SB: Wildcats Clinch #1 Seed in the West, Earns First Round Bye in NAC Tournament.

SB: Wildcats Clinch #1 Seed in the West, Earns First Round Bye in NAC Tournament.

Utica, NY - Following a strong 2024 campaign, the 24-8 Wildcats are getting ready to head to Maine for this year's NAC Championship tournament. The Wildcats put together a strong season, in which they went 14-1 in conference play. The Wildcats led the conference in multiple stats, including batting average (.381), ERA (1.71), Opponent batting average (.203) and fewest earned runs allowed (42). The Wildcats are returning to the playoffs for the second time in as many years, following last year's efforts that saw them fall just short of the championship.

SUNY Poly just completed a dominant season that saw 5 Wildcats finish with a batting average of .400 or better (Kimberly Birmingham, Ava Faragon, Joy Stevens, Jadyn Childers, Alivia Turk). Kimberly Birmingham and Alivia Turk were also at the top of the doubles and triples column, with Birmingham leading the league at 14 doubles and Turk leading the league at eight triples. Ava Faragon also finished the season as the NAC's leading hit getter with 44. 

The Wildcats also controlled the mound, where their two star pitchers, Trinity Critelli and Joy Stevens, led the way in multiple conference categories. Critelli finished the season with the second best ERA in the conference (1.50), second most wins (13) and had the most strikeouts of any pitcher in the conference with 179. Stevens posted the conference's fourth best ERA (2.01) while also giving up the fourth least earned runs throughout the season (20). 

Since SUNY Poly captured the #1 seed in the West, they will have a bye in the first round. The Wildcats will either play Maine Farmington or Thomas at 4:00 P.M. on Thursday, May 9th.