Forestville's Alexandra Kerstetter makes a catch ahead of teammate Emily Lillie in the NYSPHSAA Class D semifinals at Greenlight Networks Grand Slam Park in Binghamton on Friday. The Hornets were no-hit by Section III's Hamilton in a 5-1 loss. The Emerald Knights advance to Saturday's state championship game against Section II's Argyle at 11 a.m. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

BINGHAMTON — The Forestville softball team has had the ability this season to come up with a clutch hit when it needed one most.

That magic led the Hornets to the best season in program history, becoming the first girls sports team in school history to reach the state semifinals.

However, the magical season came to an end when the bats finally went cold as Ellie Freeth of Section III’s Hamilton no-hit the Hornets 5-1 in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D semifinals at Greenlight Networks Grand Slam Park in Binghamton on Friday.

In each playoff matchup the Hornets received a big two-out RBI and also managed to get out of big jams stranding the bases loaded either keeping the game scoreless or limiting damage.

Those opportunities came again in the state semifinals, first when the Hornets were looking to erase a 2-0 deficit in the bottom of the third inning.

After an opening strikeout, Alexandra Kerstetter and Carilene Sliwa worked walks and Jade Work executed a perfect sacrifice bunt. Work’s bunt turned into a throwing error and Kerstetter scored from second to put the Hornets on the board 2-1.

For those who watched the Hornets playoff run so far it looked like the rally was coming, but the Emerald Knights had other plans. Emily Lillie smacked a hard grounder to first base in the following at-bat, but Hamilton first baseman Alexis LaFrance was ready and made the quick throw home to get Sliwa for the second out, maintaining the lead. An induced pop-up then stranded runners in scoring position again.

That momentum gained in the previous inning quickly faded as Hamilton reached on error and walks to load the bases with one out.

In recent weeks, Gruber and the Hornets had managed to get out of those jams, but this time it was not their day.

Helping her no-hit bid and championship hopes, Freeth delivered the hit of the game driving a single into center field that cleared the bases for a 5-1 Hamilton lead.

Gruber worked a popout and then grounder to get out of the inning, but the damage was already done and the Hornets had plenty of work to do.

Despite the Hornets having three more innings to get back into the contest, Hamilton was not to be deterred finishing out the no-hitter and clinching a spot in Saturday’s state championship against Section II’s Argyle.

Forestville (14-4) will miss its two seniors in Gruber and Work playing perhaps the two most important positions, but with plenty of youth there is a lot to look forward to the future of the program. Gruber finished her career in the circle with Work, giving up five runs, four of which were earned on four hits and five walks with six strikeouts.