A week after winning its first regional championship since 2003 with a thrilling upset of Class 3A No. 7 Yorktown, Norwell softball saw its magical late-season run come to an end with a 12-5 loss to second-ranked Western in the semistate semifinals on Saturday at Twin Lakes.
The Knights (18-8) had run off nine consecutive victories prior to their defeat, which saw them fall behind 8-0 after two innings.
Senior Jordan Markley went 2 for 4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored for Norwell while junior Leah Werling was 2 for 3 with an RBI double and a run.Kaydance Clark added a two-run single in the fifth.
Norwell has never won a semistate softball title.
NEW PRAIRIE 16, LEO 1: Also at Twin Lakes, Leo was tied after three innings and down just 2-1 entering the sixth, but gave up four in that sixth and 10 in the seventh to the No. 3 team in Class 3A. The Lions (26-6) got their run in the third on a game-tying solo homer from senior Lillian Pierce, her third of the year, but managed only two other hits and lost in the semistate for the third straight year. Leois still looking for its first semistate crown since 2019.
Senior Mackenzie Arroyo pitched a complete game for the Lions and lost for just the second time this season (10-2) despite striking out nine. Only seven of the runs she gave up were earned.
Class 4A
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 2, CARROLL 0: At Lafayette Harrison, the Chargers (20-6) saw their season end in the semistate semifinals for the second straight year as they fell to the 12th-ranked team in Class 4A, snapping a seven-game winning streak.
Carroll was unable to manage a hit or a walk against HSE sophom*ore pitcherGrace Swedarsky, who pitched a complete game, struck out 19 Chargers and only permitted baserunners with a pair of hit batters.Swedarsky also struck out 19 in a regional victory over Logansport on Wednesday.
Hamilton got a run in the third and another in the fourth, both off Carroll starting Emilia Garcia, who pitched four innings and struck out five. Reliever Taylor Danley pitched two scoreless frames and whiffed two while surrendering only one hit.
The Chargers are still looking for their first semistate softball crown.
Class A
LAPEL 5, SOUTH ADAMS 2:At Warsaw, the Class A No. 4 Starfires (27-5) fell behind 4-0 after two innings in their first semistate game since 2017 and lost to their sixth-ranked foe despite a 2-for-2 performance from senior Shea Alberson.
Addie Baker pitched a complete game for South Adams and gave up four earned runs on eight hits while striking out six and walking five. She fell to 18-2 for her junior season.
South Adams has yet to win a semistate title in softball.
TRI 9, FREMONT 8: At Frankfort, the Eagles (18-8) and Class A No. 8 Titans played one of the games of the day across the state. Tri led 9-0 after 6 1/2 innings after scoring three runs in the top of the seventh, but Fremont rallied for eight runs with two out in the bottom of the frame before falling short. Kate Gannon hit a line drive with a runner on that was snagged on a leaping catch by the Titan shortstop to close the game.
Addy Parr ripped a home run, her seventh of the season, and drove in three for the Eagles, who were playing in their first semistate since 2019, while fellow junior Sammy Meyers went 3 for 5 with a pair of doubles. Fremont is still looking for its first semistate softball crown.
Tennis regionals
Doubles
KOKOMO: Angola junior Ava Harris and sophom*ore Maya Harris improved to 22-0 and advanced to the state quarterfinals with a pair of wins Saturday, first beating Lafayette Central Catholic's previously undefeated pair Ella Henry and Bliss Ulery 6-2, 6-3 and then topping Delta's Kate Manor and Kelsey Vest 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to take the regional title. The Hornets will play again in the quarterfinals at 3:30 p.m. Friday at North Central High School in Indianapolis against an opponent to be announced.
Delta reached the final against Angola by beating Norwell's pair of seniors, Annabelle Johnson and Macy Felger 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals.
Singles
LaPORTE: Warsaw junior Addison Lind got a bye through to the regional final and there defeated Zionsville senior Lucy King, winning 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 to advance to the state quarterfinals at North Central. Lind is 19-0 this season. Her singles quarterfinal match will also place at 3:30 p.m. Friday against an opponent to be announced.
KOKOMO: New Haven junior Abigail Snodgrass fell to Logansport's Lydia Goad (15-6) in the regional semifinals.
