Baseball Records Historic Season In 2025
The SUNY Broome baseball program achieved heights in the 2025 season that had not been reached in more than a decade.
The SUNY Broome baseball program achieved heights in the 2025 season that had not been reached in more than a decade.
In 2024, the Hornets improved their win total from 2023 by three games, logging eight wins. The eight wins were the most in a season for the program since the 2014 season. Additionally, then first-year head coach Seve Kowalski led SUNY Broome to a #10 national ranking in NJCAA Division III baseball in the statistical category of stolen bases with 141. After a step forward in 2024, Kowalski led the Hornets to a colossal leap forward in his second season in 2025.
The pivotal rise for the program included an 18-win season, which was a 10-win improvement from 2024. The 18 wins were the most in a season for the Hornets since 2001. Additionally, SUNY Broome qualified for the Region III Championship tournament for the first time in more than 15 seasons.
Compared to seasons in recent history, the successes achieved by the Hornets in 2025 as a collective and individually are unparalleled. Utilizing statistical data capable of dating back to 2013, it is clear that the 2025 season was SUNY Broome baseball's best campaign in the last 13 seasons.
The team plated 240 runs in 2025, which is the most runs in a season dating back to 2013. The Hornets' 203 RBIs on the year were the most in a season dating back to 2013 and ranked within the top-50 in all of NJCAA Division III baseball this season. The .280 team batting average was the second highest mark in a season dating back to 2013, trailing only a .288 average in 2014. The Hornets also had a collective on-base percentage of .397, which is the best in a season going back to 2013 and ranked within the top-50 in all of NJCAA Division III baseball in 2025. The team's slugging percentage of .374 was also the highest mark in a season dating back to 2013.
The Hornets compiled 10 home runs and 70 extra-base hits in 2025, both season-highs dating back to 2013. The team drew 168 walks on the year, another program-high tracing back to 2013, which ranked top-50 in all of NJCAA Division III baseball this season. SUNY Broome drew 49 hit-by-pitches in 2025 as well, which was the most in the past 13 seasons and ranked within the top-50 in all NJCAA Division III baseball in 2025.
Continuing to wreak havoc on the base paths, the Hornets followed up a 2024 campaign where they finished #10 nationally in stolen bases by ranking 26th nationally in the statistical category in 2025 with 113 steals. All of these program-highs within the past 13 years fueled SUNY Broome to a season in which it won 10 games away from home, which is another best in the last 13 seasons.
While it was a total team effort by the Hornets to achieve the success they did in 2025, a few key players stuck out as the driving forces to the team's historic year.
Jacob McTigue had a phenomenal two-way season as a hitter and pitcher. He compiled a .328 batting average, 1 home run, 22 RBIs, 46 runs, and 21 stolen bases as the team's leadoff batter and shortstop. On the mound, he went 6-3 with four saves and a 3.54 ERA and 10.77 K/9 with 73 strikeouts to 22 walks in 61 innings pitched. McTigue's four saves tied for 3rd in all of NJCAA Division III baseball this season and his 73 strikeouts were 14th in all of NJCAA Division III baseball this season. Both marks were 2nd in Region III and led the Mid-State Athletic Conference.
McTigue appeared in 19 contests as a pitcher, the most appearances by a SUNY Broome pitcher in the last 13 seasons. He also pitched the most innings in a season and recorded the most strikeouts and lowest ERA in a season by any eligible SUNY Broome pitcher in the last 13 years.
At shortstop, McTigue posted 77 assists this season. Only two SUNY Broome players have posted more than 77 assists in a season in the past 13 years (Alex Yarton '13 and Henry Pellicciotti '15). Offensively, McTigue scored the most runs of any Hornet in the last 13 years and only one hitter in the past 13 seasons has posted a higher on-base percentage than McTigue's .465 mark in 2025 (Pellicciotti '15).
Also key to SUNY Broome's success in 2025 was Santino Michitti, who led the Hornets offensively in batting average, hits, and RBIs. Michitti posted a .407 batting average in 123 at-bats. There has only been one SUNY Broome hitter with an eligible number of at-bats dating back to 2013 to post a higher batting average in a season than Michitti (Pellicciotti '15). Collecting 50 hits in his 123 at-bats, Michitti tallied the most hits in a season dating back to 2013. His 33 RBIs were also the most in a season dating back to 2013. Handling the primary catching duties for the Hornets and showcasing his versatility by also routinely appearing at first base and in the outfield, Michitti had 185 putouts in 211 total chances. Only one player has had more putouts in a season since 2013 (Todd Cutting '14).
Zechariah Clouston was as reliable as it gets at first base for SUNY Broome this season. He ended the year with a .995 fielding percentage in 189 total chances. No SUNY Broome fielder since 2013 with more than 56 total chances has registered a higher fielding percentage in a season. Clouston also turned his 189 total chances into 177 putouts, which trails only Michitti (185 in 2025) and Cutting '14 (218 in 2013) for the most putouts in a season since 2013.
Nicholas Ragonese helped SUNY Broome achieve its top-50 ranking in hit-by-pitches generated as he was hit by a pitch 12 times in 97 at-bats this year. Only one SUNY Broome hitter since 2013 has had more hit-by-pitches in a season (Dennison '24).
The SUNY Broome baseball program is continuing to develop into a strong regional and national contender behind the leadership of Kowalski. With a 2025 season that was incredibly historic on many fronts now in the books, the team looks to continue elevating in 2026. The program is anticipated to return many players from the 2025 team, coupled with an expected outstanding incoming recruiting class which includes multiple players signed to letters of intent.
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