By CARSON WERNER
Gage Ziehl powered the lineup and was the ace for a Penfield squad which won 16 games and finished as the Class AA sectional runner-up last season. The 6-foot senior was named Monroe County Division I Co-Player of the Year.
At the dish, the 6-foot junior paced the Patriots in batting average (.476), doubles (10), on-base percentage (.539), slugging percentage (.714) and total hits (30). Ziehl collected a base knock in 17 of 20 games played, including eight multi-hit contests.
Ziehl was tied for second on the team in runs batted in (15) and third in plate appearances (76). He scored 20 runs, drew 10 walks, was hit by a pitch and swatted a home run and a triple as well.
Ziehl increased his offensive statistics from 2018 when he hit .375 (27-of-72) with one home run and 24 runs batted in. As a freshman, he swatted nine extra-base knocks (four doubles, four triples and a dinger), recorded 10 multi-hit games and six contests with multiple RBI and runs scored.
Ziehl drew 11 walks and was hit by a pitch as part of his .465 on-base percentage and earned Monroe County Division I first team honors in 2018. Later in the year, he won gold with Team USA’s U-15 team in the World Baseball Softball Confederation Baseball World Cup in Panama.
On the mound, the University of Miami commit tied for first on the pitching staff in appearances (nine) and led the Patriots in innings (40 2/3) and strikeouts (64). He hurled three double-digit strikeout games, including a season-high 15 on May 17th against Fairport. Ziehl posted a 3-3 record with a 1.38 earned run average as well.
Penfield’s 16 victories included two wins over Class AA sectional semifinalist Rush-Henrietta (May 8th and May 30th) and wins over AA sectional semifinalist Hilton and Class A1 sectional semifinalist Irondequoit.
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