BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Keystone Heights High School’s baseball team held a 10-2 lead after two innings and went on to defeat visiting Interlachen 13-6 in a District 4-2A tournament semifinal game on April 17.
The top seed Indians (18-7) will host third seed Trinity Catholic (9-16) for the championship on Thursday, April 17, at 7 p.m.
Keystone scored five runs in each of the first two innings against fourth seed Interlachen (12-9).
Destin Harnage led off the bottom of the first with a double and scored on a one-out double by Austin Smith. Guage Barry walked, while Aiden Screen was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ethan Franklin then drew a walk to force a run in. Barry scored the third run on a passed ball before Tallon Campbell hit a two-run single.
The Rams took advantage of a single, two walks and an error to score two runs in the top of the second.
Harnage led off the Indians’ half of the second, hitting a single. Andrew Wilson walked before Barry hit an RBI single with one out. After the Rams recorded the second out, Franklin hit an RBI single, while an error on the play allowed another run to score, making it an 8-2 game.
The inning continued with a Campbell single. Keystone then scored two runs on two errors to go up 10-2.
Franklin hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth that scored Screen, who walked, to put the Indians ahed by nine runs.
The teams combined to score six runs in the final two innings. Keystone had two runs in the sixth, with Campbell driving in one on a sacrifice fly and Tyler Brinson driving in another on a single.
Campbell, who batted 2 for 2, and Franklin each finished with three RBI, while Barry, Brinson and Smith each had one.
Smith finished 2 for 4, while Harnage batted 2 for 5.
Franklin got the start on the mound and earned the win. He gave up two unearned runs and two hits through five innings. He had seven strikeouts.
