Alfred, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly softball team dropped both ends of a road doubleheader against Alfred on Saturday afternoon, falling in heartbreaking fashion 6–5 in game one before a 5–1 loss in game two. With the pair of losses, the Wildcats are now 10-16 on the season.
GAME ONE:
SUNY Poly came out aggressive in the opener, manufacturing a run in the top of the first. Shelbi Hagues worked a leadoff walk and advanced to third before coming home on a heads-up baserunning sequence during a Kelly Powell single and ensuing caught stealing to give the Wildcats a 1–0 edge.
Alfred answered in the bottom half, capitalizing on an error and a wild pitch to even the score at 1–1.
The game shifted in the third inning when Alfred's Samantha Vidal delivered an inside-the-park two-run home run, sparking a three-run frame that gave the hosts a 4–1 advantage.
SUNY Poly chipped away in the fourth, as Joely Welpe scored on a sacrifice fly by Jenna Glenn to cut the deficit to 4–2.
The Wildcats surged ahead in the fifth inning with a three-run rally. Annabella Mondello doubled to start the inning, and a series of timely hits—including an RBI single from Alivia Turk and a run-scoring groundout by Ava Faragon—helped SUNY Poly take a 5–4 lead.
After a scoreless fifth and sixth from the Wildcats' defense, SUNY Poly carried that slim lead into the final frame. However, Alfred mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh. With runners in scoring position, Kendall Steward delivered a clutch two-run single down the right field line, lifting Alfred to a 6–5 walk-off victory.
GAME TWO:
Alfred struck early in game two, taking advantage of defensive miscues in the first inning to score three runs, with two coming unearned.
SUNY Poly responded in the second inning when Taylor Scranton doubled to right-center field, driving in Ava Faragon to make it 3–1.
Despite opportunities, the Wildcats struggled to build sustained offense. Alfred added insurance runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by RBI hits from Kendall Steward and a run-scoring double from Samantha Wendig to extend the lead to 5–1.
SUNY Poly was held in check over the final innings, managing just one baserunner in the seventh, as Alfred closed out the sweep.
