BY DAN GLICKMAN
SALAMANCA, N.Y. – Down 4-3 in the eighth, a two-run single from Caden Carey propelled the Arkport-Canaseraga Wolves (15-3) over North Collins on Friday, 5-4, securing the program its first trip to the NYSPHSAA Class D Semifinals.
“The resiliency of this team has always been [an] amazing focal point of this group,” said head coach Nick Smith via text message, who was a player on that 2009 Arkport squad alongside much of his coaching staff. “We’ve been through a lot together.”
That resiliency was on display Friday at Salamanca High School, as the Wolves had to come back twice from deficits.
Although Arkport-Canaseraga took the first lead of the game thanks to an RBI single in the top of the fourth by Eli Merry to make it 1-0, North Collins answered swiftly, jumping to a 3-1 lead in the bottom half of the inning as a result of an error.
The Wolves came back in the top of the fifth to tie the game at three, thanks to an RBI single by Micah Marvina and then a sacrifice fly by Merry.
North Collins again pulled ahead in the sixth, as Zander Miller singled to make it 4-3, which remained the score until Carey’s game-winning single in the eighth.
Merry led the Wolves at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two RBI. Marvin went 2-for-4 for the Wolves and also started the game on the mound, finishing with a no-decision while allowing three hits and a lone earned run over seven innings, striking out nine and walking two in the process. Carey ultimately earned the win for Arkport/Canaseraga, throwing a scoreless inning of relief before the comeback, striking out one and allowing a hit.
With the season still alive and the Wolves now two wins away from a state title, Smith, who was a member of the 2009 Arkport championship squad, says there is still room for improvement and that that should worry their opponents.
“I believe we have yet to play our best, full complete game, and that’s scary,” he said.
“I couldn’t be more proud, but we aren’t done yet.”
Arkport/Canaseraga will face Chapel Field Christian (IX) on Friday, June 7, at 1 p.m. at Mirabito Stadium in Binghamton.
Leave a Reply