MISHAWAKA — Penn’s Addyson Zachary, when it mattered most, was at her best Monday night.
One sweet swing from the sophomore lefty hitter proved to be the difference in lifting Class 4A No. 3 Kingsmen past Elkhart 6-5 in a wild Northern Indiana Conference clash at Penn.
Zachary’s two-run, two-out triple over the Elkhart leftfielder’s head with two outs in the sixth inning tied the game before an RBI single off the bat of senior Phoebe Wood on a 2-2 pitch proved to be the game winner one batter later. Wood’s soft flyball fell just in front of the Elkhart rightfielder.
The Lions tried to mount a final rally in their final at bat in the seventh. Senior Natalie Smith was hit by a pitch and stole second with one out. Caitlyn Denny then fanned Elkhart’s best hitter in junior Ava Walker and got cleanup hitter Ava Sanders to line out to Zachary at second base for the final out.
The game was resumed after being suspended on May 7 due to rain with the contest tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning.
The Kingsmen, who trailed 5-3 after Elkhart scored four times in the top of the sixth frame, improved to 17-3 overall and took complete control of the NIC race at 8-0. Elkhart, which lost 13-3 in five innings at home to Penn on May 5 as Penn sophomore Easton Masten hit three homers and drove in eight runs, dropped to 15-7 overall and 5-2 in league play with the gut-wrenching loss.
Penn, barring a big upset, will claim another NIC title. The Kingsmen still face New Prairie on May 12 and 14 and Class 3A No. 11 South Bend Saint Joseph’s on May 19 and 21 to close conference play. Elkhart still has two NIC games versus Mishawaka Marian (May 12 and 14), a pair with South Bend Adams (May 19 and 21) and one with South Bend Riley (May 20) on the schedule. St. Joe was 7-3 in the NIC going into play Tuesday, May 12 with two losses to Elkhart and one to South Bend Adams.
The Kingsmen, in a game that featured a little bit of everything including controversy, showed their resiliency. Penn was coming off a 4-0 loss Friday night at Class 4A No. 2 Crown Point, in a game that saw the potent Penn bats strike out 15 times and manage just three hits off senior ace Paige Liezert of the Bulldogs. Defending state champion Crown Point beat Penn 4-2 in the semi-state title game in 2025.
Zachary, the No. 8 hitter in the deep Penn lineup, shook off a tough night defensively at second base to play the hero for her team.
“I was trying to put the ball on the ground and do something for my team,” said Zachary of the biggest hit of the night. “It turned out to be a big moment. It just feels really great. I had no idea where the ball was going. I just put my head down and was running it out. It just felt good.
“Definitely my team enabled me to come back after my error (in the fourth inning). They enabled me to stay calm and reset after my mess up in the field. They (my teammates and coaches) were all supporting me.”
Elkhart rallied to take a 5-3 lead in the sixth with four runs. The Lions took advantage of a pair of Penn errors in the frame. Senior Anna Knight drew a bases-loaded walk off Penn senior reliever Denny to tie the game at 3-3. Denny entered the game prior to Knight’s appearance at the plate. Junior Naveya Merrill then beat out a slow roller to Zachary at second for an infield hit to score a pair of runs to make it 5-3.
Penn answered in the home half of the sixth frame. Senior Addison Bogunia reached on an infield single with one out and then junior Kaiya Garringer reached on an error on her bunt. Junior Emma Pratt, pinch hitting, then put down a perfect sacrifice bunt for the second out to set the stage for Zachary and Wood.
“It just falls back to having confidence in her training,” said Penn coach Beth Zachary of the huge triple by her youngest of three daughters, who have starred for the program. “Addyson was here early tonight taking extra hitting reps in the cage. She had the opportunity for us and she came through.
“This was just good softball tonight. It was a testament to hard-nosed kids on both sides with all fight. I’m not surprised at all by Elkhart tonight. Everyone wants to beat us and we know we can’t let down.
“I was proud and congratulated my girls for coming through. Tonight just felt off. It felt weird playing on a Monday night. But they got the job done. They did the little things well. The bunt by Emma Pratt for us was big. She came through in that situation.”
The Kingsmen took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second on a controversial play. A two-run single to centerfield by sophomore Charlie Swiger with two outs gave the hosts the lead. The play saw Penn base runner Carson Petty make contact with Elkhart shortstop Ava Walker with the Penn runner between second and third while Walker was trying to field the ball hit up the middle. Interference on the Penn runner was not ruled on the play by either base umpire Bill Cochran or home plate umpire Frank Zirille despite a vehement and loud argument from Elkhart coach Matt Walker following the play.
“No comment,” said coach Walker when asked about the pivotal play in the contest.
The game saw Elkhart senior pitcher Anna Knight do a tremendous job against a Penn team that entered play averaging over eight runs per game and had scored in double digits 10 times. Starter Trinity Culp, a junior, also battled in the circle for Penn against an Elkhart lineup that was averaging over nine runs per game with nine games scoring in double digits.
The contest saw both teams struggle on the defensive side. Elkhart was charged with four errors and Penn with three.
Elkhart lost 10-0 at Penn in a Class 4A regional game to end its 2025 season. Barring a big time sectional upset, the pair will clash again in a regional game this time at Elkhart on June 2.
“Chins up and absolutely nothing to hang your heads about,” said Elkhart coach Walker to his squad to conclude a fiery, passionate postgame talk to his talented team.
“This one stings,” noted coach Walker. “There comes a time when you have to be tired of playing second fiddle to someone,” noted Walker. “We’re on the cusp of that. It’s 100 percent about your mentality. You have to go out and take it from them.
“We were neck and neck with them tonight until it mattered. You have to do it for seven innings. I have the pieces to do it. There’s no question in my mind about that. But it has to be player-led too and come from the dugout. Anna was phenomenal for us pitching tonight. Our defense has to make the plays.
“Before you can be great, you have to do the simple things well. We’re growing and my kids will respond. I’m excited to see how they do respond our final five games.”
Elkhart had taken a 1-0 lead in the first inning May 7 before the rain came on an RBI single by Sanders. Penn had tied the game in the home half of the first frame last Thursday on an RBI single by Swiger.
Penn has seven regular-season games left to play, including hosting Fort Wayne Carroll May 15 and Lakeshore (Michigan) for a doubleheader May 22.
Elkhart just has the five NIC games left on its docket before sectional play begins the week of May 25.
Penn will host its own Class 4A Sectional, while Elkhart will compete in the Class 4A Northridge Sectional in Middlebury.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Penn prevails over Elkhart in clash of conference softball powers
Reporting by Scott Davidson, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
