KEUKA PARK, N.Y. — Dakota Skinner (Waverly, N.Y. / Tioga) drove a ball into right centerfield to score John Rizzo (Auburn, N.Y. / Auburn) as Keuka College won on a walkoff for the fifth time this season, defeating Lancaster Bible College 5-4 in the First Round of the North Eastern Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament at Kuhl Field on Tuesday.

Keuka College (19-15) advances to the Final Four of the North Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament. They will face tournament hosts and top-seeded Penn St.-Berks to kick off the double elimination tournament on Friday.

Dakota Skinner led the Wolves with three hits on the day. The senior scored a run and drove in a pair as well. John Rizzo doubled in the game for Keuka College and walked three times. Rizzo scored a pair of runs for Keuka.

Keuka College 5 vs. Lancaster Bible College 4 – NEAC First Round

The Chargers struck first, taking advantage of putting their leadoff batter on in each of the first two innings. The runner came around to score both times for the 2-0 lead. Keuka College did the same in the first two innings but were unable to plate the run as Lancaster Bible College led 2-0 after two innings.

Lancaster Bible College would hold a 3-0 lead in the top of the sixth as they loaded the bases with one out. Reliever Wyatt Conklin (Bloomfield, N.Y. / Bloomfield) got the batter to ground to Dan Bamann (Rochester, N.Y. / Irondequoit) at third base. The junior stepped on the base and fired across the diamond to complete the double play and escape the inning.

John Rizzo led the bottom of the sixth off with a double off the left centerfield fence. Dakota Skinner followed with a single. After a sacrifice bunt, pinch hitter Brooks Vertoske (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads) scored Rizzo on a groundout. Kyle Colegrove (Elkland, Pa. / Williamson), also a pinch hitter, hit a two-out single to right, scoring Skinner and making it a 3-2 game.

An inning later, Anthony Mashewske (Newark, N.Y. / Newark) singled to start the seventh. Following a bunt, Dave Verrett (Cicero, N.Y. / Cicero-North Syracuse) singled as well to leave runners on the corners with one out. John Rizzo was intentionally walked to load the bases. Dakota Skinner followed that with a walk to tie the game at 3-3. Keuka College took a 4-3 lead one batter later as Dan Bamann hit sacrifice fly to centerfield.

The Chargers rallied, putting the tying run at third base with two outs, but Ryan Caroway (Binghamton, N.Y. / Susqueshanna Valley) got a flyout to end the inning and preserve the Keuka College lead.

Lancaster Bible College led off the ninth inning with a double and the next batter was hit by the pitch. The Chargers got a double off of the left field wall to score the runner from second and tie the game at four. They would strand two runners in scoring position as the game would go to the bottom of the ninth tied 4-4.

John Rizzo led off the ninth with a walk. He would steal second to advance into scoring position. That brought up Dakota Skinner who, following a long at-bat, delivered the game-winning hit, singling to score Rizzo and give the Wolves a 5-4 walkoff victory.

KC Notes:

• Keuka College snapped a seven-game losing streak to Lancaster Bible College
• The series between the Wolves and Chargers is now level 8-8
• Tuesday was the first ever home playoff game in Keuka College Baseball History
• The Wolves are now 10-16 all-time in the NEAC Tournament
• Keuka College was outhit in the game 14-7 by Lancaster Bible College
• The Wolves set a new school record with 345 hits this season
• Dakota Skinner and John Rizzo each have 123 career hits, tying for fourth on the career list
• Dan Bamann was hit by the pitch to lead off the fourth inning. It was the 27th time in his career he was hit, setting a new Keuka College record

Up Next for Keuka College: The Wolves advance to the Final Four of the North Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament. Keuka College will face Penn St.-Berks in Reading, Pa. on Friday afternoon. The Nittany Lions are the top seed in the tournament. Keuka College handed Berks their only NEAC loss of the year last Sunday at Kuhl Field.