BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Keystone Heights High School had three three-run innings, while starting pitcher Tyler Brinson gave up four hits in five innings in an 11-3 win over host Bradford in a baseball game on Feb. 27.
Brinson gave up one run (unearned) and struck out three as the Indians (7-2) won their seventh straight game.
The Indians scored three runs in the top of the first, which began with a Destin Harnage single and Andrew Wilson reaching on an error. Both scored on an Austin Smith double. Smith scored on a two-out single by Brinson.
It was a 4-0 game (after Keystone scored on an error in the second) when the Tornadoes (5-2) pushed a run across in the second. Nehemiah Flowers hit a leadoff single and advanced to third when the Indians committed an error on a ball put into play by Jaxson Carter. Flowers scored on a ground out by Taylor Bice. A strikeout left Carter stranded at third.
Keystone’s three-run third made it a 7-1 game. Smith drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a ground out by Tallon Campbell and scored on a Brinson single to right field. Brinson stole second, advanced to third on a Gage Barry single and then stole home when Bradford tried to throw out Barry on a steal of second. Barry advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an Ethan Franklin single.
The top of the fourth saw the Indians put another three runs on the board. Harnage singled, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Wilson walked and stole second, with an error on a throw to second allowing Harnage to score and Wilson to go to third. Wilson scored on a single by Smith, with Smith later scoring on a single by Barry, making it a 10-1 Keystone lead.
Keystone got only one more run the rest of the way, with Bradford relief pitcher Jerry Baxter holding the Indians to two hits through the final three innings.
Baxter, who entered the game in the third, gave up four hits in all, while striking out three.
The Tornadoes scored their final runs in the sixth. Flowers drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on an error. With two outs, Bradford loaded the bases when Bice was hit by a pitch and Rike singled. Jaron Hale and Ryder Thompson drew back-to-back walks to force two runs in.
Keystone relief pitcher Brock Screen got out of the inning with a strikeout. He gave up just one hit in the final two innings and struck out three.
A seventh-inning single by the Indians’ Ty Mitzel scored the game’s final run.
Smith and Brinson had three and two RBI, respectively, with Brinson going 3 for 4 and Smith going 2 for 3. Barry went 2 for 4 with an RBI, while Franklin and Mitzel also had one RBI each.
Harnage finished 2 for 5.
Flowers went 2 for 3 for Bradford, scoring two of the team’s three runs.
Keystone entered the game off a 10-8 win at Santa Fe on Feb. 26.
The Indians squandered a 7-1 lead when Santa Fe scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of two singles, a double, a triple, a walk and two errors.
Keystone scored three runs in the seventh. With one out and no one on, Barry singled. After a strikeout for the second out, Mitzel walked. Harnage drove in both runners on a single to give the Indians a 9-8 lead.
Wilson drove in the final run on a single.
Harnage, who went 3 for 5 with three RBI, hit an RBI single as part of a four-run fourth inning that put the Indians up 6-1. That big inning also included an RBI double by Mitzel.
Campbell and Wilson each had two RBI, with Wilson going 2 for 3 with a double.
Smith and Barry went 3 for 3 and 2 for 3, respectively. Smith had one RBI.
Starting pitcher Barry threw five innings, giving up one run (unearned) and one hit, while striking out seven.
The Indians host Baker County on Tuesday, March 4, at 7 p.m. and will play at West Nassau on Wednesday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m.
Bradford hosts Hamilton County on Monday, March 3, at 6 p.m.
