DEPEW, N.Y. — The game played at Binghamton University lasted over 8 hours following a rain delay that forced the teams to switch stadiums.
Yet, after scoring four times in the sixth inning, the Wildcats successfully beat the Bobcats 5-4, closing out their season with a 25 and 1 record. Their success has made history for both the school and the Western NY area.
"Definitely the perfect way to go out," said Senior Captain Josh Toolen. "And now, 20 years from now people from high school are gonna look back and talk about us."
Team captains Tyler Karnyski, Eric Woodley, and Josh Toolen are all seniors on the team, making the game a particularly emotional moment for them as they prepare to leave for college in the fall. They recalled kicking off the season having the end goal of becoming a championship team, with the "brotherhood" culture being a necessary tool in achieving that goal.
"We were down 4-1, and everyone was kind of down in the moment," said Karnyski, recalling feelings of doubt earlier on in the game. "Us captains pulled us together and we came back and won that game."
The team grants much of the credit for their win to their head coach, Dennis Crawley, who they say "never stopped pushing them to success". Two years ago, Coach Crawley was diagnosed with ALS – a neurodegenerative disease that has required him to coach the championship-winning team on crutches this season.
"When I first took over, that's the one thing I wanted to do was bring the program back to where it should be," said Coach Crawley. "Every game is memorable for me now, with my condition. I love being on the diamond, and this year was just so much fun because it's such a good group."
With their graduation impending, the boys hope the historical win will serve as an inspiration to next year's baseball team, and feel honored to be leaving a legacy behind.
"Don't let anyone else outwork you," said Woodley, when asked about advice for future players. "Always give 110% effort in and out of practice. We don't play for ourselves, we play as a team."