A Thrilling Comeback at Dwyer Stadium
The Canandaigua Gray Wolves secured the Section V Class AA2 Baseball Championship with a 7‑6 win over the Irondequoit Eagles on a rain‑slick evening at Dwyer Stadium in Batavia. The victory marks the team’s first sectional title since 2019 and caps a season that has seen them climb to No. 18 in the state rankings.
A quiet start gave way to a flurry of action in the sixth inning, when Canandaigua loaded the bases but could not convert. The Eagles answered in the top of the seventh, with Landon Bryan’s single and a subsequent error that allowed the first run to cross the plate. James Jackson followed with an RBI double, extending the lead and putting pressure on the Wolves.
Undeterred, the Gray Wolves rallied in the bottom of the seventh. Cole Harris led off with a single, and an error by Irondequoit permitted him to score, narrowing the gap. Payton Holtby’s walk with the bases loaded set the stage for Richie Baskin’s RBI single that tied the game. The decisive moment arrived when Griffin Kierst launched a fly ball to center, enabling Isaac Dolph to sprint home with the winning run.
Dolph’s clutch performance was echoed by earlier contributions. In the fifth inning, Austin Kierst’s double placed runners on second and third, and both he and Dolph crossed home plate, giving Canandaigua an early spark. Errors by the Wolves in the third inning had allowed the Eagles to build a modest lead, but the team’s resilience kept them within striking distance.
The game’s momentum shifted repeatedly, with each side trading runs through a series of singles, walks, and defensive miscues. Despite a strikeout that halted a sixth‑inning rally, the Wolves persisted, finally capitalizing on a sacrifice fly that sealed the championship.
Coach and teammates alike praised the composure displayed by the young squad, noting that the win reflects both individual talent and collective grit. With a final record of 17‑5, the Gray Wolves now look toward upcoming state tournaments with optimism.