Keystone West continued its strong start in the State Babe Ruth tournament on Friday while Tamaqua was eliminated from the Schuylkill-Berks Legion playoffs.

16-19 SENIOR BABE RUTHKeystone West-Liberty BellKeystone West earned a convincing 14-5 victory over Liberty Bell (Philadelphia County) to advance to the winner's bracket final of the Keystone Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament.Keystone West built a 6-0 lead after the first three innings, scoring three runs on Liberty Bell errors. Darren Goida had a sacrifice fly to score Ben Cordova in the first. Goida's second RBI came in the third, when he brought in Cordova with an RBI single.Jordan Knappenberger had a sacrifice fly to score Jake Kusko, who reached on a one-out double, in the second.Liberty Bell cut the deficit to 6-3 after the fifth inning.But Keystone West responded in the top half of the sixth with four runs. Following back-to-back run scoring walks by KJ Snerr and Goida, Donovan Buchinsky delivered a two-out, two-run single to score Frank Nietz, who reached on a walk, and Snerr to make it 10-3.KW was at it again in the top of the seventh, as Knappenberger and Snerr both hit sacrifice flies and Teague Schmidt and Nietz both scored on wild pitches.Snerr was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI for Keystone. Nietz was 1-for-3 with three runs scored and two walks; Goida went 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs; Cordova finished 1-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base.Keystone West will meet West End (Williamsport) this morning at 10 a.m. in the winner's bracket final.Keystone West 312 004 4 - 14 7 2Liberty Bell 000 210 2 - 5 11 4Niehoff, Cordova(6), Micciche(7) and Snerr; Conner, Hanson(6), Bracey(6) and Huston, Santiago(4). W - Niehoff. L - Conner.SCHUY-BERKS LEGIONTamaqua-Oley/ToptonThe Tamaqua Blue Sox were eliminated from the Schuylkill-Berks Legion playoffs with an 11-5 loss to Oley/Topton.It was a continuation of a loser's bracket contest that was halted in the fourth inning by rain on Thursday.Tamaqua trailed 10-2 when play resumed last night and wasn't able to overcome the deficit.Peter Baddick and Matt Roberts both had strong games for the Blue Sox. Baddick had a single, a home run, two RBIs and scored a pair of runs. Roberts had a double, a home run, drove in two runs and scored one. Nate MacDonald added a hit and a run scored.Tamaqua suffered a 2-1 loss to Hamburg in its opening game of the double-elimination tournament on Wednesday.Tamaqua 002 020 1 - 5 7 2Oley/Topton 106 400 x - 11 13 2W-Kunkel. L-Baddick. HR: Tamaqua - Baddick, Roberts. Oley/Topton - Kristan.PV LITTLE LEAGUE11-12 YEAR-OLDJim Thorpe-TowamensingJim Thorpe defeated Towamensing/Weatherly, 9-5, on the opening night of play in the Panther Valley 11-12 year-old Little League Tournament.Jared Joyce had a huge night for Jim Thorpe with a grand slam, two doubles and five RBIs. James Lordi added a home run and a double; and Jimmy Schwartz had two singles.Jared Marykwas went 5 innings to gain the pitching win.For Towamensing/Weatherly, Ekhart had a double and a three-run homer.