By Dan Machovina

PBR Ohio Assistant Scouting Director

PARMA, OH – In Division II Ohio baseball tournament action it was No. 8 Lagrange Keystone (24-5) receiving a strong complete game pitching performance from senior RHP Collin Fitzgerald to win a tightly contested ball game over Benedictine (12-14) by a final score of 3-1.

Benedictine’s starting pitcher, senior Jack Williams gave a gutty performance against a high powered Keystone Wildcat lineup. Unfortunately for the righty, it was two unearned runs and a base running blunder that cost the Benedictine Bengals the game.

Visiting Keystone made their first mark on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning. Things got started off with a leadoff single through the left side of the infield from senior C Pierce Young. With one out, senior slugger 3B Tyler Gullet (Toledo Commit, ranked No. 13 in Ohio) smacked an RBI double over the right-fielder’s head.

Benedictine answered back in the home half of the second inning. Junior 2B Ben Keiper and freshmen OF Marlon Moore both singled in the inning. It was a passed ball that would tie the game at one a piece after two innings of play.

In the top of the sixth inning, things were looking promising for Benedictine to add another run and go for the upset.

Junior 1B Collin Pecoraro singled to right-field to start the inning. Benedictine sent in a pinch runner for Pecoraro, he stole second. With a runner at second base and no outs it seemed fitting when pitcher Jack Williams stepped up and drilled a single to center-field and what most people thought would give him an RBI and the Bengals a 2-1 lead however, the pinch runner was called out after an appeal from the Wildcats who threw the ball to third base.

Wiping away the 2-1 lead and getting an out on the appeal play Fitzgerald was able to calm him-self and get two more ground ball outs to end the threat.

Going into the top of the seventh inning, Keystone received help from Benedictine’s defense.

The inning started off with nine hitter sophomore OF Chris Sittinger hitting a ground ball to the third-baseman who booted the ball allowing Sittinger to reach first safely. One out and two walks later the Bengals appeared to get the gift they were looking for, a hard hit ground ball to the shortstop who fed the second baseman for the second out but the Bengals could not relay the throw to the first for the double play they needed.

The throw sailed past the first-baseman allowing two Wildcat base runners to score on the errant throw.

Keystone’s winning pitcher, Collin Fitzgerald went the distance scattering five hits, walking zero, struck out six, and allowing the one earned run.

Jack Williams was the hard luck loser, who gave up five hits, walked four, while striking out three, allowing three runs with only one run being earned.

Keystone advances to the Regionals to face No. 3 Sandusky Perkins in the second game at Tiffin University, following No. 23 Bryan and No. 25 Wapakoneta..

To view scouting notes from this game, please visit the Ohio High School Scouting Blog. The blog gets updated throughout the week.

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