Mishawaka softball: Veteran team plus veteran coach equals success
The Mishawaka High School softball program has long been known for being a championship contender year in and year out.
The year's edition of the Cavemen is no exception.
Coach Brian Miller's team is well on its way to claiming the Northern Lakes Conference title.
Notebook: South Bend Adams looking good on the softball diamond
And if the veteran Cavemen squad does that, they will have paper, pencils and crayons at least partially to thank for the championship.
Mishawaka, which finished as NLC runner-up to Northridge each of its first two years since joining the league from the Northern Indiana Conference, improved to 7-0 in league play with a 9-2 conference win at Plymouth May 3. The win, which saw the Cavemen pile up 17 hits, gave Mishawaka a three-game lead in the league standings over Wawasee (4-3). The Cavemen went 17-10 overall and 10-2 in the NLC a year ago and returned everyone from that team, which lost to Penn 5-2 in the sectional.
"The NLC top to bottom is much improved from the first two years since we entered the league," said longtime Cavemen coach Miller via email. "Teams have challenged us and so far, our kids have responded. Lots of different contributors and different times. Our team is deeper this year and that is offering some good competition in practices and games to earn playing time and that helps make our team better. I hope May picks up where April left off. No championships are crowned in April, trophies and championships are earned in May and June."
Miller, who was a longtime assistant to both Emery Petko and Bob Egyhazi before taking over the program, points to a key stretch earlier in the season for the recent resurgence of his team.
The Cavemen lost three in a row to Saint Joseph (11-0), Huntington North (5-0) and Clay (1-0). Since then, Mishawaka has seen its offense come alive to post seven straight wins heading into their own Cavemen vs. Cancer Classic Friday and Saturday.
"After that tough three-game slide where we were shut out by St Joe, Huntington North and Clay, a couple things have happened," Miller said. "We finally got into a rhythm as far as consistent practices and playing some games after spring break. After our loss to Clay, we focused one practice entirely on the mental side and approach to hitting.
"That day we didn't pick up a bat or throw a ball. Paper, pencils and crayons reviewing our "Red Zone". One day later we went to Lake Central and looked entirely different as a team at the plate. Beating a talented Westfield team really helped our confidence. Since our trip to the LC Invite we have won seven in a row. We have focused on the mental approach, having quality at bats and cutting down on strikeouts."
The Cavemen are led by the senior tandem of third baseman Leah Dawson and catcher Gianna Camacho. Dawson was batting .350 with three homers, 16 RBI and 14 runs scored through 13 games. She will play at IUSB. Camacho was hitting .261 with five doubles and eight RBI. She will play at Wisconsin Green Bay.
Mishawaka also relies on seniors Taylor Kinkade and Jadyn Handley and sophomore Lily St. Clair. Kincaide was batting .459 with eight RBI, while Handley was at .294 with 10 RBI and St. Clair at .541.
The Cavemen also boast a strong pitching tandem in senior standout Machaela Banks and St. Clair. Banks was 7-2 with a 2.70 ERA through 13 games. She had worked 57 innings with nine walks and 47 strikeouts and was 5-0 in NLC games. St. Clair was 2-2 with a 4.60 ERA with five walks and 19 strikeouts in 24.1 innings of work.
Miller, also one of the top PA men and radio broadcasters around, says experience has been a big factor for his team.
"You can't take away the value of experience in athletics or in life," said Miller, whose team has six seniors and five juniors. "This team had some early hurdles to get over. They did. Several of our players have gotten better physically. More importantly the majority of them have got stronger mentally, have grown up and matured into better teammates and more of an understanding of each other and what we expect as coaches. This team also has a good memory of where we fell short last year. We have to remember these lessons over the next four weeks or so."
Miller also points to the versatility of his squad as a big reason to its success on the diamond.
"The strength is our depth and versatility, most kids can play two or three positions on the field. We have several multi-sport athletes that I am convinced helps too. I also like this team's chemistry. They truly are a cast of characters, led by a senior class of six who have played a lot of ball together and are very competitive amongst each other. I believe they each lead in their own way, with their own personality."
Miller, like all successful programs, has a strong coaching staff to rely on. His assistants include Katie Boocher, the former Riley softball coach and a former star softball player at Washington and Bethel. Also on the staff are longtime assistant Jim Holtz, along with Rob Chrobot, Clint Connell, Matt Went and Hailey Unger.
