SYRACUSE – What was for so long a source of angst – namely, the West Genesee baseball team’s quest for a Section III championship – has now turned into a starting point with much greater goals in mind.
The Wildcats were never seriously challenged on the way to a second consecutive sectional Class AA title, capping it off Sunday at Onondaga Community College with an 8-0 shutout over no. 2 Whitesboro – right after it beat Central Square by that same score on this same turf two nights earlier.
When WG claimed this same title 12 months ago, it was a catharsis, ending 47 years without a sectional championship after a string of near-misses in previous seasons. All other considerations were cast aside.
In 2025, though, the Wildcats have risen all the way to no. 2 in the state Class AA rankings and have the belief that the program’s first-ever state title is within reach if this high level of play keeps up
WG never surrendered a run in any of its three sectional games. A 13-0 quarterfinal shutout of no. 8 seed Fulton began the run, and it continued against Central Square largely riding the strong arm of Colin Crinnin.
The Redhawks managed just one hit, a single from Jack Hite, and Crinnin only walked one batter while striking out eight. Of course, it helped that the Wildcats’ bats took pressure off him right at the outset.
A pair of runs in both the first and second innings had WG in front 4-0. A four-run fourth inning followed, the biggest blow Nick Meluni’s home run as he finished with two RBIs, a total Crinnin and Austin Glowacki equaled. Single RBIs went to Ben Jessen and Colin Straub as WG got all of its runs on just five hits.
Whitesboro, the no. 2 seed, awaited in the final, having blanked Watertown 7-0 and handled Auburn 7-2 and eager for a rematch with the Wildcats side which beat them 2-1 in that tense 2024 title game.
Ryan Tabaczyk was back on the mound, having only pitched three innings in the quarterfinal against Fulton. Just like Crinnin, he would play a part in making sure he had a lead to work with all afternoon.
Tabaczyk and Meluni both reached base in the bottom of the first off Whitesboro starter J.J. Roberts. Soon they were racing home, the beneficiary of a triple by Glowacki which put WG in front for good.
An inning later Zach Elinich added a triple of his own, trotting home on Straub’s fly ball. Then that 3-0 advantage grew in the third with the Wildcats plating four runs, ultimately chasing Roberts.
Meluni again struck for an extra-base hit, this time an RBI double, and Tabaczyk drove in two more with a single and Jessen finished off the rally with a single to score Glowacki.
A single run was enough for Tabaczyk. Though he had half of Crinnin’s strikeout total from the Central Square game (four), he limited Whitesboro to three hits and two walks, running the Wildcats’ playoff shutout streak to 21 innings.
Whether it turns into more depends on what happens next. Having lost to Bethlehem in last year’s regional final, WG now faces another Section II champion in this same round Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy.
