The Gray Collegiate War Eagles, 2025 SCHSL 4A Girls Softball State Champions: 2 Aspen Boulware; 4 Gracie Porter; 5 Aleigh Capilos; 6 Chelsea Peterson; 7 Kaitlyn Mittler; 8 Madison Bumgarner; 9 Braelyn Tripplett; 11 Claire McCormack; 12 Jennifer Jager; 13 Kaley Anderson; 14 Anna Mack; 17 Kaylan Boudreau; 21 Elizabeth Robinson; 23 Maddox Long; 26 Makenzie Sease; 29 Anna Boyd; 32 Maliah Wright; 33 Peyton Hendrix; 44 Na’Veah Matthews; Assistant Coaches Andy Tatum, Dean Anderson, and Kim Anderson; Head Coach Doug Frye; Athletic Director Kevin Heise; and Principal Dr. Brian Newsome. Photos by Mike Maddock
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The Gray Collegiate War Eagles got two-run home runs from Maddox Long and Kaley Anderson en route to a 5-2 win over the York Cougars in the decisive Game 3 of the 4A Softball State Championship series Saturday, May 31.
“This was special. This is 4A,” Gray head coach Doug Frye said. “We moved up two notches. We played hard for it all year. We have a target on our backs all the time, but these girls battle and fight and fight and fight. There aren’t many teams in the state that work harder than this team. Practices are impressive just to watch and the way they get after it.”
This is the second straight state championship and the third in four years for Gray. The War Eagles won in 2A in 2022 and 2024.
Gray got on the board in the bottom of the first when Aspen Boulware hit a lead-off solo home run to right field to give the War Eagles a 1-0 lead.
“I was just really excited,” Boulware said. “I was trying to be aggressive. I felt like she was going to come out and pound the zone, so I was ready for it.”
Gray Collegiate’s Braelyn Tripplett makes a catch near foul territory against York.
York responded in the top of the second. Natalie Dover drew a walk and A.C. Lingerfelt was hit by a pitch to put two on with one out. Layla Clayton singled to center field to plate Lingerfelt and tie the score at 1-1.
The Cougars took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third with a solo home run from Marisa Reyes.
The score held until the bottom of the fourth when Makenzie Sease reached on an error and Long blasted a home run to center field to give Gray a 3-2 lead.
“I knew it was my time to step up for the team, and I went to the plate and did what I’m supposed to do,” Long said.
The War Eagles added two more in the bottom of the fifth. Sease singled to center field to put one on with two out. Then Anderson smashed a two-run home run to center field to increase Gray’s lead to 5-2.
“It was really cool,” Anderson said. “I had been struggling previously. I was working really hard on making sure I take my body to the outside pitches. That’s what she was mainly throwing was the outside pitch. It was really good that I stayed through the ball, and took my body to the ball and it ended up working out in my favor. That was pretty cool.”
Gray Collegiate’s Aspen Boulware hits a lead-off solo home run in the bottom of the first inning against York.
That was more than enough run support for Sease, who came on in relief in the fourth inning. She set down the York side in the sixth and seventh to close out the win.
Anderson led the War Eagles at the plate going 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs. Long was 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBIs. She also pitched three innings, giving up two earned runs and three hits while striking out three. Sease got the win pitching the remaining four innings. She gave up one hit and struck out three. Boulware went 1-for-1 with a home run and one RBI.
Marisa Reyes led York at the plate going 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Layla Clayton was 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Gray finished the season with a 32-3 record. York finishes 25-5.
Gray Collegiate’s Maddox Long smashes a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth to give the War Eagles a 3-2 go ahead lead against York.
Gray Collegiate’s Makenzie Sease pitched four innings giving up one hit while striking out three against York.
Gray Collegiate’s Kaley Anderson fist bumps head coach Doug Frye as she rounds third after hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to extend the War Eagles’ lead to 5-2 against York.
Gray Col legiate’s Na’Veah Matthews runs in to make a catch against York.
Gray Collegiate’s Maliah Wright makes a leaping catch against York.
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