Port Charlotte, Fla.—It's no secret that Keystone College's pitching is far ahead of its hitting at this stage of the season. But if today's 5-2 win over Marietta College is any indication, the Giant bats are starting to unthaw.

Junior Johann Paniagua belted a two-run home run and junior pitcher Christopher Adams Jr. struck out six batters over eight innings as Keystone won its second straight game to improve to 3-4.

After managing just nine hits in their last three games, the Giants belted out seven today, including two by junior Mohammed Hussein and one each by senior Bray Curreri, juniors Dakota McFadden and Chris Panzarella, and sophomore Ryan Callahan.

Adams, who gave up only five hits, held the Pioneers scoreless until sophomore Brady Cottom doubled with one out in the eighth inning and came around to score on a two-run double by junior Mike Hale.  The Giants then made up for their only error when Hale was tagged out in a run-down between second and third-base after Marietta's next batter, senior Shane Fetsko, reached on a throwing error.

Keystone jumped out on top on a run-scoring single by Panzarella in the top of the third inning, 1-0, and added two more runs in the fifth when McFadden doubled to left center field, knocking in Hussein and Callahan.  The Giants closed out their scoring in the eighth when Curreri belted a double and came around to score on Hussein's first home run of the season. 

Senior pitcher Joe DeAngelis relieved Adams in the ninth and got all three batters out that he faced, including one by strikeout, to earn his first save of the year.

Today's performance by Adams was the third time in the last four games that a Keystone starting pitcher has gone at least eight innings.

The Giants will return to action tomorrow against The College of Wooster (Ohio) in the fourth game of an eight-game Spring Break trip.

News & notes:

• McFadden's double was his team-leading third of the season
• Freshman Damian Yenzi had two of the five hits off of Adams for Marietta, which dropped its first game of the season to fall to 3-1
• Of the combined 12 hits today by both teams, seven went for extra-bases
• Keystone's earned run average is now 3.10
• Panzarella has hit safely in his last three games and in five of seven games this year