Salamanca, NY – Sal Diaz finished 3 for 5 on the day, capping a six-hit weekend with a two-run homerun to help SUNY Canton win the rubber match against the Fredonia Blue Devils on Sunday. The home run drove in the ninth and tenth runs of a ninth-inning explosion by the Roos that continued the theme of big innings against the Blue Devils pitchers throughout the three-game set.

Javier Chico earned the win in relief, while Michael Byrns picked up the loss. Hunter LaValley didn't factor into the decision but only allowed Fredonia three runs on eight hits through five innings of work, mixing in three strikeouts and two walks. Fredonia starter Morgan Zientara threw seven strong innings of one-run baseball, holding the Roos hot hitters to five hits and six strikeouts, while not being charged an earned run.

THE BASICS

• Result: SUNY Canton 11, Fredonia 3

• Location: Salamanca High School – Salamanca, NY

• Records: Fredonia (9-11, 2-7 SUNYAC) | SUNY Canton (5-15, 2-7 SUNYAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Fredonia got on the board in the bottom of the first thanks to a Tyler Curtis RBI single off of Canton starter Hunter LaValley.

• The Blue Devils would tack on another run in the bottom of the second as they were able to push a run across following a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

• They followed that up with another RBI single in the third inning as Alex Ahlstro brought home Christian Cabrera to give Fredonia a three run advantage.

•  Morgan Zientara would keep the Roos off the board throughout his start until the seventh inning when the Roos took advantage of a double steal situation that saw Sal Diaz called out at second as AJ Campi beat the throw to the plate from third. 

• Fredonia looked as though they would seal the victory, taking a 3-1 advantage into the top of the ninth. Chris McLean earned a walk to start the inning, with Campi and Diaz following that up with back-to-back singles, loading the bases.

• Eliezer Vazquez struck out swinging for the first out of the ninth, but a wild pitch allowed the runners to move up and the Roos to score to make it 3-2 Fredonia. 

• After Lance Phillips Jr. drew a walk, Mark Maybee Jr. knotted the game at 3-3 with an RBI single. Edilberto Rosado ended up with the go-ahead hit, a bases-clearing double that chased Byrns from the game and gave Canton a 6-3 advantage.

• Derek Maldonado would continue the inning with an RBI double of his own before Gravlin struck out for the second out of the inning. 

• The Roos weren't quite done yet, though, as McLean took his turn hitting an RBI double, giving Canton an 8-3 advantage with two outs in the ninth. Campi came through with his second base hit of the inning, this time earning an RBI as McLean scored.

• Diaz completed the monster inning with a two-run homerun before Fredonia could stop the Roo avalanche of runs with a fly-out.

• Canton finished the series finale with 11 runs on 13 hits and one error, while Fredonia finished with three runs on eight hits and one error.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Sal Diaz led the Roos with three hits and two RBI, as Maldonado, Phillips, Maybee, and Campi contributed two hits each, with Rosado delivering the big hit in the ninth and driving in three runs.  

• Hunter LaValley threw five strong innings, as Javier Chico threw three scoreless innings with two strikeouts and two walks in relief to earn his second win of the season. Maxwell Rose finished the game in the ninth, throwing a scoreless frame with one strikeout.

• The Blue Devils got seven strong innings from Zientara, as Michael Byrns took the loss allowing six earned runs on four hits and two walks. David Adams gave up four runs in his one-third of an inning of work on four hits. Christian Brown earned the final out of the game for Fredonia. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Roos are scheduled for another SUNYAC doubleheader on Monday as they host Plattsburgh State at 12 p.m.  

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Discover SUNY Canton, where innovation meets opportunity. The college's career-focused educational programs emphasize hands-on and applied learning opportunities in digital design, engineering technology, health, information technology, management, public service, and veterinary technology. Faculty members bring real-world experience and exceptional academic expertise to the classroom. As a leader in online education, SUNY Canton offers unmatched flexibility with hundreds of courses and 25 comprehensive degree programs offered completely online. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos compete at the NCAA Division III level and are members of the SUNYAC. In addition to its 15 traditional teams, SUNY Canton offers coed varsity esports and cheerleading. 

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