Medomak catcher Jaydiin Ruiz snares the ball to record a force out at home plate during an 11-6 loss to Belfast on Wednesday, April 22 in Waldoboro. (Mic LeBel photo)
The Medomak Valley baseball team lost 13-3 to Poland on Friday, April 24 in Waldoboro. Poland broke open a 3-3 tie with six runs in the fourth inning and then coasted to the win, which was shortened to six innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Jaydiin Ruiz (2R, 1SB), Josh Blake (1RBI, 2SB), Parker Eaton, Colby Simmons, and Austin Wilshire each hit one single for the Panthers during the game.
Medomak pitchers gave up 16 walks and the defense made five errors behind them.
Blake started on the mound and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on a pair of hits and nine walks while striking out four Knights. Konner Schofield came on in relief and pitched 1.2 innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits and six walks while notching one strikeout. Tanner Kopishke pitched the final inning and allowed one earned run on two hits and a walk.
Watson Paradis led Poland at the plate with three hits and four runs batted in. Shawn West walked five times and scored four runs for the Knights.
The Knights improved to 2-2 with the win. The Panthers fell to 0-2 in Class B South.
Belfast 11 – Medomak 6
The Belfast baseball team beat Medomak Valley 11-6 in the season opener for both squads on Wednesday, April 22 in Waldoboro.
Medomak surged to a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first inning, before Belfast knotted the score 3-3 with a run in the top of the third. The teams each scored one run in the fifth before the Lions exploded for five runs in the sixth inning to put the game away.
The defenses for both teams struggled in the unseasonably cold weather with Belfast committing eight errors and Medomak four. Josh Blake (2R, 1SB) led the Panthers at the plate with a double and a single. Ashton Francis (1RBI) hit one double, and Jaydiin Ruiz (1R, 1SB) and Devin Benedix (2R, 2RBI, 3SB) each hit one single for Medomak. Panthers Parker Eaton (1RBI) and Nick Bowman (1R, 1RBI, 1SB) each had one run batted in.
Devin Benedix had a strong start on the mound for the Panthers, allowing three earned runs in five innings. He gave up six hits and one walk while striking out 10 Lions.
Tanner Kopishe relieved Benedix and did not record an out while allowing two earned runs on a pair of walks and a hit batter. Konner Schofield replaced Kopishke and gave up two runs on three hits and two walks in two innings of work which included a pair of strikeouts.
Aidan Howard and Colton Luce each had two hits and two RBIs for Belfast.
