Mustangs repeat as Section VI Class B champions as Fry hurls a no hitter

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Brody Fry hurled a sparkling no hitter as Medina shutout Southwestern 4-0 in the Section VI Class B championship game this morning at Frontier High School.

Making a successful title defense, top seeded Medina got a sparkling no hit pitching performance from Brody Fry as the Mustangs blanked No. 6 Southwestern 4-0 in the Section VI Class B baseball championship game this morning in the rain at Frontier High School.

“I threw strikes. It was an amazing day to pitch. It was awesome,” said Fry whose no hitter included 13 strikeouts and no walks.

“Pitching has been great for us,” said Medina Coach Chris Goyette. “Pitching and defense have been our forte,”

In fact, Southwestern had only one batter reach base and that came on an error to lead off the seventh inning. But he was quickly erased on a double play from shortstop Aidan Papaj to second baseman Preston Woodworth to first baseman Cam Fike.

Tyler Kroening, the Mustangs ninth place hitter, came up huge with a big two-run single in the second inning.

The Mustangs picked up the only run they needed as it turned out in the first inning as Vinny Gray led off with a walk, stole second and third and came home on an RBI sacrifice fly by Papaj.

In all the speedy Mustangs had 8 stolen bases on the day which ignited the offense.

“We haven’t had speed in the past like we have this year,” said Goyette. “The stolen base has been a big part of our offense all season.”

The Medina lead increased to 3-0 on a big two out, two-run single by Tyler Kroening in the second inning.

“It’s amazing,” said Kroening who really showed that ninth place hitters do come up with big hits.

Medina tacked on an insurance run in the third as Papaj singled, stole second and third and came home on an error.

“We run and keep the pressure on,” said Goyette.

Fry’s pitching and the Mustangs infield defense did the rest as Southwestern did not get a ball to the outfield.

In addition to Fry’s 13 strikeouts and the seventh inning double play, the other six outs came on two groundouts each to Papaj at shortstop and Carter Woodworth at third, a ground out back to Fry and a pop fly out to Papaj to end the game.

Carter Woodworth had 2 hits, including a double, for the Mustangs as Papaj, Kroening and Fike each had a single.

The Section VI title is the fourth in five years for the Mustangs.

Improving to 21-1, Medina will next face the Section V Class B winner (either No. 1 seed Wellsville or No. 2 LeRoy) in the Sub Regional on Thursday at Dwyer Stadium in Batavia.

Note: More pictures from today’s title contest will appear on the HUB’s Facebook pages later today.

Medina’s Carter Woodworth steals second as the throw comes late to Southwestern’s Kyler Wojtowicz.

Mustangs seniors accepting the sectional championship plaque include, from left, Lukas Grimes, Brady Christiaansen, Ryleigh Culver, Brody Fry, Tyler Kroening and Carter Woodworth.