Roy-Hart tops rival Akron in B2 quarterfinal

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s Thomas Russo delivers a pitch during the Rams sectional win over Akron this afternoon.

It was a tight contest until the final inning as No. 6 seed Roy-Hart bested Niagara-Orleans League foe No. 3 Akron 9-1 in the quarterfinal round of the Section VI Class B2 baseball playoffs this afternoon at Akron.

Leading by a narrow 3-1 margin, Roy-Hart finally pulled away by erupting for 6 runs in the top of the seventh inning highlighted by a three-run home run by Dawson Draper, an RBI double by Brayden Hy and an RBI sacrifice fly by Zach Walker.

Thomas Russo went the distance on the mound for Roy-Hart allowing just 2 hits and striking out 11. He also helped himself at the plate by belting an RBI double in the first inning and an RBI triple in the fourth to help spark the Rams out to a 3-1 lead.

Hy and Ethan Kuzma both had 3 hits on the afternoon as Rem Albee and Russo each had 2. Kuzma and Albee both had singles to help key the run production in the fourth and seventh innings.

Akron’s lone run came on a bases loaded walk in the fourth inning.

Roy-Hart will next host No. 7 Salamanca in the semifinals on Thursday. Salamanca defeated No. 2 Olmsted 16-3.

Section VI Softball playoffs
Top seeded Akron blanked visiting No. 4 Southwestern 4-0 this afternoon in the semifinals of the Section VI Class B2 softball playoffs.

Melanie Holtz had a two-run triple for Akron whose other RBIs were plated by winning pitcher Mary Diggs and Sloan Jonathan.