High school baseball: Dominant start continues for Medina with win over Cloverleaf

LOUISVILLE — Led by senior Jake Johnson, the Medina baseball team showed its bats already are in midseason form. For the second game in a row, the Bees blasted off for double-digit runs, topping Cloverleaf 12-3 Tuesday in the semifinals of the Constitution Town Early-Bird Tournament. "This is a good park to hit at," Johnson said. "We're really senior heavy this year, and a lot of guys are stepping into the roles that they needed to step into this year, doing their part to help us win games." The Bees (2-0) ripped the ball all over Andy Aljancic Field to earn the right to play Revere today at 4 p.m. in the championship game. The Colts (1-1) will take on Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in the third-place game at 1:30. The Minutemen topped the Royals 8-4 in the other semifinal on Tuesday. "I think we're coming together as a team," starting pitcher Ty Stolarski said. "There's a lot of guys that didn't really know each other after the gap year (due to the pandemic), so keeping the spirits and energy high as we move onto the next pitch and play is important." Stolarski earned the win, allowing one run on two hits in five innings of work while striking out six. He also walked two and hit two. Johnson was impressive, going 4-for-5 with a three-run home run, four RBIs and two runs. His home run, which soared an estimated 360 feet, went past the scoreboard in left field and plated Nathan Hill (2 doubles, 2 runs, RBI) and Tyler Raun (2 singles, 2 stolen bases, 2 runs) to help spark a seven-run top of the sixth that removed any doubt about the result. Eight Bees reached base in the inning, with Drew Lazor hitting a sacrifice fly as the lone exception. "I've watched (Johnson) grow from the eighth grade, whether with Medina or in summer ball, and the work he's put in and the maturity he has makes him fun to watch," Cloverleaf coach Mark Kelly said. "That's a name you circle in the lineup. What he did today was special. He plays the game the right way." The senior also was impressive at shortstop, where he twice made smooth plays to end Colts rallies. The first came in the third inning with the Bees ahead 3-1. After an RBI single by right fielder Ashton Newton and a base hit by shortstop Logan Tierney, Johnson snagged a sharp grounder by Jeremy Cottrell to start an inning-ending double play. Two innings later, Johnson hopped up to catch a line drive by Newton that stranded Tyler Biskup on third base with the Colts trailing 5-1. "We have the kind of team when you look at one (run), one, one, those are body blows that wear on a team, but Cloverleaf did a nice job holding us by playing really good defense and getting timely pitching," Bees coach Nick Kaplack said. "(Johnson) is a special player. That's a normal game from him. It's what we're used to seeing out of him." Cloverleaf forced a seventh inning by scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth, starting with Tierney's second hit of the game, a double to left field. Justin George later brought Tierney home with a sacrifice fly and Trent Youngeberg singled in Cottrell. "We know that Medina is a great program, but we were in the game," Kelly said. "We're still figuring the team aspect out, but we were close. "Respect to Medina. They are a great team and they are going to make a run at it at the Division I level, I suspect, but we want to make a run at it to compete for a (Metro Athletic Conference) title and in our district." Contact John Urchek at sports@medina-gazette.com. Medina 12, Cloverleaf 3 Constitution Town Early-Bird Semifinal MEDINA &emsp;&emsp;111 117 0 — 12 13 1 CLOVERLEAF 001 002 0 — 3 4 1 WP — Ty Stolarski (1-0) 5 innings, 1 run, earned, 2 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts. LP — Jeremy Cottrell (0-1) 5 1/3 innings, 6 runs, 5 earned, 10 hits, walk, 0 strikeouts. Cloverleaf (1-1) — Logan Tierney single, double, run; Tyler Biskup 2 walks, 2 stolen bases. Medina (2-0) — Nathan Hill 2 doubles, walk, 2 runs, RBI; Tyler Raun 2 singles, 2 runs, stolen base; Jake Johnson 3 singles, home run, 4 RBIs, 2 runs; Hayden Boebel triple, walk, run, RBI; Hanson Huth 2 singles, 2 runs; Simon Steirer double, RBI.