Yellowjackets Capture SFCU Softball Tourney Title
By MICHAEL CASTRACANE III
SUNY Institute for Local News
ONEONTA
The Oneonta High School varsity girls softball team capped a strong showing on April 16 by winning the 35th Sidney Federal Credit Union Softball Tournament, defeating both Norwich and Sidney to claim the tournament title.
The Yellowjackets opened the day with a 4-0 victory over the Norwich Purple Tornadoes at the Cooperstown All Star Village fields in Oneonta. They then carried that momentum into the championship game, where they rolled past the Sidney Sabers 13-2 to secure the 2026 SFCU Tournament crown.
In the opening-round win against Norwich, pitcher Carley Mistler delivered a dominant performance in the circle, setting the tone early in the shutout. Mistler worked efficiently through the lineup, mixing her pitches well and keeping Norwich hitters off balance.
Norwich’s Kira Quattrocchi matched Mistler early, and the game remained scoreless through three innings as both teams struggled to generate offense. That changed in the bottom of the fourth inning when Oneonta began to capitalize on timely hitting.
Kendall LeFever jump-started the rally with a single to center field that brought home the game’s first run. A few batters later, Alaina Brown followed with a sharp double down the left-field line, driving in another run and giving the Yellowjackets a 2-0 lead.
With run support behind her, Mistler continued to settle in. She went the distance, throwing a complete-game shutout. Mistler allowed just three hits, struck out six and walked one, consistently working out of trouble when runners reached base.
Shaelyn Rice accounted for two of Norwich’s three hits, but the Purple Tornadoes were unable to string together offense against Mistler and a steady Yellowjackets defense.
The Yellowjackets added insurance runs in the fifth inning. Paige Little reached base to lead off the frame, and Lila Jipson later drove her in with a powerful triple to left field. Jipson then scored on a sacrifice fly by Julia Gallusser to extend the lead to 4-0.
Offensively, Oneonta finished with nine hits. Jipson and Little each recorded two hits, while LeFever and Brown both delivered key RBIs in the middle innings.
In the tournament’s other opening-round game, Sidney outlasted Bainbridge-Guilford 9-7 to advance to the championship, setting up a championship game matchup with Oneonta.
The Yellowjackets wasted little time asserting themselves in the final game, erupting for a 13-2 win over the Sabers. Oneonta’s offense came alive, combining consistent contact with aggressive base running to pull away early and put the game out of reach.
Alaina Brown led the Yellowjackets’ offensive surge, going a perfect three-for-three with three RBIs and a run scored. Brown delivered consistent production throughout the lineup as Oneonta opened the game up early and never looked back.
Kendall LeFever and Peyton Little each hit triples. Little finished two-for-two with two RBIs and a run scored, while LeFever drove in two runs and crossed the plate twice. Kylie Carr was also a catalyst at the top of the order, going two-for-two and scoring three runs. Carley Mistler added a hit and scored a run in the victory.
In the circle, Jenevie Gallusser earned the win with a strong five-inning performance. The sophomore allowed just two2 hits, struck out four and walked one as she limited Sidney’s offense throughout the game.
Sabers pitcher Teagan Stanton-Helms took the loss, surrendering 10 hits and three walks while striking out three batters.
Several players from both teams earned tournament all-star recognition.
For the Oneonta Yellowjackets, Carr, Gallusser and Mistler were named SFCU All-Tournament Team selections. Sidney’s Trinity Lowe, Lexi Mott and Maddox Johnson also earned all-star honors.
The tournament title marked a strong early-season statement for Oneonta, which showed balance throughout the day with pitching, defense and depth in the lineup. The Yellowjackets’ ability to execute in key moments across both games underscored their preparation and poise as they continue into the regular season.
Following the SFCU title, the varsity girls team went on to defeat Windsor Central by a score of 9-2 in a Southern Tier Athletic Conference East Division game at Windsor on April 21.
This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Lab, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.
