The Kokomo Post Sports - Mississinewa vs Western Softball Game (Photo Gallery)
Class 3A No. 3 Western’s bid for back-to-back state championships came to a dramatic end Saturday night with a 2-1, nine-inning loss to Hanover Central in the Class 3A North Semistate championship at Twin Lakes High School in the 2025 IHSAA Softball State Tournament.
Western struck first in the bottom of the first inning. Brynley Erb reached base and came around to score on an RBI from Kylie Miller to give the Lady Panthers an early 1-0 lead.
Hanover Central tied the game in the fourth on a solo home run by freshman Jillian Deyoung, then scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth when Brooklyn Oostman tripled and later crossed the plate to make it 2-1.
The Lady Panthers threatened in the bottom of the ninth. Erb ripped a ball to the fence, but the potential game-tying run was tagged out at home for the final out, ending Western’s season in heartbreaking fashion.
Western finished with 10 hits and played error-free defense. Hanover Central tallied four hits and committed one error.
Deyoung was dominant in the circle for Hanover Central. The freshman pitched all nine innings, allowing 10 hits and one unearned run while striking out 13 and walking three.
Western had not allowed a single run throughout the postseason until the semistate championship. Hanover Central became the only team to score on the Lady Panthers during their tournament run.
Western ends its season with a 28-4 record. The Lady Panthers’ postseason included a 2-0 shutout over Mississinewa earlier in the day and a strong push toward a second straight state finals appearance.
Hanover Central (18-12) advances to the Class 3A state championship game, where it will face Class 3A No. 1 Indianapolis Cathedral (28-2) at Purdue University's Bittinger Stadium on June 14. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
