Thunderwolves split with Genesee, including comeback win in Game Two, in regular season finale Sunday
*** PHOTO COURTESY OF GEOFF SCHNEIDER (GMSPHOTOWNY) ***
SUNY Niagara completed its regular-season schedule and split with Genesee Community College on Sunday in Sanborn. The Thunderwolves lost 9-8 in Game One and then recorded a 9-7 come-from-behind win in Game Two against the Cougars.
SUNY Niagara finished 14-18 and 12-10 in NJCAA Region III action. This is the Thunderwolves' first 10-win season since 2023 and the fourth this decade (11 in 2021, 31 in 2022, 26 in 2023).
SUNY Niagara clinched the No. 6 seed and will face No. 3 Erie in a best-of-3 game series in the NJCAA Region III Division II B sub-regionals. The series starts with a doubleheader at Noon Tuesday at the ECC North Campus in Williamsville.
This marks SUNY Niagara's first postseason appearance since it lost to Onondaga Community College in the Region III North A District Semifinals. The Thunderwolves aim for their first district championship appearance since losing to Corning in the Region III North A championship in 2022.
Game One: Genesee Community College 9, SUNY Niagara 8, Final, 7 Innings
The Thunderwolves scored five runs in the bottom of the first for a 5-0 lead before the Cougars scored seven in the top of the second. The Thunderwolves tacked on one run each in the bottom of the second and third and tied the contest at 7-7.
Genesee then scored one in the top of the fourth and held an 8-7 lead before a one-run single by Emmilie Sypherd brought Grace Schindler home and tied the contest a second time at 8-8. Genesee then scored the go-ahead run on a single in the seventh and held on for the win.
Sypherd and Kisloski both had three hits, drove in two runs and scored one apiece. Schindler (two runs scored) and Miranda Shingleton both had two-hit games and drove in a run each.
Molly Syposs had two hits and scored a run. Quinn Manth, Mia Herman, Gianna Simone and Marissa Shingleton had one hit each.
Caitlyn Hanley went 3-for-3 at the plate and scored a run along with recording the loss in the circle. In her 30th career start, Hanley allowed five runs on seven hits, struck out four and walked two in six innings.
Marissa Shingleton then threw the seventh, allowed no earned runs on one hit, struck out one and walked two.
Game Two: SUNY Niagara 9, Genesee Community College 7, Final, 7 Innings
In one of the wildest finishes in recent history, SUNY Niagara recorded a victory in its final home contest of the regular season. The Thunderwolves and the Cougars were scoreless through the first four innings.
SUNY Niagara had a 1-0 lead in the fifth after Molly Syposs brought home Miranda Shingleton on a one-run single. Genesee then scored seven unanswered in the bottom of the frame and had a 7-1 lead.
The scoring then continued in the top of the seventh when SUNY Niagara scored eight runs and took the eventual 9-7 lead. Quinn Manth recorded a one-run double and later scored on a fielder's choice in Syposs' at-bat (7-3 Genesee).
Grace Schindler had a one-run single, Emmilie Sypherd had a one-run double and Lauren Kisloski brought them both home on a bases-clearing two-run double (7-7). Kisloski then scored on Jordan Shaffer's go-ahead one-run double (8-7), who later scored the insurance run on Gianna Simone's one-run double.
Caitlyn Hanley then recorded the final three outs for the victory, her 11th career win in her 31st career start. Hanley threw 2.1 innings of relief and allowed only one hit, struck out two and walked two.
Syposs went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and drove in one run. Hanley, Shaffer and Simone all had two hits and drove in a run each.
Manth, Kisloski Miranda Shingleton and Grace Schindler all had one hit.
Marissa Shingleton started for the Thunderwolves and allowed seven runs on 10 hits, along with one strikeout and three walks.