Keglovits, Nazareth crush Fullerton 16-5 in opener

FROM THE MORNING CALL

UPPPER GWYNEDD TOWNSHIP — As Karl Keglovits touched home plate after his second-inning home run, he said to his Nazareth teammates with a smile, "That's my first grand slam. Ever."

The grand slam was the highlight of a special day for a promising player.

Keglovits, a major-league prospect and elite college recruit as a pitcher, blasted two "no-doubt" homers and drove in nine runs to spark Nazareth's 16-5 rout of Lehigh Valley League playoff champion Fullerton on Saturday in the first round of the American Legion Region 2 Tournament at Hostelley Field.

A 6-foot-6, 235-pound man-child, Keglovits immediately tossed his bat aside, stared at his teammates in the Nazareth dugout and then started his slow trot after each home run to straightaway left field. He was 3-for-5 overall and scored four runs to complete his impressive stat line.

"I've never had a day like this," said Keglovits, a rising senior year at Nazareth Area High School. "I know I had a multi-homer game in high school against Freedom but this is regionals and it's definitely better competition. I knew both of them were gone … I caught 'em square. I think they pumped up the team."

Nazareth (20-7), the Northampton County playoff champion, advances to play the Southern Area vs. Nor-Gwyn winner in tonight's winners' bracket semifinal. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (Southern Area and tournament host Nor-Gwyn played late Saturday night.)

Pennridge (16-10) defeated Lehigh Valley League regular-season champion Northern Valley, 16-12, in the first of four nine-inning games Saturday and moves on to meet Boyertown (34-9) in today's other winners' bracket semifinal. Game time is 4 p.m.

Northern Valley (16-6), Fullerton (15-9) and Bath (18-8-2) all lost first-round contests Saturday and play losers' bracket games today in the double-elimination tournament.

Keglovits drove in runs in the first, second, eighth and ninth innings — reflecting the three-time Norco champs' strong start and stronger finish. But he had plenty of help from his teammates in Nazareth's resounding triumph.

Dan Shepherd went 4-for-6 with a solo homer, two runs and two RBIs. Shane Siebler and Ben Schmitt both collected three hits and scored three runs, while Mike Garzillo added two hits and three runs.

Nazareth starter Taylor Magditch was the beneficiary of all the offense, pitching eight strong innings — nine hits, one earned run, three walks, seven strikeouts — to earn the win.

Manager Jason Brown appreciated his club's offensive display and Magditch's mound work but did not approve of four errors on defense, poor baserunning or Fullerton's antics. He said the opposing coaches and players continually complained about umpires' calls and were unsportsmanlike throughout the game.

"I told our players I was disappointed with their effort. We have no chance to win another game in this tournament if we play as poorly on defense as we did today," Brown said.

He continued, "Fullerton does not belong on the same field as us. They're a bunch of clowns. … I've never seen a bigger embarrassment to the Region 2 tournament than them. The fact that we let them hang around for five innings is very disappointing."

Keglovits, who will pitch tonight or Monday, said this year is Nazareth's best chance in recent seasons to capture the region title.

"The last couple years in regionals, we thought we could win a couple games. This year we come down here thinking we have a chance to win the championship," Keglovits said.

Nate Harris was 3-for-5 with two doubles, a run and an RBI for Fullerton, which briefly closed its deficit to 7-5 entering the sixth inning.

Fullerton will play the loser of Saturday night's Southern Area vs. Nor-Gwyn game at 1 p.m. today in a losers' bracket contest.

Saturday's opener was a wild affair in which Pennridge and Northern Valley totaled 28 runs, 34 hits and five errors. Andrew DeCew contributed four hits, three runs and two RBIs to headline the Bux-Mont entry's offensive onslaught. Kyle Myers persevered for the pitching win with a 15-hit, 12-earned run complete game performance for Pennridge.

Northern Valley will meet Bath at 9:45 a.m. today in a losers' bracket game.

Bath was bounced by perennial power Boyertown, 15-5, in seven innings as the Bears broke through for 14 runs in the fourth through seventh frames. Robert Bertolotti's two-run single in the top of the fifth put Bath ahead 5-4 but Boyertown immediately reclaimed the lead with four in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by Andrew Gehringer's two-run homer to left field.

Pennridge 700 404 010 – 16 19 1

Northern Valley 050 411 010 – 12 15 4

2B – P: Kessler, Tice, Stear, Leatherman 2; NV: Bachman, Kern, Hill. 3B – P: Decew; NV: Kern. HR – NV: Hill.

Myers and Mikols. Hill, Palansky (4) and Hoch. WP: Myers. LP: Hill.

Notes: P: Andrew DeCew 4-5, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Dylan Tice 3-4, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Pete Leatherman 3-4, 3 runs; Jonathan Unangst 3-4, 3 RBIs; Kyle Myers CG, 5 Ks; Team 11 stolen bases. NV: Jake Kern 4-5, 2 RBIs; Tyler Hill 3-5, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Payton Bachman 3 runs, 2 RBIs.

Nazareth 340 001 003 – 16 16 4

Fullerton 002 120 000 – 5 11 1

2B – N: Siebler, Charlie; F: Umbenhauer 2, Harris 2. HR – N: Keglovits 2, Shepherd.

Michael Blouse is a freelance writer.

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