BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WETM) – Two local softball teams will play for a state championship.
(Media Courtesy: NFHS Network)
Horseheads and Haverling softball punched their state title game tickets on Friday. The Blue Raiders rallied past Section I’s Clarkstown South, 6-5 in 8 innings. The Class AA semifinal at Greenlight Grand Slam Park began with a big blast from Raegan Burge. After 4 quiet innings, Burge opened the scoring with the huge solo home run for HHS.
The Vikings quickly erased the Blue Raiders' advantage, driving in 3 runs over the next inning and a half. Horseheads would rally right back in the 6th, as Caitlin Yearick scored from 3rd on a pick-off attempt to 2nd base. In the same at bat, Chloe Perritt would push Burge across to tie the game on a sacrifice fly.
Both defenses responded to the scoring by locking down each other’s bats until the 8th. In the top half of the inning, Yearick crushed a long shot off the wall to score Megan Wolf. HHS then added to their lead with a 2-RBI single from Perritt. In the bottom half, the Vikings clawed back, scoring on a bases-loaded walk and a throwing error. Despite the rally, Wolf closed out a 3-hitter with a strikeout to win.
The win propels Horseheads to their first state championship game appearance since 2008. The Blue Raiders last fell in the Class AA final, 6-1 to Section XI’s West Babylon. On Saturday at 1 p.m., HHS will aim to win their first title since 1996, against Section VI’s Orchard Park at Binghamton’s Greenlight Grand Slam Park.
In Class B, Haverling advanced to their first state title game with a 6-0 victory over Section IX’s Highland. The Rams started strong, with Caydence Spears hitting a ground-rule double that scored the opening run. In the 5th inning, Haverling extended their lead with a 2-run triple from Abigail Whaley and an RBI squeeze bunt by Makayla Smith.
On the 7th, the Rams would seal the victory, as Spears added a 2-RBI double, while Texas State commit Kaili Witherell delivered another dominant pitching performance. This year’s New York State Gatorade Player of the Year threw a 2-hitter, striking out the final batter of the game.
The Rams will attempt to win their 1st-ever state title, Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Binghamton’s Greenlight Grand Slam Park. Standing in their way will be Section II’s Chatham, who defeated Section III’s Carle Place 6-3 in the semifinals.
In Class AAA, Corning's run at back-to-back state titles fell short. The Hawks dropped a hard-fought 6-3 loss to Section VI’s Lancaster. Sophie Schoonover and Emelia Smith kicked off the scoring for Corning, driving in the first 2 runs of the game in the 1st inning. The Legends rallied back to tie the game in the bottom of the frame, before adding 2 additional runs in the 2nd.
Scoring would cease until the 6th inning, when Smith brought the Hawks within 1, on a throwing error. In the bottom half, Lancaster once again extended their lead, as Brennah DeWald scored a pair with an opposite field single. Down to their final strike in the 7th, Corning nearly rallied to tie the game, but Smith would ground out with 2 runners on.
The Hawks close their season one step short of a second-straight state title game appearance, holding a (17-4) overall record.
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