Thunderwolves sweep SUNY Adirondack in home opener Saturday, off to best Region III start in four years

SUNY Niagara continued its winning ways and won both contests against SUNY Adirondack in NJCAA Region III play Saturday at Grand Island High School. In their home opener, the Thunderwolves won the first contest in six innings, 13-5, and a 27-9 five-inning finish in Game Two.

The 13-5 win in Game One marked SUNY Niagara’s third come-from-behind win this season and its first since a pair of victories against Tompkins Cortland Community College. The 27 runs on 24 hits in Game Two established both season-high and single-game records for the program dating back to 2015 (26 versus CCBC Dundalk, April 28, 2015; Genesee Community College on April 28, 2023).

Saturday marked only the third time that SUNY Niagara scored at least 40 runs in a two-game series. The Thunderwolves scored 41 runs in a doubleheader at Erie Community College on April 28, 2022, and 50 runs in a two-game set versus Genesee Community College on April 28, 2023.

SUNY Niagara is now 6-9 overall and 5-1 in NJCAA Region III action, its best regional start since 2022 (6-0). The Thunderwolves have won five of their last six contests.

Weather permitting, SUNY Niagara continues its NJCAA Region III slate with a doubleheader at Corning Community College at Noon. The Red Barons are 7-3 against the Thunderwolves since 2018 and have won five of the last six meetings, including last season’s split May 6 in Sanborn. 

Game One: SUNY Niagara 13, SUNY Adirondack 5, Final 6 innings

SUNY Adirondack jumped out to a 3-0 start in the top of the first before Miranda Shingleton recorded a sacrifice fly that brought home Quinn Manth for SUNY Niagara’s first run and cut the deficit to 3-1. The Thunderwolves then recorded four runs in the bottom of the fourth and took a 5-3 lead.

Freshman and Lancaster graduate Emmilie Sypherd recorded the go-ahead three-run double and brought home Molly Syposs, Lauren Kisloski, and Mia Herman, giving the Thunderwolves a 4-3 lead. Two at-bats later, Syposs scored on a steal at home (5-3 SUNY Niagara).

SUNY Niagara added four more runs to its total in the bottom of the fifth. Herman recorded a two-run single that sent Syposs and Kisloski home (7-3 SUNY Niagara), Herman scored a run stealing home (8-3 SUNY Niagara) and Miranda Shingleton brought home Manth on a one-run single (9-3 SUNY Niagara). 

After SUNY Adirondack scored twice in the top of the sixth, the Thunderwolves again scored four times, which was enough to secure the win. Sidney Ziemendorf scored on Sypherd’s sacrifice fly (10-5 SUNY Niagara), Kisloski scored stealing home (11-5 SUNY Niagara) and Miranda Shingleton ended the game with a two-run double, bringing home Herman and Jordan Shaffer.

In the win, Manth went 3-for-5 at the plate, scored two runs and stole three bases. Miranda Shingleton went 2-for-3 and drove in a team-high four runs.

Sypherd went 1-for-2, drove in three runs and scored a run. Herman and Kisloski each recorded one hit, drove in two runs and scored three times. 

Syposs scored two runs and Ziemendorf and Eva Lacy scored a run each. Syposs, Hanley and Shaffer all recorded one hit apiece. 

  In the circle, Hanley recorded her second win of the season. She allowed three earned runs (five runs total) on six hits along with four strikeouts in six innings of work on 78 pitches. 

Game Two: SUNY Niagara 27, SUNY Adirondack 9, Final 5 innings

SUNY Niagara jumped out to a 10-1 lead after the first and did not look back. Miranda Shingleton recorded a three-run double in the first as part of her 5-for-6 day with a season-high seven runs batted in, another four runs scored and her third home run of the season.

Caitlyn Hanley and Gianna Simone also recorded a two-run single each in the first. Molly Syposs and Lauren Kisloski recorded a one-run single each.

In the second, Syposs recorded a two-run triple and later scored home. Quinn Manth 

posted a two-run double and Miranda Shingleton had a one-run double to extend SUNY Niagara’s lead to 16-1.

In the fourth, SUNY Niagara led 20-7. Manth recorded her second two-run double of the game, Gianna Simone had a one-run single and Miranda Shingleton recorded an RBI walk. 

Manth, Syposs, Sypherd and Simone all recorded three hits each in the win. Manth and Sypherd drove in four runs each, Simone drove in three runs and Syposs recorded a team-high five stolen bases along with four runs.

Hanley and Kisloski recorded two hits apiece. Kisloski drove in three runs and Hanley drove in a run and scored twice. Herman recorded one hit and drove in a run, and Marissa Shingleton posted a hit, batted in two runs and scored twice.

Leah Kresman and Sidney Ziemendorf scored a run each. Eva Lacy scored twice and drove in a run along with her hit. 

In the circle, Marissa Shingleton recorded her third win of the season. She allowed three earned runs (seven total runs) on 10 hits, struck out five and walked two in four innings (62 pitches).

Madison Bainbridge threw the fifth inning for the Thunderwolves. On 33 pitches, Bainbridge allowed two runs on no hits, walked five and recorded one strikeout.