Medina rallies past Akron in Class B2 semi

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina second baseman AJ Seefeldt tries to turn a double play after taking a throw from third baseman Joe Cecchini during this afternoon’s sectional semifinal win over Akron at Vets Park as Jake Mazza slides into second for the Tigers.

Coming from behind top seeded Medina bested Niagara-Orleans League foe No. 5 seed Akron 7-3 this afternoon in the Section VI Class B2 semifinals at Vets Park.

Medina will now host another N-O rival, No. 3 seed Roy-Hart, in the B2 championship game at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Rams downed No. 7 Cleveland Hill 12-2 in the other semifinal.

Trailing 3-1, Medina regained the lead for good by erupting for five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Winning pitcher Xander Payne delivers a pitch for the Mustangs.

A leadoff home run by Zack Fike ignited the decisive uprising.

A single by Joe Cecchini, a sacrifice bunt by Alex Doval and a walk then put two runners aboard and the Mustangs were quick to capitalize on back-to-back RBI singles by Austin Mosher and Corey Saj.

Then, after an intentional walk to Brian Fry loaded the bases, AJ Seefeldt capped off the uprising with a two out, two-run single to up the Mustangs lead to 6-3.

The Mustangs tacked on an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI single by Mosher who had a total of three hits on the day.  One out singles by Doval and Aidan Paul set up the threat.

Medina also got off to a quick start scoring once in the first on an RBI sacrifice fly by Fike which plated Fry who had led off with a double.

Akron though pulled into a 3-1 lead by scoring three times in the top of the fourth on four walks, a wild pitch and just one hit, a two-run single by Andrew Bower.

However, the lead didn’t last out the inning as Medina answered right back with the decisive five run uprising in the home half of the frame to move back on top to stay.

Xander Payne picked up the win on the mound allowing 3 hits and striking out 8 in six and two-thirds innings of work. Fike came on to register a strikeout for the game’s final out.

Medina had also defeated Akron twice during the N-O season by scores of 15-1 and 3-2 in 9 innings.

Medina third baseman Joe Cecchini waits to tag out Akron’s Andrew Romesser.