By PAUL GOTHAM
WEBSTER, N.Y. — A leadoff single in the sixth inning prompted a mound visit.
Matt Knight didn’t want to discuss his infield defense with the tying run coming to the plate. Rather the Webster Schroder head coach saw the need to get his starter to move on to the next play.
Consider the message well received.
Jack Cannon went on to retire the last five batters he faced including an inning-ending double play in that frame, and Schroeder edged Pittsford Sutherland, 4-2 in Section V Baseball action on Wednesday.
“I definitely needed it at that time,” Cannon said of the conversation on the mound. “I was actually a little disappointed about a missed strike call. He told me ‘hey, worry about the next pitch. Worry about this batter. We’ll get out of this inning.’
“Basically, it was to buckle down and not worry about the previous play.”
Jack Cannon gets the ground ball for a clean fourth. Luke Pagano makes the play from short. Cannon has set down 11 consecutive. @BaseballWebster 3-2 middle of the third. pic.twitter.com/JzItgwbZ7z
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 20, 2022
The base hit proved to be the only runner Cannon allowed over the last six innings of work. The junior left-hander struck out four and allowed two runs on three hits and one walk in his first complete game at the varsity level.
“I got some ground balls, and I got some balls in the air,” he said. “I allowed my defense behind me to get some outs. That’s my goal as a pitcher. I don’t need to strike everybody out.”
After allowing the first two batters aboard in a two-run first inning, the southpaw retired 12 straight batters.
“After that first inning, I was able to settle down. I was able to keep a lid on their offense and allow our team to score some runs to get back in the game.”
Jack Cannon finds the feel on his breaking ball this inning. Lefty has set down 12 in a row. @BaseballWebster 3-2. pic.twitter.com/Hr0naJ6jTQ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 20, 2022
Cannon improved to 2-0 on the season.
“He started off a little bit shaky in the first, but he pitched really, really well,” senior centerfielder Tyler Stack said. “It’s nice. We trust him and trust our guys to make plays behind him.”
Stack scored the go-ahead run in the third inning. It was the second of back-to-back plays (and third overall) in which the Warriors brought home runners with an RBI groundout.
“We are a smart team,” Stack said. “We’re disciplined. We practice these situations. It’s execution at that point.”
Trailing 2-1, Luke Pagano reached on an error. Stack followed with a single through the right side of the infield. Pagano got a good break on contact drew a throw as he headed to third. Stack moved 90 feet to put runners in scoring position.
Tyler Stack singles through the right side and moves on the throw. @BaseballWebster has second and third with no outs in the third. pic.twitter.com/3xCLVzjqGp
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 20, 2022
Peyton Sanfilippo and Mike Salina delivered with ground balls to the left side of the infield that scored the runs.
“We really got to trust that we’ve been through this before whether it’s in practice or in games,” Stack said of the confidence it took to break on contact and score. “We stay true to ourselves and let each other make plays.”
Cannon reached on a three-base error to start the fifth and scored on a double from Pagano for the final margin of victory.
Johnny Maier got Schroeder (4-3) on the board in the second when Kaleb Juliano came home on a ground out.
Sutherland starter, Paul Byrne, also hurled a complete game. The sophomore right-hander struck out and allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks.
Sutherland’s Jack Zawacki led the game with a walk and moved to third on a Tyler Mullin base hit. Mullin stole second, and one out later Cole Mann brought home the game’s first run with a ground ball. Jake Fekete made it a 2-0 with a two-out single.
Big play from Jake Fekete as Paul Byrne escapes a one-out, runners-on-the-corners situation. Heading to the sixth: @BaseballWebster 4 @SHSBSBL 2 pic.twitter.com/NJpsF4Xkyj
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 20, 2022
It was the last time the Knights (5-3) threatened throughout the game.
“We’re confident in each other,” Schroeder outfielder Jason Leonardo said of the mindset in the Warriors’ dugout. “We have guys that we know can get the job done. Everyone’s got each other’s back.”
Leonardo finished 2-for-3 with a triple
Schroeder will play Rush-Henrietta on Thursday. A 1 p.m. first is scheduled.
Sutherland travels to Webster Thomas for a game on Thursday.
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