New classification. Same result. 

The Gray Collegiate softball team won its second consecutive title after beating York in the SCHSL 4A championship series. It was the first season of 4A play for Gray, and the team finished the year above all others. 

“It feels good, just a little extra, a little better. We’ve been in 2A, and people said we couldn’t play in 4A. But we knew we could,” Gray head coach Doug Frye said. “We’ll play anybody.” 

The War Eagles clinched their third title in four years on their home field in the third and final game of the series. 

Game one was played at Gray, except the final half inning, which was delayed because of rain. The game was resumed and finished in York before game two. 

The War Eagles lost game one, meaning the team needed to win game two in enemy territory to stay alive. The War Eagles did and earned the right to return home for a chance at the title. 

“You may beat us, but you won’t outwork us,” Frye said. “We come back and work hard and get better.” 

Gray left it all on the field Saturday, beating the Cougars 5-2 in the decisive game.

Three different players hit a home run in the win. Seniors Maddox Long and Kaley Anderson went long on the final at-bats of their high school careers, and sophomore Aspen Boulware added another to her season total.

“The best thing, two of them are seniors, and they’re going out with their last at-bat as a home run. That’s impressive.” Frye said.

Boulware’s home run put the game’s first points on the board. For the second outing in a row, she went yard as the leadoff hitter. 

“Boulware is special,” Frye said. “She’s probably got like 35 intentional walks this year. She’s hit like 22 home runs. She’s just a special kid, special player.” 

Long and freshman Makenzie Sease pitched for the War Eagles. Long got the start and pitched three innings with three strikeouts, while allowing three hits, two runs and two walks. 

Sease was awarded the win after coming on in relief to pitch four innings. She finished with three strikeouts, one hit allowed, no runs, no walks and no errors. 

“I don’t know how to feel right now,” An excited Sease said after the game. 

Sease said as the game went on and her pitch count kept rising, she kept telling herself to stay cool and concentrated.

“ Try not to get too excited and try to stay calm,” she said. “Focus.” 

Sease’s pitching helped Gray get out of an early hole.  

The War Eagles gave up two runs in the second and third innings and went into the fourth down 2-1. Fortunately, those would be the last runs York scored as Sease and the defense locked up. 

Frye was not worried about trailing early. He knew if his team played their game, they’d break through. 

“We’re fine. We can hit the ball. Just waiting for the right pitch,” Frye said. “ We work hard on when to go with the pitch and being patient and don't chase things.  And with 2-1 runs, you're always in the game.”

Gray flipped the score back in its favor during the next inning and retook the lead after Long’s home run scored two. 

The lead expanded even more in the fifth inning when Anderson homered. 

From there, it was about keeping York off the board. The Cougars got nothing going on offense, going six up and six down in their final two batting chances. 

York’s last hope came in the seventh inning. The last batter survived 10 pitches and held a full count before Sease struck her out looking, clinching Gray’s championship. 

“I knew we could do it,” Sease said.