Forestville senior pitcher Megan Gruber has an ERA of 1.48 and has struck out 141 batters in 108.2 innings this spring. P-J file photo by Christian Storms

BINGHAMTON — The Forestville softball team is entering uncharted territory today as it becomes the first girls team from the school to compete in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships.

The Hornets play in the second Class D semifinal today against Section III champion Hamilton, the state’s current top-ranked team, at 1 p.m. on Field 2 at Greenlight Networks Grand Slam Park in Binghamton.

Forestville is once again the underdog, but last week the Hornets managed to knock off the state’s top team in Fillmore and became the first Section VI squad since 2018 to reach the state semifinals.

Leading the way last week and needing to step it up again is senior pitcher Megan Gruber. She has posted an ERA of 1.48 this season and struck out 141 batters over 108.2 innings of work.

In the Far West Regional, Gruber shut down the potent Fillmore offense by limiting the Eagles to just two hits and one earned run with 11 strikeouts and two walks.

Forestville also showed that it could play through adversity after losing its lead and battling back with clutch hits from unexpected players down to the final out in the fifth inning. While upperclassmen Gruber and junior Carilene Sliwa have done a great job leading the squad, it has been the underclassmen to put the Hornets over the top this season.

Leading the way from the young guns is freshman Emily Lillie hitting a team-high .469 average with 20 RBIs, three doubles, five triples and two home runs. Then, in last week’s regional, freshman Olivia Valentine hit the go-ahead two-run single and sophomore Kaylee Adamczak added an RBI single that kept the rally going.

While Lillie leads in almost every category, Gruber adds a .417 average with 14 RBIs, six doubles and a triple. Then, providing a spark leading off, is Sliwa hitting .361 with six RBIs, six doubles, a triple and one home run, which came at the beginning of last week’s regional.

Forestville may be the underdog in today’s game, but it’s the only semifinalist the Hornets are ranked below as they come in at No. 2 according to the New York State Sportswriters Association.

Like most top-ranked teams, Hamilton is also led by a terrific pitcher and it is sophomore Ellie Freeth looking to bring the Emerald Knights to their first final since 2015. Freeth has posted a 1.66 ERA with a 15-1 record and has struck out 183 batters over 105 2/3 innings this season.

While the youth lead Hamilton in the circle and at the plate, the top hitter is senior Adriana Catania with a .441 average, 27 RBIs, six doubles, a triple and two home runs. Freshman Isadora Catania is hitting .333 with 11 RBIs, three doubles and three triples, Freeth provides a huge .453 average, 17 RBIs, six doubles, a triple and a home run, junior Rihana Dye hits .291 with 17 RBIs and three doubles, and sophomore Eve McCorkle is at .300 with five doubles.

In the other semifinal, Section VII’s Crown Point is pitted against Section II’s Argyle on Field 1. The winner will join either Forestville or Hamilton in the final on Saturday at 11 a.m. on Field 4.

Crown Point is the only remaining undefeated team in Class D and is led by pitcher Kaitlin Ross with a 1.69 ERA and 95 strikeouts over 54 innings pitched this season. She is also the top hitter for the Panthers with a .528 average with 21 RBIs, seven doubles, a triple and three home runs, Addison Hurlburt is also hitting .500 with 13 RBIs, a double, four triples and three home runs, Briana Duprey provides another .545 average and 12 RBIs and Makenna Munson is hitting .361 with 17 RBIs, three doubles and two triples.

Argyle returns to the state semifinals for the second time in four seasons, last losing in the semifinals in 2022 against Section III’s Oriskany 8-3.

Each of the four teams will seek their first softball championship and with Section IV’s Deposit-Hancock moving up to Class C there will be a different champion for the first time since 2018.

For live updates of Forestville’s games this weekend, follow along on x.com @Chris__Storms.