By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Upstate Baseball League (UBL) concluded its ninth season Monday night with DI Red claiming the championship. During an on-field ceremony, the UBL handed out post-season awards to Jack Cannon (Webster Schroeder), Tommy DiFranco (Penfield), Mason Haarr (Brockport), Dylan Dumont (Webster Schroeder), Jacob Natale (Penfield) and Henry Shutts (Gananda).
2021 UBL DI MVP
Jack Cannon (DI Gold/Webster Schroeder)
Cannon registered a 1-0 record and one save on the mound. The left-hander faced 54 batters and struck out 26. He surrendered just three hits for an opposing batting average of .067. At the plate, Cannon collected 10 hits including three doubles and a triple. He stole seven bases and scored seven runs. And even his outs were loud:
Same inning. Same pitcher. Different arm. Steven Kraus retired the first batter of the inning throwing left handed (refer to previous tweet). Loud out courtesy of Jack Cannon. @ubl_baseball pic.twitter.com/hEIXPhq4Bf
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) August 28, 2021
2021 UBL DI Pitcher of the Year
Tommy DiFranco (DI Red/Penfield)
DiFranco posted a 2-0 record with an ERA of 0.00. He struck out 16 while issuing just one walk and allowing opposing batters to four hits over nine innings of work. He finished the season with a WHIP (walks plus hits per inning) of 0.55. He also picked up the win in the championship game:
Correction from last night: PARKER DREES makes the barehanded play from second. Tommy DiFranco had faced 12 through 4 and the Steven Merkel reaction. @TitanBaseball @ubl_baseball pic.twitter.com/Cie3XcXbMM
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) August 31, 2021
VIEW MORE DENNIS JOYCE PHOTOS HERE.
Your 2021 @ubl_baseball Champions DI Red pic.twitter.com/lVj7Wfn0t4
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) August 31, 2021
2021 DI Slugger of the Year
Mason Haarr (DI Blue/Brockport)
Haarr finished tied for the UBL lead with 13 hits and his league-high five doubles paved the way for a D1-best slugging percentage of .643. He drove in seven runs and scored six while working four walks for an on-base percentage of .531.
Mason Haar ropes a 2-out double. pic.twitter.com/vLLmkyGkti
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) August 22, 2021
2021 DII MVP
Henry Shutts (DII Blue/Gananda)
Shutts led the UBL in batting average (.545), RBI (15) and slugging percentage (.727). He had four doubles and scored seven runs. On the mound, he posted a 1-0 record with 11 strikeouts over five scoreless innings of work.
Henry Shutts toes the rubber for DII Blue. @ubl_baseball pic.twitter.com/2tcPbqT6VQ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) August 30, 2021
2021 DII Pitcher of the Year
Dylan Dumont (DII Blue/Webster Schroeder)
Dumont went 1-0 in two starts for the season. The right-hander struck out nine and walked two batters in six innings of work. He allowed two runs on five hits for an ERA of 2.33.
Dylan Dumont goes with the breaking ball for the first time tonight and drops it on the outside part of the plate to leave a runner stranded on second. @BaseballWebster pic.twitter.com/mEnMe0WzH9
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) August 25, 2021
2021 @ubl_baseball DII Pitcher of the Year Dylan Dumont with league directors Keith Prestano, Jason Bunting and Joe Bianchi. pic.twitter.com/8aDGG8dXh5
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) August 31, 2021
2021 DII Slugger of the Year
Jacob Natale (DII Blue/Penfield)
Natale finished the season hitting .538. He worked nine walks to lead the UBL with an on-base percentage of .769. Jacob also paced DII with an OPS of 1.307.
Jacob Natale’s second hit of the night is a one-out RBI single that brings home Nicholas O’Toole. Mid 3: DII Blue 2 DII Red 1 @ubl_baseball pic.twitter.com/AwE8CDcA3N
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) August 27, 2021
2021 @ubl_baseball DII Slugger of the Year Jacob Natale with league directors Keith Prestano, Jason Bunting and Joe Bianchi. pic.twitter.com/tpyAh2KoKh
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) August 31, 2021
Founded in 2012 as the RCBL Prospects League, the Upstate Baseball League will be celebrating its 10th season in 2022. Current Major Leaguer Ernie Clement (Cleveland Indians) played during that inaugural campaign. Ben Cowles, a 10th round pick of the New York Yankees in the most recent MLB Draft was the 2016 Prospects MVP. Greg Cullen, a 15th round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2018, earned the Prospects’ top honor in 2015, and Gage Ziehl (2021/Chicago Cubs) garnered 2017 UBL Player of Year.
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