Mustangs rally late to win a 9 inning Section VI Class B semifinal thriller over Fredonia

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina catcher Ryleigh Culver gets the force out at home on Fredonia’ Ashton Putney during the Mustangs extra inning sectional semifinal win over the Hillbillies at Vets Park this evening,.

In an extra inning thriller, top seeded defending champion Medina edged past No. 4 Fredonia 2-1 in 9 innings in the semifinal round of the Section VI Class B baseball playoffs this evening at Vets Park.

The Mustangs scored the game winner in the bottom of the ninth as Aidan Papaj walked, stole second, went to third on a sacrifice fly by winning pitcher Preston Woodworth and came home on an infield single by Carter Woodworth.

Trailing 1-0, Medina rallied for a run on an error in the bottom of the seventh to send the contest into extra innings. Pinch runner Kolton Fletcher scored the tying run on the error after stealing second and third.

Fredonia’s run came in the fifth inning on a double by Brady Crawford.

The Hillbillies then got the bases loaded in the sixth inning on an error, a hit batter and a bunt single but Preston Woodworth bore down to get out of the big jam by registering two clutch inning ending strikeouts.

Preston Woodworth, who allowed only 3 hits and struck out 13 on the evening, also notched a clutch inning ending strikeout in the seventh as Fredonia left a runner stranded at third.

Medina left fielder Brody Fry then made a spectacular diving catch for the first out in the eighth which included another strikeout by Preston Woodworth who also had a pair of strikeouts in the top of the ninth.

Fredonia pitcher Ashton Putney likewise went the distance on the mound giving up just 2 hits and striking out 10.

Improving to to 20-1, Medina will next face No. 6 seed Southwestern in the Class B championship game at 4 p.m. Saturday at Frontier High School. Southwestern downed No. 2 JFK 17-6 in the other semifinal.

Medina second baseman Tyler Kroening gets set to put the tag on Fredonia’ Brady Crawford during a run down play which also involved Carter Woodworth (1) and Vinny Gray.

Medina’s Kolton Fletcher steals third as Fredonia’s AJ Kinney goes high to try and get the throw. Fletcher came home on the overthrow with the tying run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

In the pitching dual, both Fredonia’s Ashton Putney and Medina’s Preston Woodworth went the distance on the mound of the 9 inning thriller.