DEWITT, N.Y. (WETM) – Corning Community College Softball falls in two games for the NJCAA Division III National Championship.

Corning Community College Softball will have to wait another year to try to win the NJCAA Division III title. The Red Barons fell in two games to North Dakota State College of Science for the Championship, on Saturday. Corning CC lost 11-4 in the first game, setting up a decisive game 2. Corning CC stormed out to a big lead in game 2, entering the 7th inning, up 12-7. In the 7th, North Dakota SCS rallied back with a 6-run inning, taking the game and leaving the Red Barons one out away from the title.

Three players had strong appearances at the plate for CCC in game 2. NJCAA Region III Player of the Year Grace Vondracek followed up a 3 for 3 hitting performance in game 1, with a 3 for 5 effort in game 2, earning an RBI. Grace Talbut went 2 for 3, delivering her team leading 17th home run of the year and Gabby Coletta went 4 for 4 with 3 runs.

The Red Barons finish the season as NJCAA Division III runner-up for the third-straight season and close out with a 38-10 record. Despite the loss, Corning had a dominant run in 2023, winning their third-consecutive NJCAA Region III title. The accomplishment was the first time the Red Barons program won three-straight since 1997-99.

Corning CC claimed the NJCAA Region III Player of the Year once again, with Grace Vondracek winning for the 2nd time in her career and head coach Stacy Johnson earned the Coach of the Year honor. The Red Barons saw pitcher Jayden Hill win NJCAA Region III Tournament MVP, while Lexi Wood, Gabby Coletta, Grace Talbut, and Caroline Courson earned All-Region first and second team honors.

Corning hit over 60 home runs and over 530 runs on the season and rolled through their schedule with a 27-game win streak from March to early May, as well as an 8-game win streak leading up to the NJCAA Division III Championship.