Mustangs will host Trojans for sectionals again – this time on the diamond on Monday

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s AJ Seefeldt and his Mustang teammates will host Southwestern Monday in the quarterfinal round of the Section VI Class B2 baseball playoffs.

For the second time in as many months Medina will host Southwestern at Vets Park in a key postseason sectional contest.

Last month Medina edged Southwestern 21-13 for the Section VI Class C football championship to conclude the first ever spring gridiron season.

Now the top seeded Mustangs will entertain the No. 8 seeded Trojans in the quarterfinals of the Section VI Class B2 baseball playoffs at 5 p.m. Monday.

The victor will face the winner of the No,.5 Akron vs. No. 4 Eden quarterfinal in the semifinals on Wednesday at the highest remaining seed.

Niagara-Orleans champion Medina went 12-0 in league action and 13-1 overall this season while Southwestern went 6-6.

During the league campaign opponents scored a total of only 12 runs in 12 games against Medina’s underclassmen starting pitching trio of juniors Zach Fike (56 strikeouts) and Xander Payne (40 strikeouts) and sophomore Aidan Paul  (36 strikeouts).

At the plate, Medina’s starting lineup, which also includes seniors Brian Fry (shortstop), AJ Seefeldt (second base), Austin Mosher (catcher), Corey Saj (outfield) and Alex Doval (outfield) along with junior Joe Cecchini (third base) saw all nine starters have at least seven runs batted in.

Fike, who hit.460, led the way with 25 RBIs while Seefeldt had 16, Fry and Saj 13 and Doval 12. Fry has a team leading batting average of .467.

The Mustangs are seeking their second straight sectional title. In 2019 Medina captured the Class B1 championship with a 10-6 win over rival Albion.

Interestingly, five members of the Medina squad were also members of the Mustangs football squad including Fry, Payne, Cecchini, Saj and junior Hayden Woodroe while Southwestern’s team has six members from the football squad including Aidan Kennedy who was the Trojans starting quarterback.

Monday’s other B2 quarterfinals will have No. 3 Roy-Hart hosting No. 6 Maritime and No. 7 Cleveland Hill visiting No. 2 Olmsted. The winners ail advance to Wednesday’s semifinal at the highest remaining seed.

Section VI Softball

Section VI Class B2 softball quarterfinal action is also scheduled for Monday with No. 7 Medina at No. 2 Akron (5:30 p.m.), No. 6 Roy-Hart at No. 3 Fredonia (5 p.m.), No. 5 Wilson at No. 4 Olmsted and No. 8 Cleveland Hill at No. 1 Eden.