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MONTICELLO — All good things must come to an end.
That was the case Saturday, June 6 for the history-making John Glenn softball team.
The magical postseason push by the gritty, resilient and determined Falcons finally came to its end in the rain-delayed Class 3A Twin Lakes Semi-state, falling 6-2 to East Noble in a semifinal contest.
The second semifinal game of the day was pushed back from a 1 p.m. start and began at 3:11 p.m. after heavy rain hit the area Saturday morning. The contest also was stopped for an hour in the third inning due to lightning in the area.
More: John Glenn softball hangs on to repeat as sectional champs in thriller
The Falcons finished with a program best 21 wins that included the first-ever regional title in program history. Glenn went 21-10 on the season.
Glenn showed its resilience after head coach Brian Laskowski resigned late in the regular season. Assistant coach Mick Lizzi took over as the interim head coach and guided his team past No. 11 South Bend Saint Joseph 10-9 in the title game of the Plymouth Sectional for the second sectional title in a row and the second in program history.
The Falcons then beat Tippecanoe Valley 1-0 in the regional round before simply running into a stronger foe on this day in East Noble.
More area softball: IHSAA Class 4A softball semi-state games postponed to Monday
East Noble improved to 23-3 at the time. The Knights are coached by Jessica Hull, a former multi-sport standout at South Bend Adams. Her father Jeff was a longtime basketball coach, outstanding area umpire and beloved figure at Adams.
Hanover Central sophomore Jillian DeYoung outpitched Logansport star Brooklynn Hagerty in the first semifinal. DeYoung fired a no-hitter with 15 strikeouts, including 10 in a row at one point, as Hanover Central beat the No. 2 Berries 2-0. She had a perfect game until walking the first Logansport batter in the bottom of the seventh inning. DeYoung improved to 19-4 with the win with 239 strikeouts in 137 innings.
Junior Hagerty, who has committed to two-time national champion Texas, allowed just one hit with 17 strikeouts. Hanover Central got a two-run double from senior Brooklyn Oostman in the third inning with two outs for the lone hit of the pitcher's duel. Hanover Central took advantage of a pair of Logansport errors in the frame, including one by Hagerty.
Logansport, which had won 26 games in a row since its lone loss to Penn 12-2 on April 10, finished 27-2. Hagerty entered play 17-0 with a 0.67 ERA with 12 earned runs allowed and 265 strikeouts and nine walks in 126 innings of work prior to Saturday. The Berries entered play Saturday with a 226-38 edge in runs with 15 shutouts on the season, including eight in a row. They beat No. 1 Yorktown 1-0 in the regional as Hagerty fired a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts.
Glenn showed its moxie again right until the end.
The Falcons trailed 3-0 after freshman Maddison Parker hit a laser three-run homer over the left-center field fence in the third frame two batters after the game resumed.
Glenn rallied to cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning. The Falcons used a single, a walk and three East Noble errors to rally. Glenn had the tying run thrown out at home for the final out after an errant throw to first base.
The Knights added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth frame. East Noble used a pair of fine bunts to score two runs to make it 5-2, then got an RBI double by junior Aubrey Helmkamp for the 6-2 final.
"These girls have given me a lot," said coach Lizzi. "They have nothing at all to be ashamed of. They did a hell of a job and made a lot of good things happen for the school and our community.
"I'm proud and love all of them. And I'm excited about the future. They put John Glenn softball back on the map, and we're here to stay."
Freshman Emma Thomas took the pitching loss for Glenn. She finished 13-10 on the season.
Junior Sophia Lizzi four had a double for Glenn. The Falcons had four hits in the loss and committed a pair of errors.
"We made some mistakes today, but that happens," coach Lizzi said. "Credit East Noble. They hung together and got those bunts. My seniors were amazing and this group was always fighting, and that's what I liked about them. They have guts and will be remembered for a lifetime for what they did this season."
Payton Thomas, one of six Glenn seniors, was understandably emotional to see her outstanding high school career end.
"This was great, and I'm just so happy I got to go this far with all these girls," said a teary-eyed Thomas, who led her team with 13 homers and 50 RBIs this season. "The delay was tough. I think that on any other day we could have come back today."
Hull thought the 60-minute delay helped her squad.
"I think that the delay helped reset us," Hull remarked. "We were too tight before it. I think that it loosened us up enough. Maddison's homer was awesome. And I told our girls don't be surprised if we bunt and they responded well. That was great momentum for us."
Glenn loses six seniors in Payton Thomas, Gracie Winchell Wolf, McKinley Platz, Taylor Jackson, Kiara Meadway and Adyn Bajer.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: John Glenn softball reached historic heights in 2026 IHSAA season
Continue reading...
