Baseball Recap: Keyport Takes a Loss

Keyport extended their losing streak to four on Wednesday, dropping their season record down to 5-7 in the process. They took a 13-9 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Keansburg Titans. Unfortunately, that's the third time they've come up short against the Titans this season, with their most recent loss being a 11-7 defeat back in April.

Derek Ferm made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-5 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Paxton Douglass was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.

As for Keansburg, they pushed their record up to 10-1 with the victory, which was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.3 runs over those games.

On Keansburg's side, Mikey Clayton was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out ten batters over five innings while giving up four earned runs off five hits. Clayton has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Shawn Retta, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Emmanuel Ramirez, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double.

Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Keyport will face off against Union at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Keansburg, they will square off against Asbury Park at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday.