Keuka Park, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly baseball team split a wild doubleheader on the road against Keuka College on Sunday, dropping a heartbreaker in extra innings in game one, 11–10, before bouncing back with a commanding 11–3 victory in game two. With the win in game two, the Wildcats have clinched a spot in the Empire 8 playoffs.
GAME ONE:
SUNY Poly wasted no time jumping on the scoreboard in the first inning, capitalizing on defensive miscues to plate three runs. Johnny Yamin reached on an error and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Luke Landis, while Derek Holmes added an RBI double. Mike Lazaridis also reached and came around to score as the Wildcats took an early 3–0 lead.
Keuka answered with an unearned run in the bottom half, but SUNY Poly extended its advantage in the second. John Leonard delivered a two-run double, and Jackson Mackenzie followed with an RBI single to push the lead to 6–1.
After adding another run in the third on a Leonard sacrifice fly, the Wildcats saw Keuka storm back. The Wolves put together a three-run third inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Michael Brown and a steal of home, cutting the deficit to 7–5.
The Wildcats regained some breathing room in the fifth, scoring twice behind RBI hits from Leonard and help from another Keuka error to make it 9–5. However, Keuka responded again in the bottom half with three runs, using a sacrifice fly, hit-by-pitch, and timely situational hitting to trim the lead to 9–8.
SUNY Poly added an insurance run in the seventh when Chris Baker scored on a Keuka error, extending the lead to 10–8. But Keuka refused to go away, plating a run in the eighth on an RBI double from Grady Kessler to make it 10–9.
In a dramatic ninth inning, Keuka tied the game without recording a hit, using a series of wild pitches and passed balls to even the score at 10–10 and force extra innings.
Both teams traded scoreless frames into the 12th inning, with pitchers and defenses settling in under pressure. In the bottom of the 12th, Keuka capitalized on a walk, a passed ball, and a stolen base before Mike Dutch delivered the walk-off RBI single to center, handing SUNY Poly an 11–10 loss in a marathon opener.
GAME TWO:
The Wildcats responded quickly in game two, bouncing back from the tough loss with a composed and consistent offensive effort. After falling behind 2–1 in the second inning, SUNY Poly erupted in the third.
John Leonard doubled to start the rally, and the Wildcats loaded the bases with patient at-bats. Jackson Mackenzie drew an RBI walk, Derek Menechino added a sacrifice fly, and Chris Baker came through with a two-run single to cap a four-run inning and give SUNY Poly a 5–2 lead.
SUNY Poly continued to build momentum in the fourth, as Carter Hufland delivered a clutch two-run single to extend the lead to 7–2. The Wildcats added two more in the fifth behind RBI doubles from Brody Liddy and Johnny Yamin, pushing the advantage to 9–2.
Meanwhile, SUNY Poly's pitching staff kept Keuka in check, stranding runners and limiting scoring opportunities through the middle innings.
In the seventh, the Wildcats put the game out of reach. Chris Baker tripled to open the inning, and Liddy followed with an RBI double. Yamin added another RBI single to make it 11–2.
Keuka managed a run in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly, but SUNY Poly closed things out from there to secure the 11–3 win and earn the split.
