La PLUME, Pa. – Keystone baseball team made it five conference wins in a row with a sweep of visiting Cairn Monday afternoon in Colonial States Athletic Conference play at Christy Mathewson Field.

Giants defeated the Highlanders, 13-4, and, 9-2, to improve to 5-1 in the CSAC and 10-12 overall.

Cairn got on the scoreboard on the opening at-bat of game No. 1 with Joshua Melchior's home run to right field, but it was all Keystone after that.

The Highlanders fell to 12-11 overall and 4-4 in CSAC play.

Game 1: Cairn 4, Keystone 13

The meat of the lineup did their duty as batters No. 2-4 — Julio Acosta, JD Barrett and RJ Gouldsbury — combined for seven RBIs to help power the Giants to victory.

Following the Highlanders' early lead, Keystone evened the score in the bottom of the third inning with Bobby Pokorney's lead-off single turning into the first run off an ensuing Barrett-single to left field. On the next at-bat, Gouldsbury sacrifice flied to center field to score Acosta from third base for the go-ahead run.

Acosta added three more runs batted in with a single in the fourth inning and a double in the eighth.

Gouldsbury launched a solo shot over left field in the fifth inning.

Cairn narrowed the deficit to just two runs in the eighth inning with a pair singles to chase starter Nathan Hinkley for Patrick Adamski out the bullpen. Melchior laid a surprise-bunt to load the bases for Joe Greenwood to bring in two runs off a single to right-center field — making it just a 6-4 Giants lead.

Adamski induced a fly out to center field, and following a passed ball to move runs to second and third base, Samuel Spadea went down swinging to end the threat.

The Giants plated seven runs — four of them unearned — in the bottom half of the inning to put the game out of reach for the win.

Game 2: Cairn 2, Keystone 9

Keystone jumped on the board early with four hits in the bottom of the first inning to plate three runs — two via sacrifice fly each from Barrett and Vince Montone.

Cairn got a run back in the top of second, but the Giants would go on to plate six additional runs on the way to the final score of 9-2.

Montone added three more RBIs on a third-inning single and a two-run homer in the fifth.

Brayan Villar made his second start in his second pitching appearance of the season, going 2-1/3 innings with no hits allowed but one run given up.

Freshman Brandon Valles had his longest outing in his eighth appearance on the mound, going 4-2/3 innings with zero runs allowed and notching five strikeouts.

Fellow freshmen Braden Green and Nick Termini also came in for relief duty to close out the game.

Cairn's Cameron Culver was the losing pitcher on record, giving up a season-high nine hits and seven runs (all earned).

Inside The Box Score

• Hinkley recorded his 24th career pitching win, making him tied at No. 2 in the NCAA Division III amongst active career leaders.
• Pokorney was busy all afternoon at shortshop, recording a combined five defensive assists with seven putouts.
• Ryan Cosby made his second and third starts of the season and had six putouts playing in right field and left field for game No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. The sophomore also had a pair of stolen bases and four total runs scored.
• Montone and Gouldsbury led the Giants with three hits, four RBIs and one home run each.
• Monday's second game tied a season-best of eight stolen bases for the Giants.
• Cairn graduate senior Brian Amantia Jr. entered Monday's games needing just two hits to reach 100 in a career but was held to only one — albeit a lead-off home run in the top of seventh inning of the first game.
• Melchior went a combined 5 for 9 at the plate with four defensive assists and four putouts.

What's Next

• Keystone will travel to Central Valley, Pa. Tuesday for a non-conference matchup with DeSales (13-10, 7-5 MAC Freedom) starting at 6 p.m.
• Giants will return to CSAC action with a home doubleheader next Monday, April 18 against Valley Forge for Senior Day.
• Three home JV games are scheduled for this weekend with a matchup against Raritan Valley CC Friday afternoon and a doubleheader against ASA College on Saturday.
• Cairn will have a three-game non-conference slate before hosting Clarks Summit for a doubleheader on April 18.