Eight hits, including a double, triple and home run, and stellar defense allowed the Trojans to lead Medina 4-1.

And with ace Aidan Kennedy on the mound, well, everything appeared lined up just as Coach Jared Brown had hoped.

Then the Mustangs spoiled the party.

Xander Payne was the main reason.

Southwestern’s Dustin Hendrix tags out Medina’s Brody Fry during Thursday’s Section VI Class B2 semifinal at Packard Field in Lakewood. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

Called in to relieve to start the fourth inning, the right-hander allowed just one hit over four shutout innings and helped his own cause with a solo home run to lead No. 6 Medina to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over No. 2 Southwestern at Packard Field.

The win sends the Mustangs (19-3) into the Class B2 championship game against No. 5 Roy-Hart, a 7-1 winner over No. 8 Akron in the other semifinal. The Trojans end their season 15-4.

“The guys have nothing to be ashamed of,” Brown said. “They did something this year (win a Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association regular-season title) that hadn’t been done in a very long time. Most importantly, what we strived for all year was to become a team and become one unit and I think they did that.”

Early on, it appeared Southwestern would have at least one more game together.

After Medina scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning, Southwestern tied it in the bottom half, courtesy of Dustin Hendrix’s one-out triple and Kennedy’s RBI single. An inning later, Max Marshall singled, Judd Harris walked and, with two outs, Hendrix belted a two-run double to push the Trojans’ lead to 3-1 off Mustangs’ starter Aidan Paul. And when Jameson Walsh led off the third frame with a home run over the tall wall in left field, Southwestern’s lead grew to 4-1.

As it turned out, that would be the last time the Trojans would cross home plate.

“(Payne) threw harder than their starter did,” Brown said. “All-around, that’s a really good baseball team. A lot of guys that we saw last year are still on that team. They’re a quality baseball team, but I’m proud of the way the guys played.”

Medina closed to within 4-3 in the top of the fourth inning, highlighted by Richard Keppler’s two-run single off Kennedy. The inning might have been bigger for the visitors, but Southwestern center fielder Jayce Neal made an outstanding catch to prevent further damage.

In the top of the fifth, Payne led off with a solo homer to deep left-center field and, after Joe Cecchini’s double, Zach Fike doubled home Cecchini to give the Mustangs the lead for the first time, 5-4.

It held up.

Payne retired the side in order in the fourth and seventh innings, and worked out of jams in the fifth and sixth to preserve Medina’s Saturday trip to Grand Island, the site of the sectional title game. The Trojans, who finished with nine hits, had their chances to tie, but left a runner at third base in the fifth and runner at second in the sixth.

“We had them on the ropes. I really thought we would be able to get guys on and move them into scoring position,” Brown said. “We just couldn’t get that clutch hit.”

Marshall (three hits), Hendrix (double, triple, two RBIs) and Jameson (single, home run) led Southwestern’s offensive attack. Gil Lucas worked two scoreleess innings in relief of Kennedy, who threw the first five, surrendering five runs — three earned — striking out three and walking three.

“I’m proud of the seniors,” Brown said. “Some of these guys I’ve coached since eighth grade. It’s a bittersweet goodbye. I love these guys.”