Unfortunately for Jesse’s girls, the Haverling Rams did just enough to spoil Palisin’s stellar effort and end the year for the ‘Billies. Haverling defeated Fredonia, 2-1, in a New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class B sub-regional at Frontier High School.

“It’s an unfortunate loss, but I think we put it all out there,” Palisin said. “That’s a game that I can go home and sleep to. It’s just sad it’s over.”

On paper, you couldn’t have scripted a more even matchup — and it played out that way on the Frontier High School turf.

“If we play them ten times, we might split five and five,” Beers said after. “It just wasn’t us tonight.”

Fredonia softball coach Jesse Beers watches the action in Wednesday’s sub-regional from the third-base coach’s box at Frontier High School. P-J photo by Braden Carmen

Both teams entered the game with identical 18-3 records, with each team riding a 14-game win streak. Haverling (19-3, Section V champions) earned a 4-2 win over Wellsville on Saturday to earn a spot in last night’s game on the same day Fredonia (18-4, Section VI champions) defeated Alden 7-5.

Haverling pitcher Kaili Witherell was overpowering against Fredonia. The senior co-captain pitched all seven innings with only an unearned run in the first inning against her. She racked up 13 strikeouts and set down Fredonia’s hitters 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh innings to secure the victory.

“She is the most polished pitcher we’ve seen all year,” Beers said. “She threw four or five different pitches with conviction.”

Both teams scored a run in the first inning on poor throws. After the second batter of the game ripped a double, Haverling called for a bunt and the throw to first base got away to bring the run home.

In the bottom half of the inning, Fredonia’s second batter, Palisin, also reached on a double. With two outs, after Palisin took a secondary lead, Haverling attempted to pick her off on the bases.

Instead, the throw went into center field. Palisin came in to score the tying run without a hit to drive her in.

Once both teams settled down after the opening frame, only one run was scored through the final six innings.

With two outs in the third inning, Haverling’s Makayla Smith blasted a changeup from Palisin over the wall in left-center field for a solo home run. Palisin settled in nicely after that, only allowing two base runners the rest of the game — one on a bloop single and the other on an error.

Beers said Palisin was “locked in” immediately after giving up the home run. He said of his pitcher’s effort, “That’s as good a performance as you could ask for.”

It was Fredonia’s offense that could not get the job done, however. In the three innings immediately following the Haverling home run, Fredonia left a combined five runners on base — three of which were in scoring position.

Both senior captains — Leah Marsh and Palisin — drew walks in the third inning, but Jenna Fryberger flew out to center field to leave the runners stranded.

In the fourth inning, a high fly ball off the bat of Callie Draggett landed fair down the left-field line for a double, but the courtesy runner was left stranded at third base with two outs.

In the fifth inning, after back-to-back strikeouts started the inning, Naomi Muck reached on an error, then Palisin walked. Both runners were left stranded again as Fryberger popped out to the shortstop.

“All you can do is put yourself into positions to give yourself a chance to score, and we did that,” Beers said.

In the final two innings, Fredonia did not reach base. Witherell struck out the side in the sixth inning, then Haverling’s infield retired all three batters in the seventh inning.

Palisin finished her high school career with an effort that did not deserve to be saddled with a loss. In the circle, Palisin only allowed three hits; did not walk a batter; and worked around three batters reaching on errors.

At the plate, Palisin reached base in all three plate appearances, with a bloop double in the first inning and walks in the third and fifth innings. She also scored Fredonia’s only run.

“I’m very thankful for all the years I’ve played with Fredonia. They were the best years of softball I have ever played, and I’m so thankful I could play them with the people that I did,” Palisin said. “… The girls that I’ve played with, I couldn’t ask for better. Tonight, it was unfortunate, but it will only push me to be stronger when I go into college, to make sure that doesn’t end this way.”

Palisin will attend Buffalo State University next year and hopes to continue to pitch at the next level. She credited her father, Matt — the former Fredonia State baseball coach and current sports information director — for the confidence she has at the plate.

“My dad has always gone and hit with me, all the time. He’s shown me everything that he could possibly know since he was a baseball coach, so I go up there and think, ‘She’s just another pitcher. I can hit her.’ That leaves me no doubt,” Palisin said.

Up next, Haverling faces Susquehanna Valley, the Section IV champion, in the regional round of the state tournament at 11 a.m. Saturday at Grand Island High School. Fredonia’s season ends two wins shy of a trip to states.

“I told the girls, ‘This is going to sting tonight, but after a couple of days, we’ll wash the taste out of our mouths.’ … We’ve had so many great memories, especially for the seniors this year,” Beers said. “This senior group has never known anything but blue patches. That doesn’t happen at a lot of programs. I’m disappointed for today, but overall, I’m pretty darn happy with this group.”