Correspondent file photo / Robert Hayes Canfield senior Ben Slanker, an Ohio University commit, rounds second and heads towards third for a triple last season against Poland.

Whenever Canfield takes to the diamond there’s a certain level of expectation.

The Cardinals are younger this season but they’re as hungry as ever to test their mettle this spring, more so with the way the last two seasons have ended.

“The thing about Canfield is, we tried to rebuild that senior leadership that left last year, they left a lasting imprint on the juniors that are now seniors this year,” said Canfield coach Gary Knittle. “It’s an absolutely different type of team that you’re going to see out of Canfield this year. We really thrived and banked on our starting pitching. With that gone, we have some younger arms that have to step up on the pitching side of things.”

Canfield enters 2023 without mainstays such as Landon Beidelschies (Ohio State), Nate Shaw, (Wright State), Josh Juliano, or Ryan Petro, but the current upperclassmen feel like it’s their turn to take over the mantle.

Division I commits AJ Havrilla (Marshall) and Ben Slanker (Ohio) lead the charge. Havrilla posted a .307 average with 21 runs batted in last season while Slanker hit for .291 average with 23 RBI and a pair of home runs.

More experience is found within the senior class, notably in Connor Miller (Marietta, 28 innings pitched, 3-0 record, along with 30 Ks) and Jack Davis (Notre Dame College). Ethan Prout tallied a .349 average, all while scoring 20 runs, and played a big role in the lineup, along with Logan Cayavec, Jameson Beck and Stephen Maszczak.

There is some motivation for the upperclassmen heading into the spring following an upset loss to Niles during the Division II district semifinals last May.

“For those guys, it goes back two years ago,” Knittle said. “Going undefeated, 24-0, then getting a loss (to Salem) in the regional. Last year was kind of that, let’s get back mentality and you have to tip your cap to Niles, we just ran into a little buzz saw there. Yeah, it was rough, it left a sour taste on the seniors, but that junior class that is now our senior class, was really close with those seniors.

“Their mindset is ‘Let’s finish some business for what the groundwork was laid in the previous years.’ It’s definitely there in the back of their heads, but this year our expectations are a lot lower just because we lost all that pitching, we don’t have that bullseye as big as we’ve had the last couple of years, so maybe we can sneak up on some teams this year.”

Junior Michael Patellis, who tallied a .306 average last year to go with 13 RBI looks to cause some damage in the order, along with sophomore Zain Jadallah and Tanner Stricko.

Pitching will become a major point of emphasis for Canfield. Beck will become a big arm for the Cardinals with limited innings pitched last season during varsity contests. Patellis will also pitch and Slanker will work in a closer role.

Juniors Trent Rarick and Scottie Eaton, along with sophomore Noah Anzevino and freshman Enzo Cocca will log time on the mound as well.

The pitchers who will take over this year had plenty of guys to learn from over the past few years, which Knittle believes will help with their development.

“Landon, Nate Shaw, Ryan Petro, all of those guys came in and worked with our pitchers over the fall during our fall workouts whenever they would come home on break,” said Knittle. “We talk about paying it forward here at Canfield, and that’s really what they do.”

Always playing a difficult schedule, Canfield will kick off their 2023 season with a tall task as they are on the road at Salem on Saturday. They’ll also take on Lakeview and Ursuline in the near future.

Competing in the AAC also brings tough contests against Boardman and Austintown-Fitch as well.

“We’ve got some young bats, we do have some guys outside of the core that are ready to go,” Knittle said. “This year, it’s different. We’re not relying on a Beidelschies or a Shaw, it’s a group effort this year. If we’re going to have success, it’s going to come from somebody different every day.

“Those are the teams, the pesky teams that you get to the eight or nine guy and you think it’s an easy out, but before you know it, they’re going 3-3 and rolling it over into the top of the order. I think we have a scrappy group this year and are very resilient.”

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