GATES CHILI HIGH SCHOOL — Penfield defeated Hilton 6-4 to win the Section V Class AA1 softball championship on May 30, 2026. The game was played at Gates Chili High School, where Penfield captured its first Section V title since 2005.

Penfield, the No. 1 seed in Section V Class AA1 with a 20-2 record and ranked third in the state, overcame an early deficit to secure the victory. Hilton, the No. 3 seed with a 13-9 record, took a 3-1 lead in the top of the second inning on five consecutive singles, with RBI hits from Madison Murphy, Paige Batz, and Juliana Sapporito.

Penfield answered in the bottom of the second when Allison Gardner drove in Lexi Cimino on a sacrifice fly. The game’s first run came in the first inning when Ella Maley scored after a throwing error following Vivian Russo’s sacrifice bunt.

The decisive rally unfolded in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Penfield scored four runs to take a 6-3 lead. Lexi Cimino tied the game on a bunt single by Stephanie Coughlin. Russo then delivered a two-run single, and Mackenzie Whitehead followed with a double to the right field wall that drove in Russo.

Hilton cut the deficit to 6-4 in the top of the seventh inning after its first two batters reached base. Penfield pitcher Mackenzie Noble retired the next three batters she faced, striking out the final hitter to end the game. Noble was later named Most Valuable Player of the Class AA1 tournament.

Penfield’s 2026 championship marked the program’s return to the top of Section V Class AA1 after a 21-year gap since its previous title in 2005. The team entered the playoffs as the top seed following a 20-2 regular season and a No. 3 statewide ranking.