Trey Keating, Nativity baseball

POTTSVILLE — Trey Keating went 4-for-4 and set the tone all afternoon as Nativity held off a late Schuylkill Haven rally.

Keating’s perfect day at the plate powered Nativity to a 5-4 victory in a Schuylkill League Division II baseball game Thursday, as the Hilltoppers built a multi-run lead through the middle innings and then leaned on pitching and defense to finish it off atop Lawton’s Hill.

“He’s hitting the ball really well, same thing the other day against North Schuylkill,” Nativity skipper Ben Kreiger said. “He’s seeing the ball super well and hitting the ball hard. For him, after taking a year and coming back this year, and putting the ball in play and hitting it hard every single time he gets in there — it’s the same way he is in basketball — no plays off. He’s a gamer.”

Nativity struck first in the opening inning, manufacturing two runs without a big hit. Marc Lutzkanin brought home a run on a fielder’s choice, and Ryan Grabowski followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Hilltoppers an early edge. From there, both teams settled into a rhythm behind the starting pitchers before Nativity created separation in the fifth.

Keating jump-started the inning with a sharp single to left and later came around to score on a wild pitch. The Hilltoppers continued to take advantage of opportunities as Stephen Karinch reached on an error and Ryan Examitas drove him in with a double to deep left field. Courtesy runner Bentley Werez then crossed the plate on Grabowski’s RBI single, stretching the lead to five.

Schuylkill Haven didn’t go quietly and began to chip away in the sixth. With two outs, Wyatt Gerber and Chase Yoder delivered back-to-back singles, and Michael Terefencko worked a walk to load the bases. Bode Hinnershitz came through with a two-run double to left, and Chase Maley followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 5-3 and swing momentum back toward the Hurricanes.

Examitas, Nativity’s starter, worked into the sixth inning and earned the win, allowing three runs on six hits while navigating traffic throughout. Karinch took over in relief and was tasked with finishing a tight game.

Schuylkill Haven mounted one final push in the seventh. The Hurricanes loaded the bases with one out after Bradyn Diehl reached on an error, a walk put another runner aboard and a bunt single filled the bases. A bases-loaded walk forced in a run to make it a one-run game, and the tying run remained in scoring position.

Nativity answered with a key defensive play as Grabowski fielded a line drive at shortstop and fired to third for a force out, cutting down the lead runner. Karinch then delivered a strikeout to end the game, stranding the tying run and sealing the Hilltoppers’ win.

“He’s a four-year starter,” Kreiger said of Grabowski. “He’s moved into roles and stepped up as a senior. The motto is ‘nobody better,’ right. So, the ball is hit somewhere — nobody better. But he’s a leader and he does the routine things really well. And when it gets complex, he does them even better.”

Grabowski was dialed in at shortstop with six putouts. His counterpart Alan Evans was equally impressive, showing off his range and arm with a deep putout from the 5-6 hole to rob Examitas of a hit in the third inning.

Hinnershitz led Schuylkill Haven with two RBIs, while Yoder and Maley each collected two hits. Despite out-hitting Nativity in key spots late, the Hurricanes were unable to find the one bigger hit needed to complete the comeback.

Despite its record, Nativity has consistently played in tight contests, with multiple one-run games on its schedule this season, showing a team that has been competitive night after night.

“We play in a very tough division,” Kreiger said. “Division II is tough. Coach (Scott) Buffington and his team are a great team, and much like us they battle day-in and day-out. Day-in and day-out, every team is battling. We just keep telling our guys one play at a time. And we’ll get there. We’re one swing away from being a very good baseball team. We just have to stop leaving runners on base and keep plugging away and getting hits. These guys don’t give up, and their heart is tremendous. That is where we are.”

Game Summary

At Nativity

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN (4) — Evans ss 4 0 1 0, Gerber cf 3 1 1 1, Yoder p-2b-3b 4 0 2 0, Terefencko rf 3 1 0 0, Hinnershitz 3b-lf 3 0 2 2, Maley 2b-p 3 0 2 1, Houck 1b 3 0 0 0, Diehl c 3 1 0 0, Trostle lf-p 1 0 0 0, Neith ph 0 0 0 0. Totals 27 4 8 4.

NATIVITY (5) — Keating cf 4 2 4 0, Karinch 1b-p 2 2 1 0, Examitas p-3b-1b 3 0 1 1, Werez cr 0 1 0 0, Lutzkanin 3b-2b 3 0 0 1, Grabowski ss 2 0 1 2, Uhrin pr 0 0 0 0, Bartashus c 3 0 1 0, Tresize cr 0 0 0 0, Kalkiewicz 2b 2 0 0 0, Sullivan 1b 0 0 0 0, Garrity ph 1 0 0 0, Frehafer lf 3 0 0 0, Clarke rf 3 0 1 0. Totals 26 5 9 4.

E — Schuylkill Haven 1, Nativity 1

DP — Schuylkill Haven 0, Nativity 1

LOB — Schuylkill Haven 5, Nativity 6

2B — Yoder

SB — Maley 2, Trostle, Lutzkanin 2, Keating

CS — Trostle

SAC — Karinch

SF — Grabowski

Schuylkill Haven

Nativity

HBP — by Trostle (Karinch). WP — Trostle 2. PB — Bartashus. T 1:52.