Tocoi Creek, scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth to win 2-1 on April 26.
Keystone had two outs with nobody on when Guy worked the count full and fouled off two straight pitches before hitting a double. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Ryan Jones walked and the scored on a Jeremy Miller double.
The hits by Guy and Miller in the sixth were two of three Keystone managed against pitcher Enrique Castillo.
Keystone starting pitcher Gage Smith gave up one unearned run on three hits and no walks through five innings. He struck out four.
Stanley and Jones each pitched one inning of relief, giving up one hit each.
