Butler duo in Palomino World Series
Jacob Keene and Justin Stewart are both looking forward to taking their baseball skills to the next level in college.
But before they do, they have some unfinished business to take care of in Texas.
Both recent Butler High graduates are part of the Youngstown, Ohio, team that won the Palomino East Zone championship last weekend. That feat sends the team to the Palomino World Series, which begins Friday in Laredo, Texas.
Keene is a first baseman/third baseman for the team while Stewart is a catcher.
The zone tournament was a double-elimination event that took place in Struthers, Ohio. In the deciding game, Youngstown faced the Longhorns, a team based in Cleveland. It wasn't much of a game, with Keene and Stewart's squad prevailing 15-0.
“When that final out was made and we realized we were headed to Texas, it was a great feeling,” said Stewart, who will play collegiately at California (Pa.) University.
In the zone final, Youngstown's potent offense was on full display.
“Nobody has a set spot in the order,” said Keene. “One day, a guy may be hitting third, fourth or fifth. The next day, he may be seventh, eighth or ninth. It's a diverse group of guys and we have a very balanced lineup. We can put up a bunch of runs.”
All players for the zone title team played in the Youngstown Class B League this summer. Keene was a member of Baird Brothers, which won the league championship. With that distinction, the team was allowed to choose a handful of players from other teams in the league to compete in the postseason tournaments, Stewart being one of them.
“We've played against each other so many times, all the guys know each other,” said Stewart. “It took no time at all to mesh.
“I was looking for a more competitive league and there's nothing better than Youngstown Class B.”
A former high school teammate helped Keene land a spot with Baird Brothers.
“Cade Negley (Butler Class of 2017) played for them and told their coach, Don Pletcher, about me and things just went from there,” he said. “Going out there to play is one of the best decisions I've ever made.”
Youngstown's World Series opponents will encounter a formidable pitching staff, according to Stewart.
“Our pitchers have been great,” he said. “Teams aren't going to be able to score a lot of runs against us.”
Youngstown will begin play in the World Series against Puerto Rico on Friday. The field includes eight teams in a double-elimination format.
“Our goal is to win and with the talent we have, I think we can do it,” said Keene, who is headed to Tiffin University in Ohio.
“This tournament will include the best of the best for our age level,” said Stewart. “No matter what happens, it's going to be a fantastic experience.”
