Mustangs win state Class B playoff opener
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina first baseman Cam Fike stretches to get the out on Bath Haverling’s Dylan Wenban during the Mustangs state Sub Regional victory this evening at Frontier High.
Clearing state baseball tournament hurdle No. 1, Medina downed Bath Haverling 5-1 in a Class B Sub Regional contest this evening at Frontier High School.
Preston Woodworth hurled a 1 hitter with 10 strikeouts on the mound for the Mustangs. “My fastball was working pretty well,” he said. “I was starting them with the fastball and putting them away with the slider.”
Preston Woodworth hurled a 1 hitter for the Mustangs.
Offensively, 8 players contributed to the Mustangs attack as Hadrian Batista had 2 hits and Aidan Papaj, Vinny Gray, Woodworth, Cam Fike, Kolton Fletcher, Carlos Doval and Ryan Pegelow each had 1.
“We’re putting the ball in play,” said Woodworth. “We’ve really improved so much.”
“We got it done,” added Papaj of the balanced offense. “We definitely picked it up for sure.”
Medina took the lead for good by scoring two quick runs in the first inning on RBI doubles by Woodworth and Fike.
“This win is a big step for us,” said Fike.
The Mustangs tacked on solo runs in the second inning on an RBI single by Gray, in the fifth on an RBI double by Doval and in the sixth on an RBI sacrifice fly by Fike. A single by Pegelow helped set up the second inning tally as did a single by Batista in the fifth.
Haverling’s run came on a balk call with two out in the seventh inning.
Medina will next face a familiar foe in the state Class B quarterfinals on Saturday at 1 p.m. back at Frontier High as the Mustangs will take on Oneonta (Section IV). Oneonta nipped the Mustangs 2-1 in last year’s regional at Frontier High. Oneonta defeated Bishop Ludden (Section III) 14-4 in another Sub Regional today.
Medina’s Ryan Pegelow is safe at second base before Haverling’s Dylan Wenban could get the ball.
Medina’s Aidan Papaj dives back to first base as Haverling’s Lukas Wightman awaits the throw.
