With a 10-run lead in hand Saturday afternoon, Heritage senior catcher Cannon Stafford still was a wall behind the plate for his pitcher as he blocked a ball in the dirt to keep a Signal Mountain runner from advancing.
Thanks to a powerful arm and a quick release, Stafford has been a defensive force for the Generals this season. The Cleveland State baseball signee has thrown out seven runners – he threw out one Saturday – and has had a hand in nine pickoffs. Opponents have stolen only nine bases in 18 games, and Stafford went six straight games without allowing any steals.
He’s also Heritage’s leadoff hitter, and he raised his batting average above .350 with two hits in the 13-3 mercy-rule win at Signal Mountain as the Catoosa County program crossed into Tennessee to improve to 11-7 overall this season.
The Generals’ lone senior also is a threat on the basepaths with 10 steals this season. That success is rare for a catcher, but then so is simply the opportunity – many high school coaches take advantage of rules allowing courtesy runners for their backstops.
“This program means a lot to Cannon and has since day one,” Heritage coach Joseph Beagles said. “He had to miss time as a freshman with a foot injury, but that setback helped propel him into the competitor he is. You can tell when watching him play how much he loves the game. He enjoys being out here and getting after it. He can run the bases well and controls them, too, from behind the plate working with our pitchers.”