And, as Daugherty thought, Keystone did exactly that in the sixth inning during their final at bat.

A leadoff single up the middle into center.

A bunt single to put two runners on.

Another single into shallow left to load the bases.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming's Wyatt Group celebrates with his teammates after hitting a home run during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game against Keystone on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

It had all the makings of a dramatic six-run rally late, but East Lycoming had other plans. East Lycoming kept playing the way they knew how and with the tying run on second base, Willy Ochs induced a pop up to third base and that was all East Lycoming needed.

Kiptyn Holmes caught the out and the celebration for East Lycoming fans started as East Lycoming defeated Keystone in an exciting 8-6 game at Loyalsock’s Bruce Henry Park to advance to the losers’ bracket final against either Williamsport Area or Loyalsock on Thursday afternoon.

“I told them luckily we put ourselves in a spot to have a little bit of flexibility,” Daugherty said. “We just needed to find an out however we needed to do it. We were OK giving up a run for an out in that situation. That was kind of the message of that.”

Keystone scored four in the sixth inning and put together a rally and looked to shift momentum and possibly win in walk-off fashion. But defensively, East Lycoming prevented it. After Jaxon Orndorf had a two-RBI double, Deagen Stover drew a walk and Hunter Packer had an RBI single into left that dropped. But with a two-run lead from there, Willy Ochs of East Lycoming struck out a batter before the game-ending pop up to third.

“That’s what we stressed there in the huddle,” Keystone manager Colten Stover said about his team battling until the end. “They showed heart and fight and didn’t give up until the end. Early in the game we were hitting the ball hard, but we just couldn’t get that one to break through the middle there and make plays. But they stayed with it and didn’t give up. Just came up a little bit short.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Keystone catcher Jaxson Orndorf attempts to tag East Lycoming's Willy Ochs at home during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

Keystone tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with two runs when Callen Bechdel reached on a single before an Orndorf double to the fence in left put two runners on. Bechdel scored on an RBI grounder before Orndorf scored on a throwing error to make it 2-2.

But, from there, East Lycoming answered immediately back in the fifth and kept momentum from shifting away. East Lycoming proceeded to score six runs in that fifth inning to take a big lead and put wind into the sails of Keystone.

“It was just huge. We had kids that were overdue through this tournament that came up huge and had huge hits,” Daugherty said. “Jase Spring with the flare into left field scores two runs. Obviously, Wyatt’s (Group) home run was massive. It was due for him. We’ve seen him do it all year long but not yet (in districts), so was nice for him to connect on that and for him to get a big one there.”

Parker Gatsche reached base on a one-out infield single before a massive triple to the centerfield fence by Bryce Messner drove him in to give East Lycoming the lead once again, 3-2. A. batter later, Group crushed a home run over the left-field fence to make it a 5-2 lead. A dropped third strike allowed Cael Smith to reach before a walk put two on with Holmes on base. Reed Hansen had a shallow single to load the bases and a sacrifice fly by Ochs to right brought another run in for a 6-2 lead. Spring would then hit a two-RBI double to make it an 8-2 lead and give East Lycoming confidence.

For Daugherty, seeing Group hit his first home run the entire district tournament so far was a nice touch to an already great win.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hunter Packer throws for Keystone during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game against East Lycoming on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

“That’s what he does. He’s like someone wants to go up there and pound the ball and punish the ball. People are starting to figure him out a little bit, the more you hear about him or whatever, but he’s disciplined,” Daugherty said. “It was even two strikes and got the barrel on it. When that kid gets the barrel on it, he can do some damage.”

After that six-run inning in the fifth for East Lycoming, Keystone forced a three-up, three-down sixth inning and didn’t allow East Lycoming to build its lead further, setting the tone for a comeback attempt.

“I just told the boys this is where you find out and dig down deep to see who wants it more,” Stover said. “Who has the heart and just don’t give up. We’ve come back from bigger leads than that.”

