HS Baseball Playoffs: Papay’s No-Hitter Leads Avon Past North Royalton 1-0 in District Championship

Junior left-hander Brody Papay hurled a complete game no-hitter to lead the Avon Eagles to a 1-0 upset victory over North Royalton in the Division I Northeast 5 District Championship. Papay allowed just two walks and struck out 11 Bears hitters over seven innings. Ian Cain scored the lone run for the Eagles, going 1-3 in the contest.

Colten Fitch hit a lead-off single on the game’s second pitch but was caught attempting a steal of second base, and the Eagles were kept off the scoreboard. Brody Papay started the game hot for Avon, striking out the first four batters he faced. 

Fitch drew a one-out walk to get things started for Avon in the third, but Bears’ starter AJ Dezzuti escaped the inning unscathed. In the fourth, Ian Cain hit a two-out single to center to get things started for the Eagles. On a steal attempt at second base, the ball skipped into the outfield, and Cain advanced to third. A wild pitch escaped the catcher, allowing Cain to score and putting Avon up 1-0.

North Royalton would get their first base runner of the game on a one–out walk to Patrick Farrell in the bottom of the fourth. Unfortunately for the Bears, Papay struck out the next two hitters to end the threat. Papay and Dezzuti kept the bases clear in the fifth and sixth innings and combined for six strikeouts.

Cole Ropelewski reached on an infield single in the top of the seventh. As the first baseman applied the tag, the ball skipped down the line, and Ropelewski moved up to second. With two outs and a runner on third, Dezzuti induced a fly ball to right field to get out of the jam.

With the heart of the North Royalton lineup due up in the bottom of the seventh, Papay turned in another dominant inning, retiring the side to seal a 1-0 win for the Avon Eagles.

Up Next

The upset victory propels the Avon Eagles into the regional semifinals. Next Thursday at Gilmour Academy, they will play the winner of St. Edward and Medina Highland. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Top Performers

Avon Eagles

Brody Papay: 7 IP 0 H 2 BB 11 K

Cole Ropelewski: 1-1 2 BB

Ian Cain: 1-3 SB R

North Royalton Bears

AJ Dezzuti: 7 IP 3 H 3 BB 9 K