District baseball: Medina run-rules Cleveland Heights

MEDINA — The hard-hitting, top-seeded Medina baseball team set up the rematch it wanted with an impressive 12-1 six-inning win over 16th-seeded Cleveland Heights on Wednesday in Division I, Northeast 1 District semifinal action. Next up for the Bees (22-5) is a district final against seventh-seeded Perrysburg (21-6), a 4-1 winner over 13th-seeded Berea-Midpark, on Friday at 2 p.m. at North Ridgeville. In a rain-delayed and then postponed regional championship that took two nights to complete, the Yellow Jackets beat Medina 3-2 a year ago, depriving the Bees of their first state tournament berth. "We've been thinking about that all year, but especially since the draw came out and we realized we were probably going to play them," said senior first baseman Luka Pagura, who had three singles, a home run and three RBIs against Cleveland Heights (7-17). "It's always been on my mind." The Bees, who plated seven runs to end their district semifinal with one out in the sixth inning, hammered 15 hits and also got home runs from Brian Wuchter and Maximus Lewis. Medina is averaging 7.9 runs and has hit 14 home runs on the season. "We're one of the best hitting teams in the state," said leadoff man Wuchter, who opened the game with a home run and added a single and double while finishing with two RBIs and three runs. "One through nine we can mash the ball. Not many of us aren't good contact hitters." The Bees struck out just twice in 34 plate appearances against three Tigers pitchers and had plenty of offensive stars. Joey Johnson had a single and double, Billy Jackson had three singles and scored twice, Kaeden Kostilnik singled, walked and hit a sacrifice fly while scoring twice, River Blomquist had a pair of walks and Lewis hit a three-run home run to the opposite field in right to end the game. Medina, which went down in order just once, stranded six runners over the first four innings but was never in any danger of losing, as it led 2-0 after the first, 4-1 after the second and 5-1 after the third. "I don't think there's very many teams in the state that can hit as well as we can," the left-handed Pagura said. "We have so much talent and depth and we work really hard. That's a fantastic combination for success." The day was especially rewarding for Pagura, whose 4-for-4 performance in his last home game got him out of a small slump. "I was feeling fantastic today," he said. "I saw everything as well as I've ever seen it. It was a fantastic way to finish my career on this field." Jackson (4-0) went the first 3 1/3 innings on the mound for the Bees, giving up one run on two hits, two walks and a hit batter while striking out six. The Tigers got their lone run when he hit a batter and later balked twice. Jake Zajacz worked 2 2/3 innings and didn't give up a hit while recording three strikeouts and Johnson threw out a runner at the plate who tried to score on a fly ball to left. Medina didn't blow the game open until it chased Cleveland Heights starter Asher Wilson (1-7), who battled for five-plus innings and gave up six earned runs, 10 hits and two walks while striking out two. The Bees then scored six times against two Tigers relievers who combined to record one out. Next task: Get some payback against Perrysburg. "We know they are a good hitting team," Wuchter said. "We know they're going to give us their best game and that they want to beat us again. We hope to take them down this time." Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4046 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com. Medina 12, Cleveland Heights 1 (6 inn.) Division I, Northeast 1 District Semifinal CLEVELAND HTS. 010 000 — 1 2 0 MEDINA 221 007 — 12 15 1 One out when mercy rule run scored. WP — Billy Jackson (4-0) 3 1/3 innings, earned run, 2 hits, 2 walks, hit by pitch, 6 strikeouts. LP — Asher Wilson (1-7) 5 innings, 6 runs, 6 earned, 10 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts. Cleveland Heights (7-17). Medina (22-5) — Luka Pagura 3 singles, home run, 3 RBIs, run; Brian Wuchter single, double, home run, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Maximus Lewis single, home run, 3 RBIs, run; Joey Johnson single, double, RBI; Jackson 3 singles, RBI, 2 runs; Kaeden Kostilnik single, walk, sacrifice fly, RBI, 2 runs; River Blomquist 2 walks, run.