Playing the toughest team in the league on the road after a five-game home stand, the Canton Modified Baseball Team played one of its best games of the season in a 8-2 loss to the Raiders.
Strong defense and aggressive hitting helped the Bears stay in this one, trailing 2-0 after four before Massena scored five in the fifth to take a 7-0 lead. The Bears battled back, scoring two in the sixth and leaving the bases loaded in the seventh.
“The pitching was good, the defense was strong and the hitters were not intimidated by some of the best pitching we have seen this year,” said Coach Mark Mende. “While we never like a loss, there was a lot to like about the effort and the attitude against a very good team.”
Zadok Roiger started on the mound for the Bears and got the first six batters in order before giving up a run in the third on two walks and two ground balls that moved runners. Those two walks were the only base runners he allowed, and without a strikeout, the defense backed him well through three.
Two Canton errors did result in three Massena runs, but they were the only miscues for the Bears in a game where their pitchers only had two strikeouts.
Jack Murray relieved Roiger and gave up five runs on two hits over one and a third innings. He walked three and hit one batter, and also did not record a strikeout. Charlie Todd gave up two runs in one and two-thirds innings of relief. He surrendered two hits, struck out two and did not give up an earned run.
Canton out-hit Massena 5-4, with JJ Ahlfeld going 2-for-2 and Roiger going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Gavin Schryver also had a hit for the Bears, who loaded the bases with no outs in the first and then left three more runners on in the next two innings. Canton plated both of their runs in the sixth.
The Bears (4-5) play their final home game of the season Thursday at 4:30 against Malone before closing out 2021 with road games at Gouverneur Friday and Potsdam Monday.
This post comes courtesy of modified baseball Coach Mark Mende.
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