The 2024 edition of the area high school softball season has reached the final week of regular season play.
Prep teams head into one final week in preparation for the state tournament series, which begins with sectional action the week of May 20. Among area sectional sites to keep an eye on are Class 4A events at South Bend Adams and Northridge and the Class 3A Marian Sectional, slated to be held at Newton Park in Lakeville. One game regionals are slated for May 28 with four-team semistates June 1 and the State Finals June 7-8 at Purdue University.
There is still unfinished business, however, first this week with conference bragging rights still on the line.
Penn put itself in great position to claim the Northern Indiana Conference title with an impressive 8-2 league home win over defending champion Saint Joseph on May 6. The Kingsmen, who were runner-up to the Huskies in 2023, were 9-0 in league play with games left versus New Prairie and Riley.
Penn senior star Aubrey Zachary reached a major milestone in the home win over St. Joe. The standout, who fired a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts, recorded her 500th career strikeout. The only other pitcher to do that at Penn was Danielle Watson, who went on to pitch for Louisville and then for Florida State in the College World Series.
The Kingsmen, who were Class 4A state champions in 2023, will be a huge favorite in the Northridge Sectional. Penn has won nine straight sectionals and nine regionals in a row, a state best. The Kingsmen will face Concord in the sectional opener at Northridge.
The Kingsmen, who were 18-6 versus a tough schedule going into their NIC clash with New Prairie Monday night, headline our final area prep power rankings of the season.
Mishawaka is closing in on its second straight Northern Lakes Conference crown. The Cavemen sat at 11-0 in NLC action after a 1-0 win over NorthWood Friday night for its 16th straight victory. Coach Brian Miller's team was 14-0 in the NLC in 2023. The Cavemen will face Michigan City in a first-round game in the Adams Sectional next week.
St, Joe, which did not pitch junior superstar Berkley Zache in the loss to Penn last week, headlines the Adams Sectional and will play Plymouth in the opener. The Huskies, who moved up to Class 4A in 2023 after winning the Class 3A state title in 2022, did lose to both Mishawaka and Adams during the regular season. Berkley Zache, though, did not pitch in either of those contests. Zache has just two losses in her prep career, with both of those coming to Penn.
New Prairie looks to repeat as sectional champions in the Class 3A Marian Sectional. The field there includes two other strong teams in Riley and Jimtown. The Cougars, who took a 9-1 NIC mark into their game with Penn Monday night, claimed the Class 3A state title a year ago behind star hurler Ava Geyer.
Elite Eight
Note: Records are through Saturday games
Penn (18-6, 9-0 NIC): The Kingsmen beat St. Joe 8-2 as senior star Abby Widmar slugged a home run and a double and drove in four runs. Penn also beat NIC foe Jimtown 13-0 in five innings as Liv Signorino and Sarah Gentry combined to pitch a one hitter with 10 strikeouts. The trio of Ava Zachary, Logan Rumble and Peyton Dwigans all homered in the win.
Saint Joseph (18-4, 8-2 NIC): The Huskies bounced back from the loss at Penn to down John Glenn 11-0 in NIC play. Berkley Zache pitched a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Senior star Riley Zache slugged two home runs and Payton Wulf one in the win.
New Prairie (17-4, 9-1 NIC): The Cougars blanked both John Glenn (13-0) and Riley (10-0) in NIC play. Junior ace Ava Geyer and Emma Harris combined to pitch a one hitter versus Glenn. Geyer struck out 12 and belted two home runs versus Riley. New Prairie lost 16-1 to North Central (Indianapolis) in the Clay Cancer Tournament. The Cougars played the contest with their junior varsity team due to varsity players attending the prom Saturday night.
Mishawaka (19-4, 11-0 NLC): The Cavemen cruised past Concord 11-0 and Goshen 16-1 in NLC action. The trio of Camilia Ramirez-Quijada, Desiree Couve and Grace Matherly combined for a five-inning no-hitter versus Concord. Mishawaka capped its week by blanking NLC foe NorthWood 1-0. The Cavemen have outscored its NLC foes 112-6.
South Central (20-2, 5-1 PCC): The Satellites blanked North Judson 7-0, edged Kouts 6-5 and whitewashed Washington Township 14-0.
Jimtown (14-7, 6-4 NIC): The Jimmies split two NIC games, losing to league leader Penn 13-0 and beating Clay 18-2. Jimtown also topped non-conference foe LaPorte 6-4.
Riley (12-10, 5-4 NIC): Riley dropped a pair of league games, losing to Elkhart 5-1 and to New Prairie 10-0. The Wildcats picked up a 6-3 win over LaPorte Saturday.
Bremen (11-9, 4-6 NIC): The Lions blanked Washington 18-0 and lost to Elkhart 6-3 in NIC play.
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