Roy-Hart tops Albion to clinch tie for the N-O diamond title; Medina wins to stay in the hunt

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s Brayden Hy slides into third base as Albion’s Tyler Gibson awaits the throw. The action took place during the Rams key win over the host Purple Eagles this afternoon.

Exploding for 10 runs in the first inning Roy-Hart went on to blank host Albion 17-0 this afternoon to clinch at least a tie for the Niagara-Orleans League baseball championship.

Medina stayed in the hunt for a share of the title by shutting out Barker 4-0 at Vets Park.

Roy-Hart closes out the N-O season with a 10-2 record while Medina improves to 9-2. Medina can claim a share of the title by scoring a win at Barker on Thursday in the Mustangs N-O finale.

Roy-Hart’s decisive first inning scoring barrage featured a two-run double by Brayden Hy, a two-run single by Jay Heideman along with RBI singles by wining pitcher Thomas Russo, Ethan Kuzma, Zach Walker, John Conley and Ryan Mettler.

The Rams tacked on three runs in the third inning on RBI singles by Kuzma, Heideman and Walker.

Roy-Hart capped off the five inning run rule win with four tallies in the fifth as Hy, Kuzma and Heideman all had RBI singles.

Kuzma, Hy and Heideman each finished with 3 hits as Mettler and Walker both had 2.

On the mound, Russo gave up only 2 hits and struck out 13.

Albion, which is now 5-6, closes out the N-O season at Akron on Thursday.

Medina 4, Barker 0
Medina grabbed a quick first inning lead on a two-run double by Aidan Paul as a leadoff double by Xander Payne and a walk set up the opportunity.

The Mustangs later added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Kroening. Hits by Richard Keppler, his third of the day, and Hayden Woodroe set up the threat.

Barker did get two runners aboard with one out in the fourth on singles by Charlie Lagreca and Drew Sandolfini but Mustangs pitcher Zach Fike bore down to register two clutch strikeouts to end the inning.

The Raiders also got two runners on base with no outs in the sixth after a single by Jaret Black and an error but couldn’t capitalize. The Mustangs got out of the jam on a double play from Kroening at second base to Paul at first followed by an inning ending strikeout by Fike.

Fike allowed just 3 hits on the afternoon and struck out 13.

Barker is now 2-9.