The Canton Modified Baseball team ended its 2021 campaign with three straight wins after a 17-6 victory over Potsdam Monday.
The Bears finished the season with a 7-5 record, which included two three-game winning streaks. “It was great to just get out and play after a year off, and to finish with a winning record was the icing on the cake,” said Coach Mark Mende. Canton was in command from the start in this game, leading 10-2 after three innings before adding a total of seven runs the next three innings. The Bears wrapped out eight hits to go with 13 walks and two hit batsmen.
JJ Ahlfeld had two hits and two runs batted in, and Jackson Ames also had a pair of hits and scored three runs. Zadok Roiger had a two-run single in the first inning and two batters later, Brandon O’Shea hit a two-run home run. Jack Murray had a two-run double in the sixth and Conner Miller had an RBI single in the fifth. Charlie Todd had the other Canton hit. Roiger scored three runs, while Carter Shatraw, Todd and O’Shea each scored twice.
Roiger started on the mound and went three innings. He gave up two runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Ahlfeld, pitching for the first time this year, went the final four. He gave up four runs on three hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.
“It wasn’t a pretty game, but the team played well the last 10 days of the season, so it was nice to see them progress,” said Mende. “I’d like to thank Co-Coach Trent White, without whom there might not have been season, and the strong support from parents and families.”
Among players who had the most at-bats, Ahlfeld led the team with 15 hits and a .536 batting average to go with a .536 on-base percentage and six RBI. O’Shea hit .400 and scored 16 runs with a team-high eight RBI. Shatraw also had eight RBI and hit .375. Todd and Roiger both hit .394 and Roiger led the team with 18 runs scored.
On the mound, Roiger was 4-1 with a 2.89 earned run average and Todd was 2-2 with a 3.76 ERA. Jackson Ames had a 2.52 ERA over eight and 1/3 innings of relief pitching.
Other members of the team included Shoham Zuker, John Gidney, James Trombley, Alden Woodruff, Paul Redfern, Gavin Schryver, Cole Straight, Brayden Beeles and Sid Shipman.
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