North Myrtle Beach, S.C. – The SUNY Poly softball team split a pair of games on Saturday, erupting offensively for a 15–9 victory over the University of Maine Presque Isle in the opener before falling 5–1 to FDU Florham in game two. The Wildcats are now 1-3 on the season.

GAME ONE: SUNY POLY VS. UNIVERSITY OF MAINE PRESQUE ISLE

SUNY Poly wasted no time getting its offense going, exploding for four runs in the top of the first inning. Ava Faragon and Shelbi Hagues set the tone by reaching base to open the game, and after a passed ball moved both into scoring position, Alivia Turk drew a walk to load the bases. Annabella Mondello brought home the first run with an infield fly, and Joely Welpe followed with a two-run double to center. Jessica Glenn added an RBI double later in the frame to give the Wildcats a 4–0 advantage.

The Wildcats continued to apply pressure in the second inning. Marissa Jarvis tripled to lead things off and later scored on a single from Hagues. Welpe came through again later in the inning with a two-run single, extending the lead to 7–0.

SUNY Poly's biggest inning came in the third, when the lineup produced six runs on a string of extra-base hits. Faragon delivered a two-run triple, Hagues followed with an RBI single, and Mondello capped the rally with a two-run triple of her own. A sacrifice fly from Kelly Powell pushed the Wildcats' lead to 13–0.

Maine Presque Isle responded in the bottom half of the third with a big inning of its own, capitalizing on walks, hits, and defensive miscues to score seven runs and cut the deficit to 13–7.

The Owls continued to chip away in the fourth, adding two more runs to make it a 13–9 game, but SUNY Poly regained control late. Turk delivered an RBI double in the sixth to extend the lead, and in the seventh, Welpe and Gianna O'Connor hit back-to-back triples to plate an insurance run.

Despite the mid-game rally from Maine Presque Isle, SUNY Poly's early offensive surge proved to be enough, as the Wildcats closed out the 15–9 victory behind a strong overall hitting performance.

GAME TWO: SUNY POLY VS. FDU FLORHAM

Game two opened as a defensive battle, with both teams held scoreless through the first inning. SUNY Poly picked up a pair of hits early but was unable to convert them into runs.

FDU Florham broke through in the second inning with a five-run outburst. Taking advantage of a defensive error and a series of timely hits, the Devils strung together multiple RBI singles and a fielder's choice to build a 5–0 lead.

The Wildcats struggled to find offensive rhythm against Florham pitching, managing only a handful of baserunners through the middle innings. SUNY Poly threatened in the fifth with singles from Reese Tucker and Katelyn Adams, but the rally was cut short.

SUNY Poly finally broke through in the seventh inning. Tucker worked a leadoff walk and Jarvis reached on an error before Hagues delivered an RBI single to bring home the Wildcats' lone run of the game.

However, that would be as close as SUNY Poly would get, as FDU Florham recorded the final outs to secure the 5–1 win.