Thunderwolves split with Corning in final road trip of regular season
*** PHOTO COURTESY OF GEOFF SCHNEIDER ***
In its final road trip of the regular season, SUNY Niagara split a second consecutive NJCAA Region III doubleheader following its action at Corning Community College Saturday. The Thunderwolves posted an 11-0 five-inning win in Game One and a 6-2 seven-inning defeat in Game Two.
Ranking second in the current NJCAA Div. III national ranking, SUNY Niagara is 44-5 and 24-2 in the Region III West Standings. This season, the Thunderwolves are also 32-0 when they score at least 10 runs in a contest and 397-78 (.836) overall in the last 10 seasons since 2017.
SUNY Niagara concludes the regular season with a doubleheader versus Corning starting at 1 p.m. Sunday at Sal Maglie Stadium in Niagara Falls (pregame coverage begins at 12:45 p.m. on WLVL.com). The Thunderwolves are 46-2 at the historic venue over the last three seasons and won 38 straight home contests before their 7-6 loss versus Onondaga Community College on Thursday, their first defeat since a 4-0 loss to Erie Community College on April 15, 2024.
SUNY Niagara will also honor its 18-member Class of 2026 with an on-field ceremony once Game One concludes as part of its "Sophomore Day" festivities. Austin Barton, Keegan Bazinet, Charlie Chubak, Joe Czaja, Luke Gigliotti, Cam Gravelle, Liam Hadfield, Dalton Harper, Matt Kasprowicz, Evan Kohr, Bryce Mashanic, Mike Munzert, Joe Panzarella, Cooper Polcovich, Cooper Prizel, Cooper Rossano, Mike Schaefer and Jackson Sheehy will be honored.
Game One: SUNY Niagara 11, Corning Community College 0, Final, 5 Innings
One-run singles from Dalton Harper and Cooper Rossano in the top of the first and third innings, respectively, gave SUNY Niagara a 2-0 lead. The Thunderwolves then scored the game's final nine runs in the top of the fourth.
The sequence included a one-run double and a single from Luke Gigliotti, a two-run single from Cam Gravelle, a one-run single from Shacory Williams and a one-run double from Cam Graurin. Two more runs in the fourth were scored on a Corning infield error.
Gravelle, Harper and Gigliotti all had two hits and scored twice. Williams also had a two-hit day and scored once.
Rossano (RBI) and Gruarin (RBI and run) had one hit each. Evan Kohr and Jacob Hudson scored a run and Mike Schaefer brought home two runs and scored once.
Keegan Bazinet recorded his 10th career win and moved to 9-0 in his sophomore campaign after a four-inning outing that featured three hits, four strikeouts and one walk on 69 pitches (44 strikes). The sophomore and Ontario resident is now 10-0 in 12 career starts (15 appearances) and has logged 79.2 innings and 95 career strikeouts (66 this season).
Joe Czaja recorded the final three outs in the fifth on three strikeouts (11 pitches, 9 strikes).
Game Two: Corning Community College 6, SUNY Niagara 2, Final, 7 Innings
SUNY Niagara jumped out to a 2-0 lead through two innings. Cooper Rossano recorded his 99th career RBI with a one-run triple in the first, and Shacory Williams had a sacrifice fly in the second.
The Red Barons then scored the game's final six runs in the bottom of the fourth and held on for the win.
Rossano, Mike Schaefer, Jacob Hudson and Dalton Harper (one run) all had one hit each. Evan Kohr scored on Williams' sacrifice fly.
In the loss, Andrew Kelly recorded his third start of the season and allowed four runs on two hits in three innings (65 pitches, 38 strikes). The Niagara Wheatfield graduate also threw a season-high seven strikeouts and three walks.
Brady Case came in relief and recorded the final two outs but gave up two runs on three hits plus a strikeout (17 pitches, 11 strikes). Derrick Allen then went 2.1 innings on the hill and allowed only one hit, struck out three and walked one (28 pitches, 21 strikes).