Blue Devils edge past Mustangs

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 6 April 2015 at 12:00 am

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Kyle Herman bangs out a hit for Medina during the Mustangs 6-5 loss to Batavia this afternoon at Vets Park.

Pushing across a run in the top of the seventh inning, Batavia nipped Medina 6-5 this afternoon in a non league game at Vets Park.

A one out double by Adam Jones plated the game winner for Batavia which also got off to a quick start by scoring four runs in the top of the first inning on three hits, a sacrifice and an error.

Medina though battled back to knot the contest at 5-5 after scoring three times with two out in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run double by Matt Riemer and an RBI single by Kyle Herman. A leadoff single by Shane Freeman and a walk set up the threat.

Riemer also drove in Medina’s first run of the day with a two-out RBI single in the opening frame. Herman later scored the Mustangs second run as he led off the fourth with a single and came home on a two out triple by Brennan Zinkievich.

Medina did threaten in the bottom of the seventh as Jason Hellwig doubled with one out but he was left stranded at third as two ground outs back to the mound quickly wiped out the opportunity and preserved the Blue Devils win.

Hellwig, Riemer and Herman each finished with two hits.

Defensively, the Mustangs turned two double plays early in the game to keep Batavia from adding to its lead. In the second inning, shortstop Quentin Adkins fielded the ball and flipped to Izaiah Rhim at second for one. Rhim then threw on to Riemer at first for the second out. Then in the third inning, Adkins fielded the ball, stepped on second and threw on to Riemer to complete the double play.

Now at 2-1, Medina is next scheduled to visit Oakfield-Alabama at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in another non league contest. The Mustangs are then slated to open the Niagara-Orleans League season at Newfane on Thursday.

Wet grounds caused the cancellation of the North Tonawanda at Albion game as well as the Newfane at Lyndonville and Kenmore East at Albion softball games.