Williamsport responded with three runs of its own in the bottom of the frame, claiming a lead it would not relinquish for the remainder of the game.

Powered by junior pitcher Bailey Livermore’s seven strikeouts, the top-seeded Millionaires defeated No. 3 Wilkes-Barre Area, 8-3, to claim their second consecutive District 2-4 Class 6A subregional softball title on Tuesday at Wilkes University’s Ralston Athletic Complex.

“If you don’t answer right away, then you’re in trouble. And that’s exactly what happened,” Wilkes-Barre Area head coach Brittany Hess said. “I’m proud of the girls. They answered on defense for the most part, but Williamsport had the hot bats, so you have to keep up with it.”

Williamsport advanced to the PIAA Tournament, where it will face District 3’s third-place finisher. That game will take place on Monday at a time and place yet to be announced.

JASON ARDAN/Special to the Sun-Gazette Williamsport celebrates after winning the PIAA D2 6A championship game at Wilkes University on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Wilkes-Barre Area drew first blood with Martin’s two-run blast. In the top of the first inning, Martin sent a shot over the center field wall to score herself and lead-off batter Caitlyn Sekelsky, who was previously walked. The Wolfpack took a 2-0 lead.

Madalyn McGuinness added a single on the next at-bat, but the Wolfpack left her on base to close out the frame.

Williamsport started climbing back almost immediately, as Brenna Beck hit an RBI-single to score Emma Vollman after her double. Zaelana Minor followed up with a deep RBI-double to center field, scoring Beck and Ashlyn Robinson for a 3-2 Millionaires lead.

“We always play for the inning, try to win the inning. We hadn’t batted yet, so that was an easy one to sell,” Williamsport head coach Scott Stugart said. “We focused on that all year, so that was something they’re used to hearing. They bounced back.”

The next two innings were scoreless, in part because of strong pitching performances from Williamsport starter Livermore and Wilkes-Barre Area starter Jordan Prushinski.

JASON ARDAN/Special to the Sun-Gazette Williamsport's Brenna Beck rounds third base in the PIAA D2 6A championship game at Wilkes University on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Livermore finished with seven strikeouts, while Prushinski had four. Both pitched complete games.

“I didn’t have the greatest pitching last year,” Livermore said. “So, I just wanted to redeem myself.”

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Vollman added hit an RBI-single to score Emily McAnelly and extend Williamsport’s lead to 4-2. One frame later, Livermore dropped a hit into centerfield, scoring Robinson. The Millionaires led, 5-2.

Williamsport really started to pull away in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Vollman scored her second run of the day, advancing on an error. Beck added another RBI-single to score Kinsley Cannode. Robinson hit an RBI-single to score Beck, and all of a sudden Wilkes-Barre Area trailed, 8-2, heading into the final frame.

JASON ARDAN/Special to the Sun-Gazette Williamsport's Brenna Beck cheers after scoring in the PIAA D2 6A championship game at Wilkes University on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

With two outs on the board, Prushinski gave the Wolfpack a glimmer of hope, sending a solo home run over the center field wall before Martin hit a single and reached first base. However, it ultimately was not enough and Williamsport closed out the victory.

“If I knew the secret, I would probably bottle it and sell it,” Stutgart said. “We push the legacy of the program. It’s bigger than any one player of any one team. That’s just something that we’ve always pushed.”

Martin paced Wilkes-Barre Area, going 2-for-4 with a home run, a single and two RBIs. Prushinski had a home run, while McGuiness and Hope Burke added singles.

Wilkes-Barre Area finished the season with a 9-13 overall record. After defeating No. 2 Hazleton Area in a 17-7 semifinal win, the Wolfpack was unable to clinch a state tournament berth.

The Wolfpack faced Williamsport in last season’s subregional semifinal round, but fell in a decisive 21-3 loss. Consequently, though Tuesday’s result was not what it wanted, Wilkes-Barre Area has reason for optimism.

JASON ARDAN/Special to the Sun-Gazette Williamsport's Emma Vollman slides into second base in the PIAA D2 6A championship game at Wilkes University on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

“We’ve played them twice now in the semis, and they clobbered us every time, so this is a non-traditional win in my book, compared to previous seasons,” Hess said.

Hess will not be returning to the team next season, as she prepares to have a baby in August. The Wolfpack coach will close out her tenure after 10 years with the program and three as head coach.

“I saw something that could be fixed, and I felt like I had the maturity and the experience,” Hess said. “I’m still going to be around in some capacity.”