These Section V softball teams clinched finals berths

Webster Schroeder and Fairport's finals-bound softball teams are already full of seniors with championship pedigree.

Both programs clinched their third Section V title game appearance since 2021 with wins in Thursday night's semifinals. At Schroeder, senior Leah Murray's first inning RBI-double and junior Liana DeValder's one-hitter lifted the Warriors over Victor 1-0 in the Class AA bout. Senior Nicole Allen's RBI-triple sparked a six-run fifth inning during Fairport's 9-2 win over visiting Rush-Henrietta in Class AAA.

Saturday's Section V championships are set. In the Class AA final, Schroeder (19-2) will meet crosstown rival Webster Thomas (17-5), which used a two-run single by senior Maddie Hicks to edge Pittsford Mendon 9-8 in an epic 10-inning battle at Thornell Farm Park. Fairport (11-10) will play Greece Storm (9-12) — led by junior Brook Bassett's 4 RBIs in a 16-0 win over Franklin/World of Inquiry School — in the Class AAA final.

Coaches Meaghan Keil and Curt Johnson were elated to clinch finals berths with their revered senior classes. There are six seniors playing for Keil's Webster Schroeder Warriors. Many were on the 2022 Class A New York State championship roster, and the 2021 Section V Class AA title team. Johnson's Fairport Red Raiders have nine seniors. Some played key roles in their 2022 Class AA title run.

"I'm proud of them because they've worked so hard," said Keil, who has nine players with state titles across multiple sports. "Not that they deserve it, but they've earned it."

"All nine seniors have a role. ... This was our year. We knew it. We had to go for it this year," Johnson said.

Fairport's fifth inning

Fairport batted around in their six-run fifth inning to extend a 3-2 lead. Catcher Hayden Perry hit a leadoff double and scored on Allen's triple. Waverly Milliman hit a two-run double, then Mikayla Fiorito's single plated two more. Perry's second at-bat of the inning was an RBI-single that gave Fairport a seven-run advantage.

Perry's tagout that preserved Fairport's one-run lead in the bottom of the third changed the momentum of the Class AAA semifinal. Rush-Henrietta responded to the Red Raiders' early 3-0 lead on RBIs from Katie Militello and Chloe Smith in the fourth, pulling the Royal Comets within one just before second baseman Juliana Catalano's relay to Perry for a bang-bang play at the plate, tagging Militello to retire the side. Fairport pitcher Kailey Gardner shut out the Royal Comets in every other inning. Her defense designed unique formations to limit R-H's junior stars: catcher Elizabeth Gleghorn can find gaps on the left side; left-handed pitcher Kadyn Hartel has a nasty changeup, and is a superb slapper with superior speed.

"We actually put a special defense in for (Hartel) to try to throw her off her game. I don't think she's seen it before," said Johnson, whose Red Raiders also made finals appearance in 2018 and 2019.

Murray plates Webster Schroeder's run

Webster Schroeder's Biz Baglieri scored the only run of the Class AA semifinal against Victor. The senior first baseman and Boston University commit led the game with a walk, moved on Kinsley Keil's sacrifice, then scored when Murray — who finished 2 for 3 — doubled into centerfield. Victor's senior pitcher Olivia Steinorth struck out seven and registered the lone hit for coach Gina Potenza's Blue Devils (14-7). When Victor and Schroeder met in the 2023 Class AA semifinals, it was Steinorth who shut out the Warriors.

"(Steinorth) is a great pitcher. She knew the umpire was giving her the inside corner, so she changed her game plan," Keil said. "She's going to be super successful at the next level."

Schroeder split their regular season contests with Victor, though DeValder did not pitch in the Warriors' loss. She struck out 11 Thursday. At the plate in the sixth, DeValder (walk) moved to third after Murray and Sarah Ferruzza singled to load the bases. Victor, however, retired the side when freshman second baseman Kaylee Lenhard wowed the crowd after fielding Emma Juliano's tough ground ball.

"We need to get that two-out hit, but (our run scored) was textbook softball," Keil said.

Who's advancing to the Section V softball championships

Each Section V final will take place Saturday. Finger Lakes Community College will host the Class AAA, AA, A and B title games. Fillmore High School is the site for the Class C1, C2 and D championships.

