BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Third seed P.K. Yonge scored four unanswered runs in the final two innings in handing the fourth seed Keystone Heights High School baseball team an 8-6 loss in the District 4-3A tournament semifinals on May 3 in Ocala.
The Indians (16-8) had a 5-0 lead, with three of those runs coming in the first inning. Chase Packham and Austin Musgrove both singled before Connor Guy hit the first pitch he saw over the fence in right for a home run.
P.K. Yonge (19-7) loaded the bases in the top of the second with one out. Lane Sparkman reached on an error, Aidan Mansfield walked and Luke Sparkman was hit by a pitch. Mack Todd then hit a ground ball that was the start of a 6-4-3 double play.
In the bottom of the fourth, Keystone put two on when Gage Smith walked and Andru Siemer singled. Both runners advanced on Aiden Screen’s bunt. Wil Rogel ground into a fielder’s choice, which resulted in Smith being put out at home. An error on a ground ball hit by Packham, though, allowed a run to score. After Musgrove walked to load the bases, Guy drew a walk to force a run in and put the Indians up 5-0.
The Blue Wave cut the Keystone lead to one run in the top of the fifth. Micah Gratto and Jacob Pridgen both singled before Lane Sparkman hit an RBI double. An error allowed two more runs to cross. Another error and a walk loaded the bases before Todd hit an RBI single to make the score 5-4.
Keystone added a run in the top of the fifth when Siemer, who went 2 for 3, hit a single to score Noah Branch, who walked.
P.K. Yonge scored three runs in the sixth to take the lead. Gratto and Xander Santez both singled. An error allowed a run to score, while another error loaded the bases. Luke Sparkman hit a two-run single to put the Blue Wave up 7-6.
Keystone committed seven errors in all.
Lane Sparkman drove in the game’s final run on a single in the top of the seventh.
Guy, who went 3 for 3 with four RBI, led off the bottom of the seventh with a single. Ryan Jones then hit a line drive that was caught by third baseman Gratto, who then caught Guy off first for a double play. Branch reached on a double before a ground out to third ended the game.
Starting pitcher Musgrove gave up four runs (two earned), six hits and just two walks in 4.2 innings.
