'I'm on cloud nine.' Wellsville wins first state softball championship

Wellsville wanted to go out with a "bang."

With home runs from juniors Makenna Dunbar and Natalie Adams, that's exactly what the Wellsville (23-1) softball team did in Saturday's New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class B championship game, defeating Section II's Schuylerville 7-1 at Martha Avenue Recreation Park in Bellport on Long Island.

Senior pitcher Makenzie Cowburn played with passion all postseason, screaming at the top of her lungs after big strikeouts. Cowburn struck out 20 this weekend, and threw one-hitters in the Section V and region finals. She's been key throughout Wellsville's 23-game winning streak, and four straight Section V titles. Webster Schroeder (2022) is the only other Section V team to win a state title this decade.

"I'm on cloud nine. It hasn't even kicked in that we won states," Cowburn said.

What it means

Wellsville seniors Cowburn, Brazen Beckwith, Marissa Ordway and Sawyer Burke compiled an 85-7 record during their Section V four-peat. There was no region tournament in '21. Wellsville lost to Depew (VI) in the '22 regionals, then beat Iroquois (VI) in '23 before losing to Marlboro (IX) on a walk-off in that year's NYS semifinals, ending the season 21-2. Wellsville also won the 2024 NYSPHSAA team sportsmanship award.

Wellsville's first-year co-coaches and Lions softball alumna Shelley Chaffee and Jaime McLaughlin guided the Lions to the school's first state championship since the girls volleyball team won in 1993. Chaffee and McLaughlin, who replaced former coach Matt Burke after two games, praised assistant coach Rod Perry for his attention to the pitching staff and scouting reports.

"Softball is in our blood. When we were given the opportunity to steer this team to the finals, we knew that we wanted to do it for the girls, and for the love of softball. There's a lot of hard work that goes within this program, but the girls made it worth it," Chaffee said.

Former Wellsville coach Frank Cady and pitcher Jamie Root led the Lions to the NYS final four in 2000, which was the program's only state semifinal appearance until 2023. Cady coached McLaughlin's '94 team that won a South Carolina tournament filled with nationally-ranked teams, but Section V did not participate in the NYSPHSAA tournament until 1997. McLaughlin won two Section V titles and never could advance to regionals.

"Being a part of this ... when I couldn't go, and now these and are, and did it for all of us in the past is an amazing feeling," McLaughlin said.

Plays of the game

Dunbar's third inning three-run home run gave Wellsville a 4-1 lead over Schuylerville (20-6). One of the state's most powerful hitters, the junior left fielder comes alive in the postseason. Dunbar homered in Friday's 6-2 NYS semifinal win over Marcellus (III). In '23, Dunbar homered twice in regionals and once in the NYS semis. Dunbar threw two no-hitters this spring is expected to be Wellsville's ace in 2025.

"I was just thinking, a base hit scores and it'll give us the lead. I didn't really expect to hit one out at that point just because of the circumstances, but after hit it, it was really nice to get that three-run homer," Dunbar said.

Adams led the fourth with a solo home run. A switch hitter who hurt herself tripping at first base following her second inning single, Adams asked her coaching staff to bunt lefty, but they told her to hit.

"It was right after I fell so I wasn't expecting to hit it. ... I just went up planning to make contact. First pitch, I saw it and I just swung," Adams said.

Averee Palmatier went 3 for 3 with a second inning RBI-double that scored Adams. In the fourth, Marissa Ordway's RBI-double plated Brynn Hallock. Sawyer Burke's sacrifice bunt forced an error at first and helped plate Hailey Cowburn. Makenzie Cowburn struck out nine and scattered seven hits in the state final. Junior Lindsay Stuck and sophomore Teagan Burke also played key roles in Wellsville's state title run.

Wellsville's recent seasons of tough independent schedules got them here. The Lions lost their season opener to St. Mary's (Pennsylvania) in Maryland, but have been unbeaten since. They defeated Section V Class AA champion Schroeder, NYS Class C finalist Bloomfield, Section VI Class A champ Iroquois, and Buffalo catholic school finalist Nardin along the way. Wellsville outscored opponents by well over 200 runs.

"The Wellsville softball program has been with us for many years, and we wanted to continue their success. And for years to come, this program will stay strong," Chaffee said.

They said it

Natalie Adams, junior second baseman: "It feels great to end the season with such a bang like this. Playing with the four seniors who I grew up with, it's just so surreal."

Sawyer Burke, senior centerfielder: "It feels like it's not real. It hasn't hit me yet. ... I wanted that 'fairytale ending' and I got it. It's really rare that seniors get to win their last game. It's an incredible feeling."

Makenzie Cowburn, senior pitcher: "I needed this state championship. I needed this to end my senior year off with a bang. It was everything I hoped and dreamed. So I'm like, 'OK, I need to kick it into gear. I need to get it going.' And I guess that's what I did."

Makenna Dunbar, junior left fielder: "I think we all just really wanted it. After such a great season we wanted to go out with a bang."

Marissa Ordway, senior first baseman: "Especially since it's our senior year, to go out with a bang with probably my most favorite team I've ever played with, it's just an amazing feeling. I'm going to miss them all so much, but I'm glad that I went out with them."

Averee Palmatier, junior right fielder: "It's honestly so surreal. We all expect to win sectionals — not being cocky or anything — but getting past Far West Regionals, and then going past where we made it last year, and now winning is so crazy."

— Marquel Slaughter is a journalist for the Democrat and Chronicle, specializing in high school sports. He has been a reporter for 15 years. Follow him @MarquelSports and X or on Instagram. You can contact him at mslaughter1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Wellsville vs Schuylerville score, details: NYS softball championship