Oneonta, NY: The SUNY Cobleskill softball team stormed through three consecutive elimination games on Saturday at the NAC Championship Tournament, defeating SUNY Delhi, UMaine-Farmington, and Thomas College to advance to the North Atlantic Conference Championship round.

With their thrilling third win of the day, the Tigers set a new program record for most wins in a season, improving to 22 victories overall.

Game One: Cobleskill 10, Delhi 6
In a high-stakes elimination game at the North Atlantic Conference Tournament, the SUNY Cobleskill softball team came out swinging, using a three-run first inning to set the tone before sealing the deal with a two-run sixth to take down SUNY Delhi 10-6 and keep their postseason run alive.
 
First-year Hannah Dean (Ripley, ME/Dexter) led the offensive charge, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored. Gabriella Wendelken (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane) turned in a strong performance as well, finishing 1-for-3 with a triple, an RBI, and two runs scored. Avery Prievo (Camden, NY) contributed a key RBI double in a 1-for-4 effort, and Mackenzie Wendelken (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane) went 1-for-3 with a run-scoring double and a run scored.
 
Gabriella Wendelken also got the start in the circle, going the distance with a complete-game effort. The first-year hurler tossed 7.0 innings, allowing six runs—three earned—on six hits while striking out one.
 
The Tigers wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard. In the opening frame, Mackenzie Wendelken ripped a double to center to bring home Jenna Smyczynski (East Aurora, NY), and Gabby Wendelken followed with a triple to plate her sister and make it 2-0. Gabby then came around to score on a Delhi error to cap a three-run first.
 
Delhi clawed back to tie things up 3-3 in the top of the fourth, but Cobleskill answered immediately. RBI singles from Samantha Bargren (Wilmington, DE/Brandywine) and Kylie Rattigan (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) powered a three-run bottom half of the inning to restore a 6-3 lead. The Broncos weren't done, though, as they responded with three more in the fifth to even the score once again at 6-6.
 
With their season hanging in the balance, the Fighting Tigers responded like a team determined to stay alive. Dean sparked a two-run rally in the fifth with an infield single that brought home Wendelken, then scored herself on a Delhi miscue. Cobleskill tacked on two more in the sixth—pinch runner Madelynn Orosz (Seymour, CT/Nonnewaug) crossed the plate on an error, and Prievo delivered a clutch RBI double to score Aliyah Neeser (Forest Lake, Minn/Forest Lake Area).
 
Wendelken shut the door from there, retiring the final Delhi hitters and locking down the win as the Tigers move on in the bracket.
 
Game Two: Cobleskill 18, UMaine-Farmington 12
In their second elimination battle of the day, the SUNY Cobleskill softball team outslugged UMaine-Farmington in a wild 30-run, 29-hit offensive showcase, coming away with an 18-12 win to advance to the NAC third-place game.

Kylie Rattigan (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) led the charge from the top of the order, going 4-for-5 with three doubles, three runs scored, and an RBI. Avery Prievo had a career day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a triple and a career-high seven RBIs. Aliyah Neeser added a 2-for-5 performance with three RBIs, while Kailee DiGiacco (Spencerport, NY) was unstoppable, finishing 4-for-5 with two RBIs, two runs scored, and a triple. Hannah Dean kept her hot bat going with two RBIs, and both Gabriella and Mackenzie Wendelken added RBIs of their own.

In the circle, Cobleskill leaned on three pitchers. Madelynn Orosz got the start, allowing eight runs on five hits over 1.2 innings. Jaydaci Chamberlain (Northborough, Mass/Norfolk County Ag) saw brief action before Gabriella Wendelken entered in the third with the Tigers trailing 10-8. From there, the first-year right-hander steadied the ship, tossing 5.0 strong innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out three to earn the win and improve to 8-4 on the year.

The Tigers came out swinging in the top of the first, pushing across four runs, highlighted by a clutch two-run single from Dean. The Beavers answered with three in the bottom half, setting the tone for what would be a back-and-forth slugfest. Cobleskill responded with three more in the second, but Farmington erupted for seven runs in the bottom half to jump ahead 10-7.

Undeterred, the Tigers chipped away and tied the game at 12-12 before reclaiming the lead in the fifth on an RBI single to center by Prievo that brought home Wendelken. From there, Cobleskill seized control for good with a monster sixth inning. Rattigan doubled to right to drive in DiGiacco, and with the bases loaded, Gabby Wendelken reached on a fielder's choice to bring in another run. Then Prievo cleared the bases with a three-RBI triple to give Cobleskill an 18-12 lead.

Wendelken slammed the door from there, silencing the Beavers' bats to close out the win and end UMaine-Farmington's season.

Game Three: Cobleskill 8, Thomas 7
In a game that will go down in Cobleskill softball history, the Fighting Tigers mounted a dramatic seventh-inning comeback to defeat Thomas College, 8-7, and punch their ticket to the NAC Championship Game—while also setting a new program record for wins in a season.

Aliyah Neeser led the way at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs, and two runs scored—including the game-winner. Mackenzie Wendelken added a 2-for-3 performance with an RBI, and Avery Prievo drove in two runs while going 1-for-4. Madelynn Orosz delivered the biggest hit of the day with the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the seventh inning.

Cobleskill turned to a full staff effort in the circle. Brielle Dixon (Millville, NJ) started the game and went one inning before Jaydaci Chamberlain entered in relief for 1.1 innings. With the Tigers in a 7-1 hole, Orosz took over in the third inning and delivered a masterful 4.2-inning performance, allowing just one hit and no runs to completely shut down the Terriers and keep the Tigers' season alive.

Down 7-1 in the third, Cobleskill began to claw back. In the fourth, Prievo drove in Brook Irizarry (Florida, NY/S.S. Seward) and Mackenzie Wendelken came home on a wild pitch to make it 7-3. The sixth inning saw more life from the Tigers as Prievo singled to left center to bring home Neeser, then Jenna Smyczynski laced a base hit to plate Prievo and cut the deficit to just two.

Then came the top of the seventh—the turning point. With the tying run on base, Neeser ripped a clutch double into the gap, scoring both Wendelken sisters to even the score at 7-7. Orosz followed with a textbook RBI single back up the middle to bring Neeser home and give Cobleskill its first lead since the opening frame.

Orosz then took the ball back in the circle and calmly shut the door with a three-up, three-down bottom of the seventh to seal the comeback and secure Cobleskill's spot in the title game.
 
Up Next:
The Tigers will face number one seed Husson University tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at SUNY Oneonta in the first game of the NAC Championship round. If Cobleskill wins the first game, then they will play again at 3:00 p.m. and the winner will be crowned champions.