The Official Athletics Site of SUNY Canton

Canton, NY – Sal Diaz hit a three-run dinger in the first game, Lance Phillips Jr. had three hits, including his 100^th-career base knock, and the SUNY Canton baseball team split a doubleheader on senior day to the Fredonia Blue Devils Saturday afternoon.

In game one, the Roos scored five in the first inning and Sal Diaz launched a three-run home run in the sixth inning as SUNY Canton mercy-ruled the Blue Devils with an 11-1 win after eight innings. Game two however was not quite the same, with the Roos pitching staff struggling to find the strike zone and the bats unable to pick up the pitching with SUNY Canton falling 15-1 in seven.

Between the two games, the Roos honored their six seniors in their final day on the SUNY Canton baseball field. The six members of the class of 2026 consisted of Mark Maybee Jr., Lance Phillips Jr., Jake Detlefsen, Derek Maldonado, Chris McLean, and Sal Diaz.

THE BASICS

• Results: Game 1: SUNY Canton 11, Fredonia 1 (8 Inn.) | Game 2: Fredonia 15, SUNY Canton 1 (7 Inn.)  
• Location: SUNY Canton Baseball Field – Canton, NY
• Records: SUNY Canton (10-22, 2-15 SUNYAC) | Fredonia (7-24, 6-11 SUNYAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
 
GAME 1 – BOX SCORE

• AJ Campi led off the bottom of the first with a base hit, and then starting pitcher Michael Byrns had a hard time finding the strike zone, walking or hitting the next five batters and the Roos got two runs on the board by doing a nice job standing in the batters box.
• After a pitching change, three more runs scored with an RBI hit-by-pitch by Derek Maldonado, a single by Phillips Jr., and a four pitch walk to Campi as the Roos were up 5-0 after the first inning.
• Starting hurler for SUNY Canton, Jayden Cunningham struggled with command in the first inning, but had a great start to his outing, allowing just two hits through four scoreless innings.
• However, Fredonia got on the board in the top of the fifth with a single, a hit-by-pitch, and another single up the middle which made the contest 5-1.
• The Roos did not get much offense for several innings after the first, but in the sixth with Campi on with a hit-by-pitch, and McLean reaching with a single, Sal Diaz hit a no-doubt moonshot out and over the left field wall with his three-run home run giving SUNY Canton an 8-1 advantage.
• Three Roos were hit by pitches in the bottom of the eighth inning to pack the bags. Then, Maybee Jr. laced a single up the middle to send two runners to the plate. McLean scored later in the inning to end the game after eight with SUNY Canton leading 11-1.
• Diaz homered and drove in three, McLean and Campi each had two hits. The former also had two stolen bases and Campi drove one in.
• Cunningham's final stats were 6.2 innings of work, allowing six hits, one earned run, while striking out four en route to his second win of the season. Maxwell Rose retired all four batters he faced in relief.

 
 GAME 2 --  BOX SCORE

• Fredonia had a couple walks and a fielder's choice in the top of the second, then got the Roos got a bit confused with a Blue Devils double steal resulting in success with Fredonia getting their first run.
• The third inning was a rough one for SUNY Canton with several hits and walks leading to five runs coming across to score.
• The Blue Devils kept finding ways to get baserunners on throughout the next few innings, scoring one more in the time in the third and twice more in the fifth.
• Phillips Jr. in the bottom of the fifth, had his 100^th-career base hit as he lifted in a leadoff single into center field. After an airmailed pickoff throw, a groundout, and a sacrifice fly by Maybee Jr., SUNY Canton had their first run, making the score 9-1.
• However, Fredonia's offense overwhelmed the Roos in final game of the series. McLean had a base hit in the sixth, and Chase Ovitt had his first hit of the season in the seventh, but SUNY Canton could not scratch any more runs across.
• Six more runs scored for the Blue Devils the rest of the game, but the Roos still took two of three in the series, despite the lopsided 15-1 final game.
• The Roos only managed five hits in game two, two by Phillips Jr. Maybee Jr. registered the only RBI with his sacrifice fly in the fifth.

WHAT'S NEXT?
SUNY Canton will round out their conference season with a game at Plattsburgh on Monday, April 27 at 3 p.m. against the Cardinals.          
   

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.