East Lycoming out-hit Keystone on Tuesday evening, 14-10. Messner led East Lycoming with a 3 for 4 performance with a double, triple, RBI and two runs scored while Group went 3 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs while scoring a run. Gatsche went 2 for 4 with a stolen base and two runs scored, Smith went 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run, Holmes was 1 for 2 with a walk and run scored, Ochs was 1. for 3, Spring was 1. for 3 with two RBIs and Sullivan Miller went 1 for 3 with a stolen base while Kyler Daugherty was walked twice and had a stolen base.

Keystone was led by Bechdel (2 for 3, run), Orndorf (2 for 3, two doubles, two RBIs, two runs), Hunter Packer (2 for 2, RBI), Deagen Stover (walk, RBI), Hudson Foltz (1 for 2), Aldin DeMarte (1 for 2, run), Hayden Rinehart (1 for 2, run) and Brady McGregor (1 for 2 run). Orndorf was Keystone’s only player with two extra-base hits.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Keystone's Easton Wright attempts to tag East Lycoming's Wyatt Group at first during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

East Lycoming opened the game with a two-run first inning to help settle any nerves. Gatsche opened with a single in the infield to reach before Messner hit a deep double to the fence in center. That was followed with an RBI single by Group and a sac fly RBI by Smith for the early 2-0 lead. Holmes would reach on a single but the rally was stifled by a swinging strikeout and grounder to second to end the first inning.

“It was just huge to be able to be out there and get an early lead. That’s what you have to do if you’re the visitors,” Daugherty said. “Obviously we would have preferred to be home if we had the choice, but we did what we had to do being the visitor team putting pressure on them early.”

East Lycoming 8, Keystone 6

East Lycoming 200 060 — 8 14 1

Keystone 000 204 — 6 10 0

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Carl Smith throws for East Lycoming during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game against Keystone on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

Cael Smith, Willy Ochs (6) and Wyatt Group. Hunter Packer, Jaxon Orndorf (3), Deagan Stover (5) and Orndorf, Mason Quick (3). W: Smith. L: Stover. SV: Ochs.

Top East Lycoming hitters: Bryce Messner 3-4, 2B, 3B, RBI, 2 runs; Parker Gatsche 2-4, SB, 2 runs; Wyatt Group 3-3, HR, 3 RBIs, run; Cael Smith 1-3, RBI, run; Kiptyn Holmes 1-2, BB, run; Willy Ochs 1-3; Jase Spring 1-3,2 RBIs; Sullivan Miller 1-3, SB; Kyler Daugherty 2 BBs, SB. Top Keystone hitters: Callen Bechdel 2-3, run; Jaxon Orndorf 2-3, 2 2Bs, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Hunter Packer 2-2, RBI; Deagen Stover BB, RBI; Hudson Foltz 1-2; Aldin DeMarte 1-2, run; Hayden Rinehart 1-2, run; Brady McGregor 1-2, run.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Carl Smith throws for East Lycoming during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game against Keystone on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Keystone's Michael Nestor attempts to tag East Lycoming's Cael Smith at third during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming's Wyatt Group rounds second after hitting a home run during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game against Keystone on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Keystone catcher Jaxson Orndorf attempts to tag East Lycoming's Reed Hansen at home during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Keystone catcher Jaxson Orndorf attempts to tag East Lycoming's Reed Hansen at home during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming gather on the mound while waiting for a ruling during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game against Keystone on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming's Jase Spring attempts a tag on Keystone's Michael Nestor at first during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming's Cael Smith attempts a tag on Keystone's Hayden Rinehart at first during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming's Kiptyn Holmes attempts a tag on Keystone's Jaxson Orndorf at third during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent An East Lycoming coach talks with Willy Ochs at third during a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent An East Lycoming coach reacts after winning a District 12 Little League Majors elimination game against Keystone on Tuesday at Bruce Henry Park in Loyalsock. East Lycoming won 8-6.