Frederick, MD – The Keys late bid at a comeback fell short on Tuesday, stranding the tying run in scoring position to fall 8-7 to the Williamsport Crosscutters, setting up a rubber match on Wednesday.

Drew Buhr (Bellarmine) got the start for the Keys, and retired the first two hitters of the game before a pair of Keys errors and a two run double by Reed Chumley (Houston Christian) gave Williamsport an early 3-0 cushion.

Buhr would settle in over the next two innings, going 1-2-3 in the second and working around a two out single in the third.

His teammates would do their best to chip away in the bottom half of the fourth. After singles by Bryce Arnold (Campbell) and Ariel Antigua (Trinity Christian Academy), as well as a walk to Kendrey Maduro (NW Florida State) loaded the bases, Pat Monteith (North Greenville) recorded his first Keys RBI, singling to right field to score the Keys first run. Brady Cerkownyk (Connors State) followed with a sac fly, but a double play ball cut the rally short.

Williamsport wasted no time getting a run back in the fourth inning, when Reed Chumley led the frame off with a solo home run. After a pair of two out walks, Joseph Sullivan (South Alabama) made Frederick pay with a two run double, making it 6-3 Crosscutters.

An RBI groundout added to the lead, but two scoreless innings by Dalton Ponce (Long Beach State) helped bridge the gap for the Keys.

Williamsport got a huge insurance run in the ninth when Ryan Ignoffo (Eastern Illinois) stole home, which in the end would prove huge.

Down 8-3 entering the ninth, Arnold doubled and eventually scored on an Antigua single. The Keys eventually loaded the bases, when pinch hitter Luca Danos (William and Mary) was plunked by a pitch, bringing home another run to bring the Keys within three.

With two outs, Indiana Stanley (Columbia) kept the game alive with a two run single to bring the Keys within one. However, the rally was cut short when AJ Shaver (Florida SW State) was rung up on an outside pitch to end the game.

The two will now square off in a rubber match on Wednesday from Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium beginning at 7 PM

Notes:

• Ryan Ignoffo (Eastern Illinois) reached in all five plate appearances, including four hits
• Garrett Martin (Austin Peay) recorded his first Keys hit in the fourth inning, and drove in his first run in the fifth in his Frederick debut
• Bryce Arnold (Campbell), Pat Monteith (North Greenville), and Indiana Stanley (Columbia) each knocked three hits in the contest
• Hunter Bell struck out four batters over two innings of work, including striking out the side in the eighth