That was the case Saturday, June 6 for the history-making John Glenn softball team.
The magical postseason push by the gritty, resilient and determined Falcons finally came to its end in the rain-delayed Class 3A Twin Lakes Semi-state, falling 6-2 to East Noble in a semifinal contest.
The second semifinal game of the day was pushed back from a 1 p.m. start and began at 3:11 p.m. after heavy rain hit the area Saturday morning. The contest also was stopped for an hour in the third inning due to lightning in the area.
More: John Glenn softball hangs on to repeat as sectional champs in thriller
The Falcons finished with a program best 21 wins that included the first-ever regional title in program history. Glenn went 21-10 on the season.
Glenn showed its resilience after head coach Brian Laskowski resigned late in the regular season. Assistant coach Mick Lizzi took over as the interim head coach and guided his team past No. 11 South Bend Saint Joseph 10-9 in the title game of the Plymouth Sectional for the second sectional title in a row and the second in program history.
The Falcons then beat Tippecanoe Valley 1-0 in the regional round before simply running into a stronger foe on this day in East Noble.
More area softball: IHSAA Class 4A softball semi-state games postponed to Monday
East Noble improved to 23-3 at the time. The Knights are coached by Jessica Hull, a former multi-sport standout at South Bend Adams. Her father Jeff was a longtime basketball coach, outstanding area umpire and beloved figure at Adams.
Hanover Central sophomore Jillian DeYoung outpitched Logansport star Brooklynn Hagerty in the first semifinal. DeYoung fired a no-hitter with 15 strikeouts, including 10 in a row at one point, as Hanover Central beat the No. 2 Berries 2-0. She had a perfect game until walking the first Logansport batter in the bottom of the seventh inning. DeYoung improved to 19-4 with the win with 239 strikeouts in 137 innings.
Junior Hagerty, who has committed to two-time national champion Texas, allowed just one hit with 17 strikeouts. Hanover Central got a two-run double from senior Brooklyn Oostman in the third inning with two outs for the lone hit of the pitcher's duel. Hanover Central took advantage of a pair of Logansport errors in the frame, including one by Hagerty.
Logansport, which had won 26 games in a row since its lone loss to Penn 12-2 on April 10, finished 27-2. Hagerty entered play 17-0 with a 0.67 ERA with 12 earned runs allowed and 265 strikeouts and nine walks in 126 innings of work prior to Saturday. The Berries entered play Saturday with a 226-38 edge in runs with 15 shutouts on the season, including eight in a row. They beat No. 1 Yorktown 1-0 in the regional as Hagerty fired a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts.
Falcons battle until the end
Glenn showed its moxie again right until the end.
The Falcons trailed 3-0 after freshman Maddison Parker hit a laser three-run homer over the left-center field fence in the third frame two batters after the game resumed.
Glenn rallied to cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning. The Falcons used a single, a walk and three East Noble errors to rally. Glenn had the tying run thrown out at home for the final out after an errant throw to first base.
The Knights added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth frame. East Noble used a pair of fine bunts to score two runs to make it 5-2, then got an RBI double by junior Aubrey Helmkamp for the 6-2 final.
"These girls have given me a lot," said coach Lizzi. "They have nothing at all to be ashamed of. They did a hell of a job and made a lot of good things happen for the school and our community.
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"I'm proud and love all of them. And I'm excited about the future. They put John Glenn softball back on the map, and we're here to stay."
Freshman Emma Thomas took the pitching loss for Glenn. She finished 13-10 on the season.
Junior Sophia Lizzi four had a double for Glenn. The Falcons had four hits in the loss and committed a pair of errors.
"We made some mistakes today, but that happens," coach Lizzi said. "Credit East Noble. They hung together and got those bunts. My seniors were amazing and this group was always fighting, and that's what I liked about them. They have guts and will be remembered for a lifetime for what they did this season."
Payton Thomas, one of six Glenn seniors, was understandably emotional to see her outstanding high school career end.
"This was great, and I'm just so happy I got to go this far with all these girls," said a teary-eyed Thomas, who led her team with 13 homers and 50 RBIs this season. "The delay was tough. I think that on any other day we could have come back today."
Hull thought the 60-minute delay helped her squad.
"I think that the delay helped reset us," Hull remarked. "We were too tight before it. I think that it loosened us up enough. Maddison's homer was awesome. And I told our girls don't be surprised if we bunt and they responded well. That was great momentum for us."
Glenn loses six seniors in Payton Thomas, Gracie Winchell Wolf, McKinley Platz, Taylor Jackson, Kiara Meadway and Adyn Bajer.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: John Glenn softball reached historic heights in 2026 IHSAA season
Continue reading...
