Southern Tier Sports ReportBINGHAMTON — When Megan Wolf was a freshman she was on the mound closing out a Section IV Championship for the Horseheads Blue Raiders.
That title in 2022 was the last for Horseheads, until Sunday when the Blue Raiders beat Vestal 7-6 to win the Class AA Section IV Championship.
“It definitely was a full circle moment for me, but I wouldn’t be able to do any of it without the great teams that I have been a part of,” Wolf said
For the Horseheads players the big key was the energy all day.
“It feels amazing to be the section champs,” Caitlin Yearick said “We’ve all put a ton of work into our game, and our main goal this season was to make it into June, and we made it. I’m so proud of my team, and the way our energy is able to stay constant throughout the ups and downs of a tight game. Everyone put in their all through injuries and mental hurdles. Everyone gave it their all and that’s all we could possibly ask for.
“The mindset of the whole game was to put the ball in play and force them to make the play. We came into the game knowing that they would have high energy from the start and that we had to match it, if not beat it, whether we were losing or winning. Once the team’s energy goes down, it’s not easy to get it back”
It was a bit of a wild game for Horseheads, who led 5-1 after four inning, then trailed 6-5 going to the bottom of the sixth inning.
Samantha Bonnell had a double in the inning key the win
Wolf went the distance on the mound, striking out nine and allowing six hits and six runs, just one earned. Wolf also was 3-for-3 with a run scored at the plate. Dylan Young had two hits and scored a run and seventh-grader Payton McInnis had a triple and a run scored
“It’s an amazing feeling winning a sectional title,” Wolf said. “I’m super proud of this team for the fight they had not only this game, but every game this season. It’s been a while since we got a sectional title, so it made it feel even better today.
This team truly never gives up. They come to practice everyday looking to get better, which is why we can have moments like these. The team really didn’t stress them coming back. Being the home team is a huge advantage. We were calm the whole way through.”
Bonnell had the double and scored three runs and Chloe Perritt and Yearick each had a hit and an RBI. Grace Cronin had an RBI.
“It feels incredible, and I am so proud of this team,” Perritt said. “We have worked so hard to get here and we pulled through. Our team does a really good job of bouncing back after mistakes, which I really think helped us stay strong and win this game. Our mindset throughout the game is to take it play by play — keep the ball in front when in the field, and just contact when hitting. We know everyone has each other’s backs, and use that support to come out on top”
Now the Blue Raiders are section champs, and headed to regionals. They are scheduled to play the Section IX winner at 5 p.m. on Thursday
“Section champs feels amazing,” Raegan Burge said. “This really was our year and I feel that this team can go really far. It’s a really great accomplishment. The mindset cannot change throughout the game. This probably wasn’t my best game, but I knew that I could not give up and I had to keep working with my team, when they took the lead I thought was important and like coach says, just keep the line moving”
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