With a four-run lead, needing just two more outs to claim a fifth consecutive Section VI Championship, the ‘Billies collapsed.

The Alden Bulldogs avenged last season’s Sectional Final defeat to Fredonia with five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to stun the four-time defending champion Fredonia ‘Billies, 12-11, in the Section VI, Class B Championship softball game, Saturday, at Grand Island High School.

“Momentum is a funny thing,” said Fredonia head coach Joe Pucciarelli. “As soon as they got a couple girls on, it just snowballed from there.”

Fredonia (17-4, 4-seed) made a habit of coming from behind in big games. They did so last year, making up a 4-0 deficit to win the title against the same opponent, the Alden Bulldogs, on the same Grand Island turf. The ‘Billies did the same in their semifinal victory this year, after falling behind 4-0 to Tonawanda before tying the game twice and eventually walking off as 7-6 winners in extra innings.

Fredonia’s Jenna Fryberger slides into home plate after a little league style home run scored three runs in Saturday’s Section VI, Class B Championship softball game against the Alden Bulldogs at Grand Island High School. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.

Saturday, Alden (16-1, 2-seed) flipped the script on Fredonia.

The ‘Billies held an early 2-0 lead after run-scoring hits from Bella Buckley and McKenna Crawford in the third inning. Alden got a run back in the bottom half of the third, but with the bases loaded and one out, Pucciarelli pulled freshman pitcher McKella Hodkin for seventh grader Kara Harrington. The move worked, as Harrington induced two pop outs on the infield to strand the bases loaded and preserve the Fredonia lead.

Fredonia immediately responded in the fourth inning. After Gia Muscarella ripped a leadoff single and Naomi Muck worked a two-out walk, Jenna Fryberger belted a ball into the right-center field gap. After an error on the relay throw, Fryberger slid in safely at home plate for a little league style home run. Officially, it went down as a two-run triple, but Fredonia took a 5-1 lead as Fryberger slid in safely just ahead of the tag.

Alden got a run back in the bottom of the fourth, but still trailed 5-2 entering the bottom of the fifth inning.

Then it unraveled for Fredonia – for the first time, anyway.

From left to right: Fredonia’s Naomi Muck, Jenna Fryberger, and Gia Muscarella celebrate during the Section VI, Class B Championship softball game, Saturday, at Grand Island High School. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.

After three straight hits started the bottom of the fifth, leading to one run, Samantha Waiss bunted for a sacrifice. However, the throw sailed into right field to score another run, bringing Alden within just a run, 5-4. Then, up came Cordelia Mann, the starting pitcher who was pulled after Fredonia posted five runs in four innings.

Mann redeemed herself with a line drive to left field. The tying run scored on its own, and the go-ahead run came across on an error to put Alden ahead 6-5 before an out was recorded in the inning. The Bulldogs added a seventh run – their fifth of the inning – before Harrington was pulled and Hodkin was re-inserted back into the pitcher’s circle. She stranded the bases loaded and kept Fredonia’s deficit at a pair.

Just as they did earlier in the game, the ‘Billies bounced back immediately and reclaimed the lead in the next half inning. Fryberger blasted a double off the wall in deep left field that scored Naomi Muck from first base. Fryberger advanced to third on the throw home, then came in to score on a sacrifice fly from Callie Draggett in the next at-bat. Buckley followed by reaching on a throwing error after lining the ball off the pitcher, then McKenna Crawford drove her in with a single up the middle for an 8-7 Fredonia lead.

“When the momentum came, we took advantage of it,” Pucciarelli said.

The ‘Billies added on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning. Muscarella worked a full count into a leadoff walk, then Ava Muck bunted to move her over. The throw to first brought the first basemen into the baseline and Ava Muck ran her over. The ball popped free and Muscarella kept running. She scored all the way from first base for the ninth Fredonia run.

Fredonia pitcher McKella Hodkin delivers a pitch in the Section VI, Class B Championship softball game at Grand Island High School on Saturday. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.

The ‘Billies bunted two more times for three consecutive runners to reach via the bunt. Then, Fryberger drove the ball up the middle, off the shortstop into center field. Two more runs came in to score for an 11-7 Fredonia lead.

Pucciarelli’s nickname for Fryberger is RBI, and she delivered with five runs batted in Saturday – not including herself on the little league style home run earlier in the game.

“Whenever we needed a big hit, she got it for us,” Pucciarelli said.

From that point, however, Fredonia managed to load the bases, still with nobody out, but the runners were left stranded.

Still, Fredonia had a four-run lead, needing just three outs for a fifth straight Sectional title. They got the first one on a fly ball to center field. They just couldn’t get the next two.

First, it was a single past third base, then an RBI double. A pair of walks followed to load the bases, then a single to pull within a pair kept the bases loaded.

Then up came Cordelia Mann, batting in a big spot again. She had another chance to not only redeem herself from the way the game started, but also for the way last season ended for her Bulldogs.

This time, it was not Alden who blew a four-run lead in the title game, it was Fredonia.

Mann slapped a line drive to left field that was misread off the bat, as Muscarella initially took a step in before turning to watch the ball sail over her head. The ball rolled to the wall, then it was bobbled on the warning track as the Bulldogs raced around the bases. The loaded bags were cleared as Mann wound up at third base. She was mobbed by her teammates as the Bulldogs became Sectional Champions.

In all, 23 runs were scored in Saturday’s Sectional Final, with three separate comebacks of three runs or more in an inning.

“It’s tiring,” Pucciarelli joked. “You go up, you go down, and they just batted last. There were 23 runs and they had the last at-bat.”

Alden now advances to play a subregional game on Wednesday at Livonia High School in Section V. The thrilling walk-off win over Fredonia was Alden’s 13th consecutive victory.

Unlike last season’s team with six seniors and a departing coach, Fredonia’s entire squad has a chance to return next season. There was not a single senior on this season’s team.

“The good part of this is the whole team is back. We had no seniors. It’s a nice thing to have two pitchers who were a freshman and a seventh grader,” Pucciarelli said. “I’m looking forward to a good year next year too.”