Northern York wasn’t picked in the preseason to be the best softball team in the state. It wasn’t picked to be the best team in District 3.

It wasn’t even picked to be the best team in its own division of its own conference.

The Polar Bears have been defying expectations and proving themselves all spring. And on a sunny Saturday afternoon at the Nittany Lion Softball Park in State College, the girls in purple and white capped off a title game for the ages with a walk-off by freshman Sabrina Paulin, topping Shaler 3-2 in nine innings to bring home the program’s first softball state championship.

“We were underestimated in the beginning of the season,” pitcher Sammy Magee said. “And just to come out and play our very best, I had confidence in every single one of the girls”

Here’s how that “very best” led to a PIAA state title heading back to Dillsburg.

The stars

Nobody on Northern had more than one hit, but none were bigger than Sabrina Paulin’s walk-off single, as the freshman went 1-for-3 with a walk and RBI.

Tayler Yoder, Sammy Magee, Hannah Keith and Kiera O’Brine all chipped in with hits, while Jessie Li’s one pop-up single gave her a pair of RBIs.

Magee also put a cherry on top of her stellar postseason, tossing 120 pitches and the most innings she’s ever thrown in her career with a nine-inning, two-run showing, allowing just four hits while striking out seven and walking three.

Eloise Facher and Maya Siimunovic each homered for Shaler, while freshman pitcher Bria Bosiljevac was stellar in defeat. Bosiljevac threw 8.2 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out 12.

Game-deciding moments

After a scoreless first two frames, Shaler struck first, with Maya Simunovic launching a no-doubt homer to left field to put the Titans up 1-0.

With the Polar Bears still hitless through four, Yoder led off the inning with a scorching base hit, while Irwin poked a single to right to put runners at first and third.

Li would then step up to the plate with two outs and get jammed, popping up what appeared to be a harmless out. But three Titans converged and the ball found dirt, and Yoder and Irwin were sprinting the whole way, with both scoring on a ball that didn’t pass the pitcher’s mound to give the Polar Bears a 2-1 lead.