After a battle of the pitchers, Tri-Town came out on top, 8-2, thanks to a huge sixth inning with six runs scored to break open a tied game.

Tri-Town moves onto the District 12 championship game, scheduled for Monday at Volunteer Stadium. Keystone falls into the losers’ bracket and will play an elimination game on Friday.

Throughout the game, it was a battle between Lyle Huggler (2 for 3) from Tri-Town and Gio Cej (1 for 2 ) from Keystone as they went head-to-head on the mound.

Huggler went four innings only throwing 50 pitches and Cej went five innings, using 82 pitches.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Keystone and Tri-Town compete in a District 12 major baseball winners' bracket final on Wednesday in Beech Creek.

“It’s been a grind he has been working his tail off and this is probably his best year pitching. I preach to all the younger kids to stick with it, pitching is so hard, but he has been doing well” coach Lyle Huggler of Tri-Town stated.

“He did great, a lot of pitches were balls, and that brought his pitch count up which is why we had to go with the reliever sooner,” coach Tony Miller of Keystone stated. “He’s the only 11-year-old on the team, two games in a row and he has pitched pretty well, and he only gave up two runs.”

Heading into the sixth inning the score was tied 2-2 with Chase Karstetter from Keystone now pitching in relief for Gio Cej. Kaden Caster, who was 3 for 3 reaching on an error, led off on the top of the sixth for Tri-Town, he was able to reach base on balls which then brought up Lyle Huggler. Huggler hit a two-run home run to dead center field that next at-bat to give Tri-Town a 4-2 lead over Keystone.

“That’s my son and we play a lot of baseball, he’s very patient at the plate. He had a 2-0 count, and I knew he was onto something when he just sat back and drove it,” coach Huggler said. “Super, super proud of him and it was a good father-son moment.”

From there, Tri-Town was able to score four more runs off two hits that same inning to bring the score to 8-2.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Tri-Town players talk with their coach during a mound visit against Keystone in a District 12 major baseball winners' bracket final on Wednesday in Beech Creek.

“Last year, we were in the same situation we were down seven runs in sectionals and came back with seven runs on two outs,” Miller said. “It can happen, so never give up and we kept their spirits up a little bit, and they are a really good team. I hope we get a chance to play them again and we will play the winner of this game and see what happens on Friday.”

Tri-Town was able to take the first lead of the game in the third inning when Begux Richmond (1 for 3) was able to reach base on a single to center field. From there Jameson Smith (2 for 3, fielders choice) hit a double to center field that moved Richmond to third. Kaden Caster (3 for 3) was able to advance Richmond home on an RBI ground out to the shortstop. Lyle Huggler was able to bring Smith home when he reached base on an error that inning.

Keystone wasn’t going to go down quiet, however, and the next inning they were able to tie the game 2-2. The two-run rally started when lead off batter Lincoln Prough (3 for 3) reached base after being hit by a pitch he was able to steal second base the next batter on a wild pitch putting him into scoring position. Austin Dupert (2 for 3) was next to bat and was able to smoke a single to left center field, both players were able to advance after there was an error on the throw back to the infield which resulted in Keystone cutting Tri-Towns lead in half.

Dupert was then able to steal home on a wild pitch the next batter to tie the game at two a piece.

“You got to know where the momentum is at, see when the kids are down and we called a time out there and talked to them, told them to keep their heads up and that we are right in it,” Miller said. “And guess what? We battled right back and got two runs to tie it up there.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Lincoln Prough of Keystone is safe at second.

“Little League is so emotional, it has its ups and downs, when they took out their beat pitcher and put it the other kid I thought ‘Boy that is a huge advantage,'” Miller added. “I think that we might have been a little intimated by his size I mean the kid hit a mammoth home run. The other kid is a good pitcher too.”

Tri-Town 8, Keystone 2

Tri-Town 0002 006 – 8 6 1

Keystone 000 200 – 2 3 4

Lyle Huggler and Begux Richmond. Gio Cej, Chase Karstetter (6) and Ehan Nestor, Brad Brungard.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Keystone's Drayton Packer swings at a pitch and makes contact against Tri-Town in a District 12 major baseball winners' bracket final on Wednesday in Beech Creek.

Top Tri-Town hitters: Jameson Smith 2B, run; Kaden Caster BB, run; Roman Neckbach 1B, run; Jose Spangler BB, run; Kameron Caster BB, run; Kellynn Wool 2B, BB, run; Conner Gordner 1B, IBB; Brayden Swartz 2B; Begux Richmond 1B, run. Top Keystone hitters: Lincoln Prough 1B, HBP, run; Austin Dupert 1B, run; Gio Cej HBP; Cott Hill 2B.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Tri-Town's Lyle Huggler pitches against Keystone in a District 12 major baseball winners' bracket final on Wednesday in Beech Creek.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Keystone's Gio Cej pitches against Tri-Townin a District 12 major baseball winners' bracket final on Wednesday in Beech Creek.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Two Keystone players high five in a District 12 major baseball winners' bracket final on Wednesday in Beech Creek.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Tri-Town's Conner Gordner reaches base in a District 12 major baseball winners' bracket final on Wednesday in Beech Creek.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Keystone's Austin Dupert connects on a hit against Tri-Town in a District 12 major baseball winners' bracket final on Wednesday in Beech Creek.

TIM WEIGHT/Special to the Sun-Gazette Tri-Town's Jose Spangler connects on a hit against Keystone in a District 12 major baseball winners' bracket final on Wednesday in Beech Creek.