McAdoo/Tresckow uses big fourth to top Panther Vy.

The way the first inning played out between the McAdoo/Tresckow Nationals and the Panther Valley Black Diamonds on Monday evening, it looked like it was going to be a tough day on the mound for both pitchers.

The Black Diamonds scored three runs in the first with the Nationals answering back with two of their own. It was M/T pitcher Nick Kweder that settled in and shut Panther Valley out for the next six innings, along with scoring three runs in the fourth to come away with a 5-3 Keystone Sr. Babe Ruth victory.

As noted, the first brought in some runs for both squads. PV's leadoff hitter Nick McArdle reached third on an error to start the game with Zach Stanko bringing him a batter later on a double to center field. Stanko then stole third base and after a Nationals past ball got stuck under the fence of the backstop was able to trot home for another run. David Marouchoc later scored when Mark Williams hit a ground ball to the second baseman.

The Nationals got things started when Luke Stawick hit an RBI single, bringing in Jarred Luchetta and a batter later Mark Brehm drove in Corey Ryba with an RBI single.

However, the key for M/T on the day was Kweder, as he held the Black Diamond line-up in check.

"I just knew I had to keep my pitches in the zone," said Kweder. "Baseball is a sport where you really can't take weeks off so it took me a little time to get back in the groove from when the high school season ended. Our fielding was a little shakey there two in the first, but once we settled down everything was good from then on."

The Nationals took a 5-3 lead after a three-run fourth inning. Black Diamonds' pitcher Mark Williams ran into some trouble in the fourth, walking back-to-back batters and and giving up two hits in the inning. Williams had some control problems throughout the day, walking seven batters, but did go the distance for Panther Valley.

"Overall I thought it was a very well played game on both ends," said PV head coach Chris West. "The game wasn't sloppy and there was some very nice defensive plays being made. A couple of our guys were banged up today so we had to move some people around in our line-up. Zack King stepped in behind the plate for us and did a good job and Mark (Williams) gave us six solid innings. He kept us in the game and that's all you can ask for as a coach."

Early in the season for most Keystone Sr. Babe Ruth teams it takes a while for the wheels to start turning as the players need to build chemistry with one another. Both coaches agree, if you can make it through the first couple games and still have a decent record then there's a chance for the team to perform well.

"Toughest thing I found in coaching summer baseball is the first five or six games," said West. "You have kids who have just come off a high school season, you have kids who played college, and you have kids that haven't played since last year. You just have to ride out that storm for the first six games or so and if you can come out of that .500 then you can see what kind-of team you have.

Nationals head coach Al Ryba said this season has been especially been tough for his players to build some chemistry with a lot of them being high school players and having played in the post season.

"We had to wait a little bit to get things going because of our high school kids being in districts," said Ryba. "It's hard because we mostly been just getting to play together at games and not practice, but it's been working out so far so good."

Panther Valley 300 000 0 - 3 5 1

McAdoo/Tres. 200 300 X - 5 5 1

Williams and King; Kweder and Ryba; W - Kweder L - Williams.