CAZENOVIA, N.Y. - The SUNY Poly softball team took care of business on Tuesday night, beating Cazenovia 8-6 and 7-5 in two games to clinch the #1 seed in the West, earning the right to host the NAC Championship Tournament. The Wildcats took an early lead in game one and defended that lead right to the end. In game two Cazenovia opened the game with a pair of runs to take an early lead, but the Wildcats scored in the second and third innings to take a 5-2 lead that they rode to the finish line. The Wildcats wrap up NAC play with an 11-1 conference record.

GAME ONE:

SUNY Poly – 8

Cazenovia – 5

WP: Trinity Critelli (14-2)

LP: Morgan Marl (4-5)  

HOW IT HAPPENED:

SUNY Poly opened the game with a run in the top of the first on an RBI single by Aeron Hamm that scored Ava Faragon. The Wildcats extended their lead to 4-0 in the third inning on an RBI double by Amy DeSena, an RBI groundout by Kimberly Birmingham, and a wild pitch that allowed DeSena to score.

Cazenovia made it a 4-1 game in the fourth on a solo home run by Madison Cieslak.

In the sixth, the Wildcats plated a run on an RBI double by Kelly Powell. Cazenovia answered in the bottom of the sixth with a run on an RBI single by Sydney Burk.

The seventh inning saw seven runs cross the plate, three for SUNY Poly and four for Cazenovia. In the top of the inning, Poly's Amy DeSena had an RBI single to drive in Trinity Critelli. Aeron Hamm drove in a pair of runs just two batters later on a 2 RBI single to make it an 8-2 lead. Cazenovia scored two runs on two bases-loaded walks in the bottom of the inning and followed that up with a 2 RBI single by Sydney Burk to cut the lead to two, but that is where the game would come to an end.

Trinity Critelli was the winning pitcher, improving her season record to 14-2. She allowed five earned runs on 10 hits and struck out 13. Morgan Marl was on the losing side of the decision for Cazenovia. She allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits and had four strikeouts.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Amy DeSena went 2-for-3 in the game with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored for SUNY Poly.
• SUNY Poly's Aeron Hamm had two hits, three RBI, a stolen base, and scored a run.
• Ava Faragon went 2-for-3 for the Wildcats with three runs scored.
• Sydney Burk had three hits for Cazenovia with three runs batted in.
• Morgan Marl went 2-for-3 for Cazenovia with an RBI and a run scored.
• Madison Cieslak went 1-for-3 with a home run.

GAME TWO

SUNY Poly – 7

Cazenovia – 5

WP: Trinity Critelli (15-2)

LP: Sarah Penny (4-4)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Cazenovia jumped out to an early lead with a pair of RBI singles by Olivia Simone and Madison Cieslak in the bottom of the first inning. The Wildcats answered back in the top of the second with two runs of their own to tie the game. Trinity Critelli drove in the first run on a productive groundout. Joy Stevens drove in the other run with an RBI single.

SUNY Poly took the lead in the third, scoring three runs on an RBI double by Amy DeSena, an RBI single by Aeron Hamm, and an RBI single by Kelly Powell. Madison Cieslak hit her second home run of the day, for Cazenovia, a two-run home run, to make it a 5-4 game.

In the sixth, Joy Stevens drove in another two runs on a single to give the Wildcats some much-needed insurance. Cazenovia scored one run in the bottom of the sixth on a Sarah Penny single to make it a 7-5 game, but Trinity Critelli would shut the door with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to give the Wildcats their most important win of the season to date.

With the win, the Wildcats won the three-game series 2-1 and clinched the right to host the NAC Championship Tournament on May 7th, 8th, and 9th.

Trinity Critelli earned her second win of the day. She threw seven innings, allowed five earned runs, and struck out six batters. Sarah Penny was the losing pitcher for Cazenovia. She allowed five runs, on eight hits.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Joy Stevens led the way for SUNY Poly. She had two hits and drove in three runs.
• Kelly Powell went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Wildcats.
• Amy DeSena had the lone extra-base hit for the Wildcats. She went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
• Aeron Hamm and Trinity Critelli both had a hit for the Wildcats and drove in a run.
• Madison Cieslak had a pair of hits including a two-run home run and three RBI for Cazenovia. She was the only player for them that had multiple hits.

*************************************************************************************************************

SUNY Poly is New York's globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience programs at its Albany campus, and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, game design, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica campus; thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world's most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and hundreds of corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.