FORT WORTH – Arlington Heights senior pitcher Grant Fackel battled to go the distance as the Yellowjackets wrapped up the final game of the Drew Medford Memorial Tournament 7-3 over Paschal on Saturday night. Heights, which also beat Benbrook 2-0 on Friday, is 10-3 and will start District 6-5A play.
Paschal, which will start District 3-6A, dropped its fifth game in the past six matches.
Drew Medford was a district MVP, all-state and honorable mention All-America baseball player for Paschal High School and signed to play baseball at TCU. He was killed in an automobile accident in August of 2016. His family and lifelong friends created the baseball tournament the following season to honor his memory and create a legacy for other baseball players.
Medford was known for his passion and dedication to baseball. He was a three-year varsity starter at Paschal and enjoyed playing endless games against some of his best rivals at Arlington Heights High School. In his junior year, he was voted Utility Player of the Year, and he earned All-District MVP accolades as a senior. Additionally, he was an Honorable Mention All-American, as well as First Team All-Texas.
Fackel is committed to Division 3 school Wabash College in Indiana. In seven innings, he allowed seven hits, no walks and struck out three batters. Just before first pitch, one senior from all 25 participating teams in this year’s tournament was recognized and received a scholarship from the DMMT.
Heights’ Drew Flores and Paschal’s Nando Acosta were selected.
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In the top of the first inning, Heights started with a lead off infield hit from Noah Castillo. On the following at-bat, Paschal left fielder Lalo Hernandez made a diving catch, but a throw to first base was off and Castillo advanced to second, and then to third on a pitch in the dirt.
Castillo would give the Jackets a 1-0 edge on an RBI single to right by Anthony Lara.
Hill Wiley led off the Paschal first inning with single to shallow right. Heights got the double play on a strikeout from Fackel and a throw down to second from catcher Caleb Eagar to get the runner trying to steal. Acosta, Paschal’s catcher, got one back in the top of the second when he caught a Heights runner stealing.
Heights shortstop Scooter New turned the 6-4-3 double play to send the game into the third. The Yellowjackets added two more in the third and took a 3-0 lead. Eagar picked up an RBI on a sac fly to center and Paschal’s third error of the night sent another across the plate.
The Panthers, which finished 20-13-1 last season and third in 3-6A, got two in the bottom half of the third to pull within 3-2. With two on base and two outs, Seth Pate hit a blooper to center. Castillo sprinted in and attempted the diving catch, but the ball bounced away to score one. Then a throw to first base scored a second Paschal run.
Paschal went to the bullpen in the top of the fourth – turning to Jackson Dyer, who replaced starter Johnny Garcia. Dyer was able to pick up a strikeout, but Heights took a 4-2 lead on Paschal’s fourth error. Fackel made quick work with a 1-2-3 inning to go to the fifth.
The Jackets, who won this matchup 2-1 last year, went up 5-2 in the top of the fifth.
Dyer picked up back-to-back strikeouts.
Pate drilled a pitch to deep center and Edgar Lopez scored for Paschal in the bottom of the inning to make it 5-3. Neither team was able to cross the plate in the sixth and Heights took the two-run lead into the last frame before tacking out the final two runs of the night.
Heights scored seven runs on nine hits and committed two errors.
Paschal scored three runs on nine hits and committed five errors.
Fackel recorded his third complete game of the season. Fackel came over to Heights from FW All Saints. His older brother Nathan Fackel pitched for Paschal and graduated in 2019. Heights returned seven starters from last year’s group that went 25-8-1 overall and 12-2 in district.
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Other teams in the tournament this year: Aledo, Boswell, Country Day and Mansfield Legacy. The 25 teams playing in the 2024 tournament are Aledo, Arlington, Arlington Heights, Arlington Martin, Azle, Benbrook, Birdville, Boswell, Country Day, Fossil Ridge, Keller Central, Lake Belton, LD Bell, Mansfield, Mansfield Lake Ridge, Mansfield Legacy, Mansfield Timberview, Nolan Catholic, Oakridge, Paschal, Polytechnic, Prestonwood, South Grand Prairie, Trinity Valley and Weatherford.
In eight years, the Drew Medford Memorial Tournament has issued nearly $200,000 for local baseball players through the generosity of its sponsors and community supporters. This was the fifth straight year that at least 20 scholarships were awarded. Scholarship recipients were chosen by the coach and/or members of each participating team, and the player must embody the characteristics of Drew Medford: drive to succeed, humility and empathy for others, and a leader on his baseball team.
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