Class AAA

No. 1 Greece Storm (12-9) vs. No. 2 Fairport (11-9), 5:30 p.m.

Coach Allen Kubitz's Greece Storm saw Jenelle Staples (2-2, three RBIs) and Allison Sywulski (2-3, double, RBI) standout with Bassett at the plate against Franklin (10-5). But has Greece Storm played against a player in the realm of Fairport outfielder and Stony Brook commit Nicole Allen?

"Nicole is by far the best outfielder I've seen. Anything hit in her general direction is an out. At the plate ... she's anxious. We try to reign her back to take a couple pitches. But Nicole is Nicole. She's a great athlete," Johnson said.

Class AA

No. 1 Webster Schroeder (19-2) vs. No. 3 Webster Thomas (17-5), 3 p.m.

Thomas became the first Section V team to beat Mendon (21-2) this season after 10-inning, instant classic clash. The reigning Class A champion Titans never trailed in clinching a fourth consecutive finals berth. Hicks' first-inning two-run home run opened the scoring but Thomas lost leads of 5-1 and 7-4. Mendon's Lilly Goldberg — who hit her first home run of the season in the quarterfinals — registered an RBI to spark a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh and send the game into extras. Schroeder defeated Thomas in their only meeting this season. The Warriors also won their 2022 Class A1 finals matchup.

Class A

No. 1 Pittsford Sutherland (17-4) vs. No. 3 Honeoye Falls-Lima (14-7), 12:30 p.m.

Ella Devaney hit a home run while Gabby Lyons and Alex Sippel had three RBIs each in Sutherland's 11-1 win over Mercy (13-9). Kate Dailor hit two home runs in HF-L's 5-2 win over rival Batavia (11-11).

Class B

No. 1 Haverling (18-1) vs. No. 2 Wellsville (18-1), 10 a.m.

Kaili Witherell's 13 strikeouts helped the junior break Haverling's all-time record. Caydence Spears went 2-3 with a triple and two RBIs. Giana Ficcaglia went 2-3 for Penn Yan (16-7). The Rams will enter their third straight final, where three-time champion Wellsville — a 6-2 winner over Midlakes (18-5) — and Makenzie Cowburn awaits with their 18-game winning streak. Wellsville beat Haverling this season and in last year's Class B crossover.

Class C1

No 1. Bloomfield (16-2) vs. No. 4 Letchworth (15-6), 11 a.m.

Abbie DeRock's 17-strikeout no-hitter lifted Letchworth over Avon 3-0. Ashlyn Wright's Bloomfield Bombers beat Oakfield-Alabama 16-1.

Class C2

No. 1 Dundee/Bradford (16-1) vs. No. 2 Caledonia-Mumford (17-5), 1:30 p.m.

Malina Bellos' singled home Colleen Talty for Caledonia-Mumford's game-winning run in the sixth inning of a 2-1 win over three-time champion Bolivar-Richburg (13-10). Morgan Sutryk and Dundee/Bradford dropped Alexander 8-6.

Class D

No. 1 Keshequa (18-4) vs. No. 3 Friendship/Scio (17-3), 4 p.m.

Nevaeh Ross threw another perfect game with 21 strikeouts. The senior Le Moyne commit will seek her fourth straight section title after a 2-0 win over Batavia Notre Dame (17-4). Ross recently reached No. 3 on New York State's career strikeouts list with well over 1,400. Her four-year total is second all-time in Section V. Bolivar-Richburg's Jordan Ingalls set the state record at 1,603 from 2003 to 2008. Isabella Hugi hit a bases-clearing double in Keshequa's 7-2 win over Genesee Valley-Belfast (13-6).

Regionals and NYS final four

Section V's C1-C2 winners will meet in a region qualifier Tuesday. Region finals against the Section VI champions Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1 at Webster Schroeder.

Region champions advance to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association final four June 7-8 at Martha Ave. Rec Park on Long Island.

— Marquel Slaughter is a journalist for the Democrat and Chronicle, specializing in high school sports. He has been reporter for 14 years. Follow him @MarquelSports on X or on Instagram. You can contact him at mslaughter1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: These Section V softball teams clinched finals berths