Mustangs romp past Rams to capture Section VI Class B crown and a state playoff berth

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina catcher Austin Mosher puts the tag on Roy-Hart’s Gavyn Boyle, who soars high to try and avoid the tag,  during first inning action of the Mustangs Class B championship win over the Rams this afternoon at Canisius College.

Avenging a pair of regular season setbacks and a loss in last year’s Class B2 title contest, Medina romped past Niagara-Orleans League rival Roy-Hart 15-4 at Canisius College this afternoon to capture the Section VI Class B championship and earn a berth in the state playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Improving to a school record mark of 20-2, Medina will now face the Section V Class B champion (either Batavia, LeRoy or Wellsville) in the Far West Regional at Lockport next Saturday at 3 p.m.

The Mustangs took charge at the outset exploding for 10 runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Chris Goyette went the distance on the mound for the Mustangs.

A three-run double by winning pitcher Chris Goyette ignited that marathon uprising which also featured a two-run single by Matt Saj, an RBI single by AJ Seefeldt and an RBI double by Goyette which capped off the decisive surge. Two errors and a wild pitch plated the other three runs.

A leadoff double by Brian Fry and two walks quickly loaded the bases to set up the decisive uprising.

“That’s what you want to do get the jump on the other team early,” said Medina Coach Jon Sherman.

The Mustangs kept rolling in the second inning plating four more runs on a three-run triple by Fry and an RBI sacrifice fly by Nate Sherman to balloon the lead to 14-1. A hit batter and error and a walk loaded the bases to set up the threat.

Saj completed the Mustangs scoring parade with a solo home run blasted over the right field fence in the fourth inning to make it 15-2.

Seefeldt finished with 3 hits as Goyette, Fry and Saj each had 2.

Goyette went the distance on the mound scattering 7 hits and striking out 7.

“Chris was gutsy. He threw a lot of pitches,” said Sherman in noting that a sore arm has limited his time on the mound of late. “It was good to have him back.”

Roy-Hart’s only lead was 1-0 in the top of the first inning as Charlie Bruning singled and came home on a triple by Gavyn Boyle. However, a nifty relay throw by the Medina defense got Boyle out at home for the final out of the inning.

The Rams also scored once in the fourth as Noah Hardy tripled and came home on a wild pitch, once in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Tom Russo III and once in the seventh as Karl Darling tripled and came home on a single by Charlie Brigham.

Roy-Hart had edged Medina twice during the N-O season by margins of 5-3 in eight innings and 1-0 in nine innings. The Rams also trimmed the Mustangs 4-2 in last year’s B2 championship game.

Mustang players Brian Fry and Matt Saj celebrate the championship victory.

Medina players hoist the sectional championship plaque high.