WEST LAFAYETTE – Both Bremen and South Bend St. Joseph’s fell a game short of their softball dreams Saturday afternoon at the IHSAA Softball State Finals.

Both teams were seeking their first softball state titles, but both landed on the wrong end of the scoreboard. Bremen, ranked No. 1 in Class 2-A heading into the finals, were quieted by unranked Speedway, 5-0, while No. 4 St. Joe couldn’t hold the lead against No. 1 New Palestine in a 3-1 result.

Speedway put the pressure on Bremen with three runs in the second inning, and Speedway pitcher Kaiah Fenters did what most teams couldn’t do to Bremen this year in throwing a one hitter. More specifically, Erin Coffel was held hitless, the sophomore sensation – who is already signed to play at Kentucky in three years – didn’t affect the game more than drawing a walk in the first inning and later reaching after being hit by a pitch.

Neither would matter much, as Fenters struck out 10 and was masterful. Bremen’s best opportunity to score was the first when Coffel walked, stole second and reached third on a passed ball, but Fenter got Sara Knepper to strike out the end the threat. Bremen would leave two on in the third and a runner at second in the fifth when McKenna Myers doubled for Bremen’s only hit, but that was it.

Emma DeVault had a two-run single in the second and Lexi Laffin added an RBI for the Sparkplugs (22-6-1), which wins its first state championship. Bremen ends its remarkable season 26-4.

St. Joe, which had been to seven semi-states in the past nine years, finally broke through with a semi-state triumph and made the state finals for the first time. The Indians, however, ran into a juggernaut in New Palestine, which came in as the defending Class 3-A champions.

The Dragons were up for the repeat, answering a two-out St. Joe RBI from Megan Welsh in the top of the third with three runs in the bottom half of the frame. Loading the bases with no outs, an RBI single from Emily O’Connor and two-run poke from Michaela Jones got the Dragons going.

That was enough for pitcher Mackenzie Jones, who gave up just one hit the rest of the way to lead New Palestine (30-1) to its fifth state championship. St. Joe wraps up the year 25-6.

The Hoosier North Athletic Conference got its second team championship of the year from Pioneer, which 3/8 rambled to a 10-1 win over North Central (Farmersburg) in the days first contest.

No. 3 Pioneer (32-3) scored two runs in the first inning, and after North Central got its only run in the bottom of the first, responded with five runs in the second to blow the game wide open.

Pioneer had all nine of its starters get a hit in a 15-hit team parade. Alyssa Shaw led the way with three hits and two RBIs while Mikenna Landis, Alexis Robinson, Hailey Gotshall and Madison Blickenstaff all had two hits, Robinson, Gotshall and Blickenstaff all scored two runs as well.

Gotshall worked the complete game in the circle, giving up three hits and striking out seven for the Panthers first softball state championship. The school saw its football team win a Class 1-A state championship in November.

In the Class 4-A championship, No. 9 Decatur Central (32-4) rallied with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to dump No. 2 Lake Central (29-5) 5-2. The win was Decatur’s first softball state championship.