CANFIELD REFUSES TO BE DENIED A TRIP TO STATE
MACEDONIA OH- In a battle of elite pitching, the Canfield took down Buckeye 3-0 in the Regional Finals on Friday. Malena Toth was a force to be reckoned with in the circle, securing 21 outs and delivering a masterful performance.
Toth, the right-handed ace, fanned 17 batters, allowed just one hit, and kept the Bucks scoreless over seven innings, though she did issue five walks. Her dominance set the tone for Canfield’s victory.
The Cardinals struck first in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a clutch single from Leah Figueroa after a gritty 7-pitch at-bat. This early run gave Canfield the momentum they needed.
In the circle for the Bucks, freshman Lilly Young put up a fight, surrendering four hits and three runs over six innings while racking up eight strikeouts and six walks.
Figueroa was the driving force in the lineup for Canfield, knocking in two runs and going 2-for-3 on the day. Macey Kalina went 1-2 with 1 RBI, and a walk. Toth showed patience at the plate as well, drawing two walks. The Cardinals displayed a disciplined approach overall, collecting six walks. Defensively, they were rock solid, with no errors, and Figueroa was a standout with 17 chances in the field.
For the Bucks, Kwynn Czerwony managed one hit in three at-bats, and Madison Lichty showed a keen eye, drawing two walks. The Bucks were patient, drawing five walks total, but couldn’t convert them into runs.
With this win, Canfield advances to the State Semifinals, where they’ll face off against Kenton Ridge on Friday at 10:00 AM at Firestone Stadium in Akron.
