Somerset Blue Jays win playoff championship

Contributed Photo – Players and coaches of the Somerset Blue Jays proudly display their awards after capturing the Minor Division playoff championship with a win over the host Lyndonville Twins Wednesday evening. Kneeling, from left, are Kenny Ricker, Noah Bradley, Logan Stoll, Chace Atwater, Rory Harvey and Carson Costello. Standing are Stevie Lee, Kian Lawson,  Brad Maines, Cayvon Heigl, Drew LaGreca, Grayson Prynn and Aidan Brandel. In back are Coaches Jeff Costello, Tom LaGreca, Scott Harvey.

Capping off an impressive postseason run, the No. 6 seed Somerset Blue Jays captured the Minor Division playoff championship with a narrow 4-3 victory over the top seeded Lyndonville Twins Wednesday evening at Lyndonville.

In marked the third straight one run playoff victory over a higher seeded team for the Blue Jays which nipped the No. 3 Medina Indians 6-5 in the quarterfinals and the No. 2 Medina Orioles 5-4 in the semifinals.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Grayson Prynn bangs out a hit for the Blue Jays

The Blue Jays jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on RBI singles by Drew LaGreca and Rory Harvey and a fielders choice play off the bat of Carson Costello. Singles by Cayvon Heigl and Grayson Prynn ignited the uprising.

The Twins answered right back with two runs in the home half of the first on on a leadoff single by Shawn Robertson, a double by Landon Markidis and two errors but would get no closer.

The Blue Jays scored what proved to be the game winning run in the top of the third inning for a 4-2 lead on a groundnut off the bat of Kian Lawson as singles by Heigl and Prynn set up the threat.

Again the Twins answered right back with a run in the home half of the frame on singles by Shawn Robertson, Logan Fonda and Markidis but could not cross home plate again over the final three innings.

Defensively, Prynn at shortstop came up with a spectacular diving catch in the bottom of the sixth inning following a Twins leadoff single by Markidis. The play turned out to be a huge one that prevented the tying run from scoring as Atticus Mank followed up with a double putting Twins runners at second and third. LaGreca then put a lock on the Jays victory by registering clutch strikeouts for the final two outs.

Heigle and Prynn both finished with 2 hits for the Blue Jays as LaGreca, Lawson, Harvey and Costello each had 1.

Markidis had 3 hits for the Twins as Robertson and Mank both had 2 and Thomas Blake 1.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Shawn Robertson started on the mound for the Twins. At right, Logan Fonda makes solid contact at the plate for the Twins.