Keller throws gas, Xavier wins

CEDAR RAPIDS - Cedar Rapids Xavier baseball coach Dave Schemmel was asked to peak into his crystal ball and predict if Jon Keller will still be on his team by season's end.

“No,” Schemmel said, flatly. “I'd be surprised if he doesn't sign. I think his stock really went up today.”

There were about a dozen pro scouts in attendance Monday to watch Keller pitch - and hit - his team to a 12-2, six-inning victory over Marion in the first round of the Bob Vrbicek Metro Tournament at Cedar Rapids Washington.

 Keller lit up their radar guns to as high as 95 miles per hour with his fastball. The 6-foot-5 right-hander allowed two hits, walked none and struck out 13, leaving after 5 1/3 innings and 85 pitches.

“Precautionary,” Keller said.

“He hasn't thrown that many pitches all spring,” Schemmel explained. “There is no reason to risk it.”

Barring anything unforeseen, Keller is a cinch to get selected in early June's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He could go in the top 10 rounds.

You get the feeling he wants to sign and get started with his pro career. If things don't work out, he's got a college scholarship at Nebraska to fall back on.

 “It's always been one of my goals to play pro ball,” Keller said. “So I don't know. We'll see what happens.”

Keller went 3-for-3 at the plate, including two doubles as Xavier pulled away from a 2-2 fourth-inning tie with 10 runs in their final three at-bats. Jake Ratz also had three hits for the Saints.

Marion starting pitcher Cale Connoy was hit in the sternum area by a comebacker in the first inning and had to be removed from the game. An ambulance was called to transport him to the hospital after he vomited and had trouble breathing, said Marion Coach Steve Fish.

Xavier will play Cedar Rapids Jefferson in tonight's semifinals at Washington. The J-Hawks rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning against Washington ace Dakota Freese for a 6-5 victory.

Jefferson shortstop Kellen Sweeney also is considered a draft certainty, perhaps as high as a top-five found pick. He went 0-for-2 with a walk, scoring the tying run on a wild pitch.

Jordan McCormick had the game-winning hit, an RBI single. He drove in two runs in the game, as did Bailey Hollingsworth.

Washington had rallied to take a 5-3 lead with two runs in the fifth against J-Hawks' pitcher Matt Beer, a Kirkwood signee. That included an RBI triple from Dan White.

Below are videos of Keller pitching (first) and Sweeney hitting (second).