Wellsville, Fredonia to meet in Softball Class B Far West Regional

One squad is making a third-straight regional appearance. The other enters the Far West Regional for the first time since 2009. Wellsville and Fredonia are set to duel in the Softball Class B Far West Regional on Saturday. Here’s the breakdown:

Class B
WELLSVILLE LIONS (20-1 / Independent)
vs.
FREDONIA HILLBILLIES (20-0 / Chautauqua-Catteraugus Athletic Association I)
Saturday, Webster Schroeder HS, 10 a.m.

How they arrived here: Wellsville took down Marcus Whitman (23-0), Wayland-Cohocton (18-1) and Midlakes (6-3) en route to the title game. The Lions then toppled top-seeded Haverling (4-0) to win the Section V Class B championship. Fredonia defeated Southwestern (3-0), East Aurora (5-0) and Depew (2-0) to win the B1 Section VI title. The Hillbillies then defeated Wilson (12-0) to advance to the Far West Regional.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM DENNIS JOYCE. 

Tempo and trends: Wellsville scores 9.43 runs per game and allows 1.10. Fredonia averages 6.7 runs per game and 0.56 runs allowed per game. The Lions have won 20 straight since dropping the season opener and have recorded nine shutouts. The Hillbillies enter undefeated and have posted 14 shutouts this season.

Players to watch for Wellsville: Makenzie Cowburn Sr. P; Brazen Beckwith Sr. C/3B; Makenna Dunbar Jr. LF/P; Marissa Ordway Sr. 1B/P; Averee Palmatier Jr. RF; Natalie Adams Jr. 2B; Lindsay Stuck Jr. C/3B; Sawyer Burke Sr. CF.

Fredonia: Jenna Fryberger 8th UTIL; Danielle Palisin Jr. P/1B/OF; Naomi Muck Fr. SS; Jordan Lucas Sr. P/1B; Callie Draggett Fr. C/OF; Rihanna Benner Jr. OF.

Coaches: Shelley Chaffee, Jaime McLaughlin (Wellsville), Jesse Beers (Fredonia)

History 101: For the third straight season, Wellsville captured the Section V Class B trophy. During that stretch, the Lions are 1-1 in Far West Regional play and reached the NYS Class B Semifinal last season. Fredonia is coming off its seventh sectional title in program history and is making its fourth regional appearance. The Hillbillies last appeared in 2009 on the back end of a stretch that saw them win three-straight regional titles. In all three of those seasons, Fredonia finished as the NYS runner-up.

What’s at stake: A spot in the Class B NYS Semifinal against the winner of Marcellus (III) and Susquehanna Valley (IV).