The girls softball state championships are here. This Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13, Bittinger Stadium in West Lafayette – the softball home of the Purdue Boilermakers – hosts all four championship games, and there are some great matchups on tap.
This softball state finals preview is powered by Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, a proud sponsor of the IHSAA.
Friday, June 12 | Class 3A Championship | 5:30 p.m. ET
#7 New Palestine Dragons vs. #10 Hanover Central Wildcats
New Palestine (24-7) arrives in West Lafayette carrying some serious history on the softball diamond. This is the Dragons' ninth state finals appearance (third-most in IHSAA history), and they've made the most of their trips, winning six of their previous eight appearances: 2004, 2008, 2009, 2017, 2018, and 2019. A win on Friday would move them into a tie with Center Grove for the most softball state titles in Indiana high school history.
This year's squad is led by two Division I talents: seniors Payton Dye (NC State) and Saydie Miller (Lindenwood University). Their postseason road was no cakewalk, as they knocked out #9 Indian Creek and #5 Roncalli in sectionals, topped #8 Edgewood in regionals, and erased #14 Evansville Memorial in the semi-state final.
Hanover Central (25-6) is no stranger to the big stage either. This is the Wildcats' second straight finals appearance and third overall. They took home the 2A title in 2004 and finished runner-up last year in 3A to Indianapolis Cathedral.
They may have pulled off the biggest upset of the entire postseason, ending #2 Logansport's 26-game win streak with a 2-0 shutout in the semi-state semifinals. They then had to navigate a weather delay that pushed their semi-state final to Monday, but Hanover Central weathered the storm and knocked off East Noble to punch its ticket.
They’re led by Division I commit and senior Sienna Stilley (Jacksonville State University), who has popped 13 home runs.
Friday, June 12 | Class 4A Championship | 8 p.m. ET
#1 Lake Central Indians vs. #10 Terre Haute North Vigo Patriots
Needless to say, Lake Central is loaded.
The Indians (30-2) started the season 25-0 and are making their eighth trip to the state finals. Their three previous titles (1992, 2002, 2004) all came against Center Grove. This group looks like it could add a fourth.
They are led by five Division I commits. Senior Lexi Iwema is tied for the state lead with 17 home runs and is headed to Indiana. Junior Madi Wainwright is an on-base machine and also committed to IU. Senior Tegan Tripp is tied with Wainwright for the team lead with 55 hits and will play at Virginia Tech. Senior MaKayla Van Vossen is batting over .400 and committed to DePaul. And in the circle, University of Kentucky commit, junior Maddie Such, has been dominant with a 0.87 ERA and 160 strikeouts on the season.
Their path to the finals included sectional wins over #15 Munster and a third victory over #2 Crown Point, and semi-state triumphs over #3 Penn (5-0) and #4 Carroll (5-2).
Terre Haute North Vigo (30-1) is making its second appearance in a softball state championship game, the other being a runner-up finish in 2010. The Patriots’ only loss came out of state, and they’re coming off their best win of the season – a 6-2 victory against #6 Center Grove in the semi-state final.
Division I-bound senior Jaleigh Lindley (University of Akron) leads the pitching staff with a 1.28 ERA, and junior Kenzie Zigler is second in the state with 61 RBI.
Saturday, June 13 | Class 1A Championship | 4:30 p.m. ET
#1 Barr-Reeve Lady Vikings vs. #8 South Central (Union Mills) Satellites
Barr-Reeve (31-1) is having a school year to remember. The Lady Vikings won a volleyball state title last fall, and boys basketball secured a title in March. They're seeking the school's ninth state title overall.
This is Barr-Reeve's first softball state championship game appearance, and they come in on a 14-game winning streak. They beat #9 North Daviess in sectionals, overcame a four-run deficit in the final two innings to beat #2 Indianapolis Lutheran in the semi-state semifinals, and knocked off #5 West Washington to advance.
Freshman phenom Joslyn (JJ) Knepp, junior Hallie Knepp, and senior Addison Jones were key contributors to the volleyball championship, and they’re leaders on the diamond, too.
South Central (22-8) is playing for history of its own. The Satellites are making their second appearance in the 1A state final, having finished runner-up in 2022. A win on Saturday would be the school's first-ever IHSAA state title.
Each of their eight losses came against larger-class schools, but they've had no problem picking on schools their own size. They have outscored opponents 71-9 across six postseason games, including 12-2 wins over #12 North Newton and #10 Riverton Parke at semi-state.
Senior Marlee Cavinder leads the team in batting average (.471), RBI (45), on-base percentage (.517), and slugging percentage (.712), and sophomore pitcher Maddy Cleek has held her own at the plate with team highs in hits (50) and doubles (16).
Saturday | Class 2A Championship | 7 p.m. ET
#3 Tecumseh Braves vs. Western Boone Stars
Been there, done that. This is Tecumseh’s fifth straight trip to the softball state finals, state-record 13th championship game appearance, and they've won it six times: 1A titles in 2009, 2011, 2017, 2022, and 2023, plus last year's 2A title over Andrean. A win on Saturday would make them just the second program in IHSAA softball history, joining New Pal, to win consecutive state titles multiple times.
Tecumseh (28-4) has turned it on in the postseason. Its path included 11-0 wins over Tell City and Forest Park in sectionals, an 18-0 drubbing of #8 Sullivan in regionals, and 12-0 and 14-0 wins over #10 Southmont and Eastern Hancock at semi-state. Fifteen of the Braves’ 28 wins have been shutouts. This team puts it foot on the gas and doesn’t let up.
Sophomore sensation Audrey Seiler gets it done in the circle and in the batter’s box. She is 9-0 with a 0.69 ERA and 256 strikeouts, fifth-most in the state, and also leads the Braves with six home runs. Senior Melanie Pfeiffer paces the team in runs (45), on-base percentage (.574), and slugging percentage (.709), and junior Avery Long leads in batting average (.491) and hits (54).
(Photo by Kyle Sokeland/Courier Press)
Western Boone (22-7) is making its first trip to a softball state final and is seeking the school’s sixth state title overall. The Stars knocked out #7 Rochester in regionals and then handled Central Noble and #11 Andrean at semi-state to reach this point.
Junior Mickey Burns is the Stars’ primary pitcher and leads the team in hits (43), doubles (12), and on-base percentage (.505), and sophomore Raina Lutz serves as their slugger with team highs in home runs (3), triples (6), RBI (29), and slugging percentage (.697).
The Rundown
So, which softball programs will bring home state championships this weekend? Will it be the regulars like New Palestine, Lake Central, and Tecumseh with a combined 15 titles between them, or can any of Hanover Central, Terre Haute North Vigo, and Western Boone break through? And who will emerge in 1A – Barr-Reeve, riding a high from volleyball and boys basketball state titles earlier in the school year, or South Central making its second finals appearance in the last five years?
We'll find out soon.
