Canton ‘9’ make too many mistakes in loss to Stafford

Canton High coach Greg Brisco, left, gives Ethan Burke a high five after Burke’s solo home run in Saturday’s game at Stafford. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)

STAFFORD, April 30 – The Canton High baseball team committed five errors and gave up three unearned runs in a 6-4 NCCC loss to Stafford on Saturday, snapping the Warriors’ four-game winning streak.

Canton simply made too many mistakes to earn a victory. The Warriors (5-4, 4-4 NCCC) erased a four-run deficit and tied the game at 4-4 in the fifth inning. But a pair of wild pitches from hurler Jake Schaetzel enabled Stafford to score twice in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a two-run lead, 6-4.

Schaetzel (0-3) allowed just three hits and struck out four in a complete game performance. He did walk five. At the plate, Schaetzel was 2-for-3 with a double. Brandon Peters was 2-for-3 while teammates Ryan Enns and Ethan Burke were 2-for-4. Burke had a home run in the fourth inning.

Stafford (8-4, 7-3 NCCC) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, assisted by three Canton errors. Single runs in the second and third innings gave the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead.

Burke’s home run in the fourth trimmed the lead to 4-1. In the fifth, Canton rallied with two outs. Schaetzel doubled and scored when Sam Beadle reached on an error. Enns singled, enabling Beadle to move from second to third base. Burke’s RBI single to centerfield scored Enns and cut the lead to 4-3.

Brandon Peters singled to load the bases and Enns tied the game at 4-4 on a walk to teammate Cole Marcuccio.

This was the fourth game in six days for the Warriors. Canton faces another four game week beginning Monday – all on the road. The Warriors face Gilbert at historic Walker Field on Monday in a non-league contest, travel to Bolton on Wednesday, face Somers on Thursday and finish out the week with another non-league game at Litchfield on Friday afternoon.

Stafford 6, Canton 4
At Stafford
Canton (5-4)       000  130  0 – 4-10-5
Stafford (8-4)      211  002  x  – 6-3-1
Jake Schaetzel and Sam Beadle; Hunter Davis and Patrick Brothers; WP: Davis; LP: Schaetzel (0-3); 2B: Schaetzel (C); 3B: Brandon Kallebach (S); HR: Ethan Burke (C)