NTL BASEBALL: CANTON HANGS ON TO BEAT NP-MANSFIELD FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WIN (2024-04-12)

Northern Tier Sports Report
CANTON — Canton used a 5-run fourth inning then held on late to beat NP-Mansfield, 7-6, during NTL baseball action Friday.

The win ends a 5-game win streak by the Tigers while the Warriors remain undefeated in league action.

“It builds character,” Canton coach Ben Rubert said about winning a close game in wet and windy conditions. “We’re out here raking the field and taking care of the field, and doing whatever it is that we have to do to play to save our pitching, and get our games in so that we can stay on track; but it definitely builds grit, builds character.”

Canton led 2-1 after the first but found themselves down 3-2 midway through the fourth. A 5-run bottom half of that inning put them up 7-3.

NPM would get two in the fifth, and one in the seventh, but couldn’t quite get over the hump.

The Warriors only had three hits on the day - Holden Ward (1-for-2), Zach Colton (1-for-3), and Mason Harold (1-for-4) - with Ward scoring twice, Harold once, and Colton driving in a run.

Hudson Ward scored twice and had an RBI with Bailey Gardner driving in three runs. Jason Mahosky scored and drove in a run, as well.

Holden Ward got the win, going four innings with three strikeouts, four walks, one hit, and three runs, one of which was earned.

Colton went the final three innings, striking out three with two walks, four hits, and three runs, two of which were earned.

“Holden has been great all year, and Zach keeps proving that he can do it over and over again,” said Rubert. “I’m going to keep going to Holden and Zach on the mound, hopefully, good things keep happening.”

Andy Hermanson took the loss for NPM, going four innings with four strikeouts, three walks, three hits, and seven runs. Cooper Shaw pitched the final two innings, with four walks, and three strikeouts, but no hits.

Down 1-0 going into the bottom of the first Holden Ward led off with a hit, followed by a Hudson Ward walk. Holden Ward later scored on a balk, while Hudson Ward scored on a Gardner ground out.

Errors and walks allowed the Tigers to score a run in the third and fourth innings to take the 1-run lead.

In the bottom half, though, it was Canton’s turn to take advantage of errors, using three to score five runs.

Michael Beers led off by getting hit by a pitch, followed by Harold getting a single. 

An error off the bat of Mahosky allowed Ryder Route, running for Beers, to score. Two batters later Holden Ward was intentionally walked, followed by Harold scoring on an error off the bat of Hudson Ward to make it 4-3.

An error off Gardner’s bat saw Mahosky and Holden Ward score for a 6-3 lead, while Colton drove in Hudson Ward to put them up four runs.

NPM got two back in the top of the fifth, and still had two runners on when Colton induced a fly out to get out of the jam.

In the seventh Andy Hermanson led off with a hit, then scored on an error off the bat of Karson Dominick with two outs to make it a 1-run game. After an intentional walk, and with the go ahead run on base, Colton got the final batter to pop out to end the game.

Canton (6-1) has won 3-in-a-row and will travel to Muncy (4-1) on Saturday morning with a 10 a.m. start.

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PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM