One squad is looking for its first title since 2016. The other looks for a fourth straight Section V championship. Finger Lakes Community College is the setting when Haverling and Wellsville battle for the Class B crown. Here’s the breakdown:
Class B
No. 1 HAVERLING (19-1 / Livingston I)
vs.
No. 2 WELLSVILLE (19-1 / Independent)
Saturday, Finger Lakes CC, 10 a.m.
How they arrived here: Top-seeded Haverling beat Canisteo-Greenwood/Jasper-Troupsburg (17-1), Le Roy (7-0) and Penn Yan (3-2) to reach the sectional final. Wellsville took down Marcus Whitman (23-0), Wayland-Cohocton (18-1) and Midlakes (6-3) en route to the title game.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM DENNIS JOYCE.
Tempo and trends: Haverling averages 7.75 runs scored per game while allowing 1.75. Wellsville scores 9.7 runs per game and allows 1.15. Haverling is riding an 18-game win streak that includes 11 shutouts. Wellsville has won 19 straight after dropping the season opener and has recorded eight shutouts. In the last seven games, Haverling has allowed three runs, while Wellsville has allowed six.
Players to watch for Haverling: Caydence Spears Jr. C .446 AVG, eight XBH, two 3B, one HR, 25 RBI, 18 R; Kaili Witherell Jr. P .415 AVG, 10 XBH, two 3B, one HR, 11 RBI, 26 R, 15-1 W-L, 0.59 ERA, 10 shutouts, two no-hitters, one perfect game, 106.1 IP, 197 K; Lola Coots Jr. SS .417 AVG, seven 2B, 10 RBI, six R; Makayla Smith Fr. 1B .408 AVG, nine XBH, two HR, 13 RBI, 22 R; Madison Coots Sr. 3B .357 AVG, nine XBH, one HR, 15 RBI, 20 R; Gabby Schroyer So. UTIL .305 AVG, seven XBH, one HR, 18 RBI, 14 R; 16.0 IP, one shutout, 26 K; Kasandra Plewa So. 2B/OF .294 AVG, three RBI, 17 R.
Wellsville: Makenzie Cowburn Sr. P .446 AVG, two HR, 23 RBI, nine R, 12-1 W-L, 166 K, 0.64 ERA, 89.0 IP; Brazen Beckwith Sr. C/3B .510 AVG, 24 RBI, four XBH; Makenna Dunbar Jr. LF/P .491 AVG, 12 XBH, four HR, 22 RBI, 18 R, 1.45 ERA, 6-0 W-L, 67 K, 34.0 IP; Marissa Ordway Sr. 1B/P .477 AVG, 10 XBH, four HR, 20 RBI, 21 R; Averee Palmatier Jr. RF .396 AVG, five XBH, one HR, 12 RBI, 14 R; Natalie Adams Jr. 2B .308 AVG, five XBH, one HR, 17 RBI, 17 R; Lindsay Stuck Jr. C/3B .420 AVG, six XBH, three HR, 15 RBI, 20 R; Sawyer Burke Sr. CF .444 AVG, nine RBI, 28 R.
Coaches: Rachel Ratchford (Haverling); Shelley Chaffee, Jaime McLaughlin (Wellsville)
History 101: Haverling is looking for its first sectional title since 2016. That year, the Rams fell in the Far West Regional to Depew. Wellsville is aiming for a fourth straight sectional title. In the past two years (No state tournament held in 2021), the Lions went 1-1 in the Far West Regional and appeared in the NYS semifinal last season.
What’s at stake: A spot in the Class B Far West Regional against the Section VI winner.
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