Keller Goes 5-5; Legends win 9-8

Menlo-Atherton alumni Jeff Keller’s 5-for-5 night led the Menlo Park Legends intercollegiate baseball team to a 9-8 victory over Pro Player Baseball yesterday at Cañada College in Redwood City. The Legends, now 10-5, have won six games in a row.

The Legends quickly put seven runs on the board in the first two innings, due to a flurry of singles in the gaps and a double with the bases loaded by catcher Peter Woodall. A home run by Keller in the fourth inning would put the Legends up 8-2.

The Legends starting pitcher DJ Sharabi gave a strong effort on the hill, striking out seven batters and allowing two runs through five innings. However, once Sharabi was taken out of the game, Pro Player Baseball began to chip away at the lead.

Pro Player Baseball was able to figure out the Legends’ bullpen after being stumped by Sharabi and added on three more runs in the sixth inning, two more in the seventh and one more in the eighth. Due to a double by third baseman Grant Nelson that knocked in Keller in the sixth, Pro Player Baseball was unable to take a lead in the ballgame.

With a two-run lead in the midst of a Pro Player Baseball rally, Alon Leichman came in to pitch for the Legends. Despite giving up a run, he was able to get the save with the help of two stellar defensive plays by second baseman Abi Arias and right fielder CJ Jacobe.

“I just had to stop them,” Leichman said. “Abi’s play was amazing and CJ’s throw was even better.”

Keller, the most recent addition to the team, had five hits, two stolen bases, two runs batted in, a home run and four runs, accounting for a third of the team’s total hits and nearly half the team’s runs.

“I let the ball travel deep in the zone and I felt comfortable swinging with two strikes,” Keller said. “This is a great group of guys and it’s a ton of fun—I love being a part of this team. Looking forward, some of the team’s down in San Luis Obispo are very legitimate squads and I think they will provide some great competition. I believe that we can definitely play with them.”

The Legends host the Redding Colt 45’s today at 4pm at Cañada College.

-Max Darrow, Legends Sportswriter