Mustangs shutout Trojans in Class B semifinal; Bears use late surge to oust Rams
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Aidan Papaj steals third base during the Mustangs semifinal sectional win over Southwestern at Vets Park this afternoon. Oscar Harris is the Trojans third baseman.
Making it three shutout playoff wins in a row, No. 2 seed defending champion Medina blanked No. 3 Southwestern 8-0 in the semifinals of the Section VI Class B baseball tournament this afternoon at Vets Park.
The victory propels Medina into the Class B championship game at 4 p.m. Saturday at Frontier High School against No. 1 JFK which downed No. 5 Roy-Hart 7-2 in the other semifinal.
Preston Woodworth hurled the shutout scattering 3 hits and striking out 13 as the Mustangs improve to 18-2.
Preston Woodworth hurled a 3 hit shutout for Medina with 13 strikeouts.
The Trojans did get a runner to second base in each of the first four innings but could not capitalize as each time Woodworth bore down to register a clutch inning ending strikeout.
The Mustangs scored the only run they needed as it turned out in the third inning on a groundout off the bat of Woodworth. A single by Aidan Papaj and a bunt single by Vinny Gray set up the opportunity.
Medina then opened up a little breathing room by scoring three times in the fourth inning.
Kolton Fletcher reached on an error, stole second and third and came home on a ground out off the bat of Carlos Doval to ignite that uprising. Ryan Pegelow then singled, stole second and came home on a single by Papaj who ended up scoring himself on a steal of home.
The Mustangs then put a lock on the win by erupting for 4 runs in the fifth inning highlighted by a two-run single by Doval as an error and a dropped third strike plated the other two runs.
JFK 7, Roy-Hart 2
Trailing 2-1, JFK erupted for 6 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to down Roy-Hart at Depew.
A three-run double by Andrew Pajak, which was only the Bears second hit, keyed that uprising which was aided by a pair of errors.
Roy-Hart did grab the lead twice first at 1-0 in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Hank Snyder and again at 2-1 in the top of the sixth on an RBI single by Isaac Smith.
Defensively, the Rams turned a double play in the third inning triggered by shortstop Sean Mettler.
Medina third baaseman Jimmy Dieter makes a throw to first. At right, Kolton Fletcher steals third ahead of the throw to Trojans third baseman Oscar Harris.
Medina’s Ryan Pegelow steals second base ahead of the throw to Trojans shortstop Wilson Genareo.
