Troy, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly softball team split a tightly contested doubleheader against Russell Sage on Sunday afternoon, rallying for a 5–2 win in game one before falling just short in a 6–5 decision in the nightcap. With the split, the Wildcats sit at 6-6 on the season.
GAME ONE: SUNY POLY VS. RUSSELL SAGE
Game one developed into a classic pitchers' duel early, with both teams held scoreless through the first four innings.
SUNY Poly managed just one hit through the opening four frames, while the Wildcats' defense and pitching matched Russell Sage pitch for pitch. Sage threatened in the first and third innings by putting runners aboard, but SUNY Poly worked out of both jams to keep the game scoreless.
Russell Sage finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth. After a leadoff walk and a sacrifice moved the runner into scoring position, Annalise Tyler reached on an infield single and later stole second. Bella Julian then brought home the game's first run with an RBI groundout, giving Sage a 1–0 edge.
The Wildcats answered in emphatic fashion in the top of the sixth.
Katelyn Adams started the inning with a single, and Shelbi Hagues followed with a walk to quickly put two runners on. After a pair of outs nearly halted the rally, Annabella Mondello came through with a clutch RBI single to right that tied the game at 1–1.
From there, SUNY Poly kept the pressure on. Joely Welpe reached on a Russell Sage error that allowed another run to score, putting the Wildcats in front 2–1. Jenna Glenn was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Reese Tucker drew a run-scoring walk to make it 3–1. Kelly Powell followed with another RBI walk, and a wild pitch later in the inning brought home SUNY Poly's fifth run as the Wildcats suddenly turned a one-run deficit into a 5–1 lead.
Russell Sage scratched one run back in the bottom of the sixth after a single, two wild pitches, and a SUNY Poly error helped Izabelle Ratcliffe come around to score, trimming the margin to 5–2.
That would be as close as Sage would get.
SUNY Poly closed the door in dominant fashion in the seventh, as the Wildcats struck out the side to seal the 5–2 win and cap off a strong late-game comeback.
GAME TWO: SUNY POLY VS. RUSSELL SAGE
Game two followed a very different script, as SUNY Poly jumped out early before Russell Sage answered with a late push.
After stranding a runner at third in the first and leaving two more aboard in the second, the Wildcats finally broke through in the top of the third with a four-run inning.
Katelyn Adams reached to start the rally, and after an error and aggressive baserunning, SUNY Poly grabbed the game's first run when Adams came home on a Sage miscue. Alivia Turk later scored on a wild pitch to make it 2–0, and the Wildcats continued to capitalize from there. Joely Welpe ripped an RBI single to center to plate another run, and Kelly Powell followed with an RBI single of her own to give SUNY Poly a 4–0 advantage.
Russell Sage chipped away in the bottom half of the inning. After an error put a runner aboard, Annalise Tyler doubled home a run, and Jade Maille added an RBI single to cut the Wildcats' lead in half at 4–2.
Sage drew even closer in the fourth. A hit batter and another SUNY Poly error helped create a scoring chance, and Bella Julian delivered a sacrifice fly to bring the Gators within 4–3.
The Wildcats had chances to add insurance over the next two innings but were unable to cash in. SUNY Poly put runners aboard in both the fifth and sixth, yet Russell Sage worked out of trouble and kept the deficit at one.
That opened the door for the decisive sixth inning.
Russell Sage tied the game with a leadoff double and a run-scoring double from Julian, then kept the inning alive with an error and a hit batter. Izabelle Ratcliffe delivered the biggest swing of the game with a two-run double to left, turning a 4–3 SUNY Poly lead into a 6–4 Russell Sage advantage.
The Wildcats made one final push in the top of the seventh.
Turk led off with a single and moved into scoring position before Welpe came through again with an RBI single to center, cutting the deficit to 6–5. SUNY Poly brought the tying run aboard and put the pressure on late, but Russell Sage was able to record the final out and hold on for the split.
