Softball | 5/6/2025 5:03:42 PM
No. 5 seed Nazareth University and No. 7 seed SUNY Poly advanced in the opening round of the 2025 Empire 8 Softball Championship on Tuesday, May 6. Nazareth defeated No. 8 seed Elmira College (12-24-1), 5-4 from Golden Flyer Stadium, while SUNY Poly (19-15) defeated No. 6 Russell Sage College (16-24) by a score of 3-1 from Cooperstown Field of Dreams.
Nazareth and Poly advance to the six-team, double-elimination 2025 Empire 8 Softball Championship, which begins Thursday, May 8 at St. John Fisher College. Poly will begin play on Thursday morning at 9 a.m. against host and top-seed St. John Fisher, while Nazareth will take on No. 2 seed Alfred University at 11:30 a.m. No. 3 seed SUNY Geneseo will take on No. 4 Utica University Thursday at 2 p.m.
The complete tournament schedule is below, as all games will be played at St. John Fisher.
NO. 5 NAZARETH 5, NO. 8 ELMIRA 4
Nazareth scored three times in the bottom of the fifth inning to snap a 2-2 tie and earn its 21st win of the season to break the program record for overall wins.overall record improves to 21-13 overall and 14-8 in conference play, while Elmira closes its season with an overall record of 12-24-1 and a conference record of 9-13.
The Golden Flyers got on the board early in the game with a run in the bottom of the first after holding the Soaring Eagles scoreless in the top of the inning. With two outs,
Kaijah Alexander doubled to the right center wall, and was then advanced to third on an infield single by
Sarah Ferruzza. With two runners on,
Haleigh Suitor put a ball in play, causing an error in the field and allowing Alexander to score.
In the second, the Golden Flyers were able to hold Elmira scoreless in the top of the inning on four batters again. In the bottom,
Caitlyn Knapp led off the inning with a homer to score Nazareth's only run of the inning.
After a silent third inning on the scoreboard, Elmira tied the game up with two runs in the top of the fourth.
Still tied, Nazareth went on a rally in the bottom of the fifth with three more runs.
Ashley Bell led off the inning with a walk. Alexander then had a single to center field to go 3-for-3 from the plate and advance Bell to third. Ferruzza followed with a sac fly to center field to score Bell and bring the Golden Flyers' lead back at 3-2. With two outs and Alexander on base,
Madison Hicks knocked one over the fence to bring around the other two runs of the inning.
Despite Elmira slowly chipping away at the 5-2 lead with one run in the top of the sixth on a home run by Jocelyn Jean and one in the top of the seventh.
Asia Curkendall opened the seventh inning with a triple to right field for Elmira and would later score off a sacrifice fly from Ramstine to make it 5-4. The Soaring Eagles would come up a run short as Colwill flied out to left field to end the game.
Avery Zembek was in the circle for the full seven innings, tallying eight strikeouts and being charged with four earned runs
Allie Mienaltowski took the loss in the circle for the Soaring Eagles after allowing five runs off seven hits through six innings.
NO. 7 SUNY POLY 3, NO. 6 RUSSELL SAGE 1
SUNY Poly softball scored two first inning runs en route to defeating Russell Sage by a score of 3-1.
Kimberly Birmingham was instrumental on offense, driving in two runs.
Trinity Critelli dominated in the circle, striking out 11 batters in a complete game effort.
The Wildcats struck quickly in the top of the first. Ava Faragon and Alivia Turk opened the game with walks, and Shelbi Hagues reached base with a bunt single to load the bases early. Kimberly Birmingham then drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the game's first run. Two batters later, Joely Welpe added another RBI walk to make it 2–0 before Sage finally escaped the inning.
Russell Sage had a chance to respond in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with one out after a couple of walks and a single. But SUNY Poly starter Trinity Critelli buckled down, striking out two straight to strand all three runners.
From there, the middle innings were dominated by pitching and missed opportunities. SUNY Poly threatened again in the fourth and fifth innings, but stranded a pair of runners in scoring position. Sage put two on in the second following a single and an error, but couldn't cash in.
The Gators broke through in the fifth. Annalise Tyler led off with a double and was bunted to third. Emma Heartquist then drove her in with a groundout to short, trimming the deficit to 2-1.
The Wildcats answered right back in the seventh. Faragon walked to start the frame, advanced on a sacrifice, and came around to score on Birmingham's clutch two-out RBI double, stretching the lead to 3-1.
Sage made one last push in the bottom half. After two quick outs, Tyler drew a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. But Critelli locked in and got a called third strike to seal the win for the Wildcats.
2025 Empire 8 Softball Championship Schedule
Tuesday, May 6 (Single Game, First Round at Higher Seed)
No. 5 Nazareth University defeated No. 8 Elmira College, 5-4 – BOX SCORE
No. 7 SUNY Poly defeated No. 6 Russell Sage College (at Cooperstown All-Star Village), 3-1 – BOX SCORE
All Double Elimination Games at Top-Seed
Thursday, May 8
Game 1 – No. 7 SUNY Poly at No. 1 St. John Fisher University – 9 a.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Game 2 – No. 5 Nazareth University vs. No. 2 Alfred University – 11:30 a.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Game 3 – No. 4 Utica University vs. No. 3 SUNY Geneseo – 2 p.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Game 4 – Loser Team from Game 1 vs. Losing Team from Game 2 (Elimination game) – 4:30 p.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Friday, May 9
Game 5 – Winning Team from Game 1 vs. Losing Team from Game 3 – 9 a.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Game 6 – Winning Team from Game 2 vs. WInning Team from Game 3 – 11:30 a.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Game 7 – TBA vs. TBA – 2 p.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Game 8 – TBA vs. TBA – 4:30 p.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Saturday, May 10
Game 9 – TBA vs. TBA – 11 a.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Game 10 – TBA vs. TBA – 1:30 p.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Sunday, May 11
Game 11 – (if necessary) – TBA – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube –
Facebook –
Twitter –
Instagram