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CROWDED FIELD: Dallas Alexander among many Keystone All-Stars standouts

Dallas Alexander (8) of the Keystone 10-12 All-Stars (Pennsylvania) celebrates with his teammates after hitting a home run in the state championship game against the Lehigh 10-12 All-Stars. Keystone begins the Mid-Atlantic Regional on Monday. (The Express/Tim Weight)

BEECH CREEK — Dallas Alexander’s earliest baseball memories extend back to when he was just 5 years old.

As an only child, he developed interest in the sport while playing wiffle ball with his father, Jamie, who was a former participant in the Senior League World Series.

“My dad would just throw me wiffle balls and let me hit them, just to try to make me the best baseball player I could be at that time,” Alexander explained. “And to try and make me fall in love with the game like he did when he was younger.”

At 6 years old, he joined his first Tee-ball team and has matured into one of the many standouts on the Keystone squad.

Alexander preceded his summer with Keystone playing for the Susquehanna Vipers, a 12-and-under travel team. The Vipers play a 50/70 brand of baseball–something unusual for the age range. The distance between home plate to the mound is increased from 46 to 50 feet, and the distance between the bases is widened from 60 to 70 feet. Base runners can also leadoff before stealing.

He believes the steady competition in the early portion of the summer prepared him for the Keystone season.

“It got me ready because when we were going to tournaments, and we were seeing kids throw harder, we were getting experience for the next level,” Alexander explained. “So it got us more ready for the next level, but it also taught us about the game and making us better as a team and baseball players.”

Alexander has grown into one of Keystone’s top all-around players. At the plate, he’s batting .387, is tied for third on the team with 12 hits and fourth on the team with 10 runs scored.

His success hitting in recent games bumped him up to the No. 2 spot behind Braylen Corter for the state championship, where he cracked a fifth inning solo home run to even the game at five runs apiece. Keystone defeated Lehigh, 6-5, to advance to the Mid-Atlantic Regional.

Rather than soak in the praise for his late-game heroics, Alexander preferred to redirect the credit to his teammates. In the inning prior to his home run, Levi Schlesinger got on base, Wyatt Kramer drew a walk and Gavin Burnell cracked a three-run home run to pull Keystone within one run of tying the game.

“It was a great moment,” Alexander said of his home run. “But I have to give a lot of credit to Levi Schlesinger, Wyatt Kramer and Gavin Burnell. Without those three, I would’ve never had the opportunity that I had to hit that home run [and tie the game].”

“It is awesome to have that moment, but it’s a whole team that makes that moment.”

Alexander is a consistent contact hitter, but favors defense over offense. He anchors the right field, a typical position for a left-handed thrower.

“I pride myself on defense because defense wins games,” Alexander explained. “Hitting will happen, and you have to have good skill to hit, but with defense you have to practice, and practice, to get good at just to make sure you’re the one that makes the play when the ball comes to you.”

Alexander made a crucial defensive play in the sectional final against Pottsville. In the first inning, Roman Direnzo drilled a routine base-hit to right field, but Alexander scooped up the ball and threw a rocket to Levi Schlesinger at first base to rob Direnzo of a single and end the inning.

“If I would’ve taken maybe less than half a second [pause before throwing] that kid would’ve been safe,” Alexander explained.

Head coach Pat Johnson noted Alexander’s assertiveness on the play.

“That play he made out here with the throw out at first base was a big play,” Johnson said. “He has a big enough arm to make the play, and he’s smart enough to see it and go after it.”

Keystone carries its perfect record into next week’s six-team Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament. A Mid-Atlantic crown would send Keystone to Williamsport.

“It’s every kid’s dream playing in little league to go to the World Series,” Alexander explained.

So what’s it going to take for Keystone to capture the Mid-Atlantic title?

“Our pitching and defense is going to help us a lot,” Alexander said. “Our defense is just being stellar, and our pitching’s just been amazing. If we can just maintain that, and hit like we have, I think we have a shot of just going to the World Series.”

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