On Wednesday, the Lumberjacks found themselves on the brink of their first sectional title when it led the St. Lawrence Larries late in the Section X, Class C championship game at St. Lawrence University.

That was, until head coach Carl Sorenson aptly put it, “the wheels fell off the bus.”

With a 5-2 lead in the fifth inning, Tupper Lake gave up 13 runs, which essentially handed the top-seeded Larries the Section X, Class C title game with a 15-5 victory.

“Other than that we did exactly what our goal was, (which was) come here and have fun, play loose and other than that one inning I’m pretty happy and pleased with the girls,” Sorenson said. “It was a great game for us, other than that one spot. We have a lot to proud of.”

Tupper Lake’s Rachel Sorenson gets ready to throw out a runner at first base during Wednesday’s Section X, Class C championship game. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

It was the first time since 2006 that the Tupper Lake softball team reached the sectional championship, according to Sorenson.

“We are pretty happy with everything that we did this year,” he said. “That was our goal last year and we did it this.”

On Wednesday, the Lumberjacks got off to a hot start when Addison Brown drove in Rachel Sorenson, before Kendall Kenniston scored on a wild pitch. St. Lawrence responded with one run in the bottom half of the inning, but trailed 2-1.

After a scoreless second inning, Tupper Lake’s Abby Smith scored in the third inning on an error to push the lead to 3-1, before St. Lawrence’s Lynnsay Cheney drove in

The Lumberjacks added a pair of runs in the top of the fifth when Brown and Kenniston reached home plate to extend their team’s lead to 5-2.

In the bottom half of that inning, the Larries finally broke through with 13 runs, which came off of bunts and fielding errors from Tupper Lake.

Carlee Provost paced the Larries with three hits. Cheney, Mary-Cate Dow, Morgan Francis, Avery Marcil, Hope McDonald and AJ Sweet each had one hit for St. Lawrence.

Kenniston led the Lumberjacks with two hits, while Sorenson and Brown each had one hit.

After St. Lawrence’s starting pitcher Annica Ramsdell walked back-to-back batters in the top of the sixth inning, she was relieved by Sweet, who helped the Larries escape the inning without giving up a run. The freshman pitcher closed out the contest in the final inning with two ground outs and a strikeout.

Ramsdell had seven strikeouts in the winning effort, while Sweet had two.

Kenniston, a junior pitcher, tossed a complete game, while striking out eight batters. Kenniston had a no-hitter going into the

“Kendall has stepped up a lot,” Carl Sorenson said. “She started slow last year and she picked it up right from the start this year, and she should have a great senior year.”

Tupper Lake finished the season with 9-7 record. Since Carl Sorenson took over the Lumberjacks softball program in 2023, the team has boasted a 16-15 record overall, and with 14 returners the team is hoping to expanded on its success.

Meanwhile, St. Lawrence will take on Berne Knox Westerlo in the NYSPHSAA Class C regional finals at noon on Saturday at St. Lawrence University.