The Cavemen went 3-1 in their own annual Cancer Classic Tourney Friday and Saturday to improve to 12-5 overall. They beat Niles 9-4 and lost to Class 3A No. 2 Western 11-2 in pool play Friday. They then defeated Fort Wayne Dwenger 11-1 in their final pool play game Saturday before topping Fairfield 6-3 in the consolation game. Both St. Clair and Kinkade were named to the all-tournament team. Western defeated North Miami 4-3 in the title game.
Miller, whose team will host its own 4A sectional later this month, thinks his team has what it takes to win the NLC crown.
"Again, the experience factor looms large here," Miller remarked. "After two years finishing in second place, we feel like we are the hunted (not the hunter, like the last two years versus Northridge and Goshen). We have a big bullseye on our back. We will always get everyone's best effort from everyone left on our schedule. Winning an NLC title would be special. Our girls have been close, many have also been knocked around a bit in other NLC sports. They remember what that felt like. "
Huge NIC clash on tap
One of the most anticipated games of the season is set for Monday night.
Saint Joseph, ranked ninth, will host No. 5 Penn in a clash of Class 4A powers and a showdown for arguably the NIC championship.
The Indians, who won the Class 3A state title in 2022, improved to 15-1 with a 4-0 win over Class 4A No. 10 West Lafayette Friday night in the Twin Lakes tournament. Star sophomore pitcher Berkley Zache fired a no hitter with 15 strikeouts.
St. Joe then defeated Class 3A No. 6 Kankakee Valley 9-5 and Northwestern 14-9 before losing 7-0 to Rossville Saturday at Twin Lakes to move to 17-2 overall. Berkley Zache did not pitch Saturday. The righthander is 9-0 on the season with zero earned runs allowed and just two total given up. Zache has walked two batters and fanned 124 in 49.2 innings of work with opponents batting .055 against her.
Penn moved its overall mark to 16-3-1 with an 11-0 drubbing of Crown Point at home Friday night. Ace junior hurler Aubrey Zachary fired a one hitter with one walk and five strikeouts as the Kingsmen won their 11th straight game since losing a pair to No. 4 Center Grove (7-5 and 9-3) on April 15. Penn then made it 12 wins in a row by downing Oak Park-River Forest (Illinois) 5-1 at home Saturday to move to 17-3-1. The Kingsmen scored five runs in the sixth inning to earn the win. Peyton Dwigans had two RBI and Ava Zachary two hits and an RBI, while pitchers Sarah Gentry and Caitlyn Denny combined for the win.
Penn, which won the NIC title at 11-0 in 2022, sits at 8-0 in league play. The Indians are 6-0 in league play. New Prairie is 6-1 with a loss to St. Joe and faces Penn on May 15.
The Kingsmen beat St. Joe 5-1 at Penn a season ago. Aubrey Zachary threw a one hitter, allowing just a solo homer to Berkley Zache, with six strikeouts and five walks. Kiley Hinton had an RBI single and an RBI double and Camille Biever an RBI single and an RBI triple in the win to lead Penn.
St. Joe star Berkley Zache, one of the top pitchers nationally in the Class of 2025, suffered her lone loss last year versus Penn. She worked four innings, allowing three hits with six strikeouts, three walks and two hit batters that night. Zache, who finished last year 17-1 with just seven earned runs allowed and 262 strikeouts, was coming off a knee injury just two days prior to the Penn game suffered in a home plate collision during a contest in the Lakeshore (Michigan) tourney.
The Indians finished 28-3 overall and 10-1 in the NIC a season ago. They did not allow a run in their seven postseason wins, which included a 1-0 victory in the regional, 2-0 and 1-0 wins in the semistate and a 1-0 win in nine innings over Tri-West Hendricks in the 3A state title tilt. Coach Earl Keith's team was moved up to 4A this season due to the IHSAA success factor.
Penn went 23-10 overall and 11-0 in the NIC a year ago under veteran coach Beth Zachary. The Kingsmen, who had no seniors in 2022, lost 3-1 to Lafayette Harrison in the semistate title game.
Penn is led by Purdue Fort Wayne recruit Aubrey Zachary in the circle. The deep and talented Kingsmen lineup features plenty of speed and pop, led by Hinton, Ava Zachary, sophomore Peyton Dwigans, sophomore Izzi Hanna, Abby Widmar and freshman Logan Rumble. Senior Hinton will play at Austin Peay and junior Widmar at Indiana State. Ava Zachary, a sophomore third baseman, is receiving plenty of interest from a host of big time Division 1 college programs. Penn was batting .444 as a team through 20 games with 46 doubles, 10 triple and 17 homers. The Kingsmen have just two seniors in Hinton and outfielder Alexis Riem.
St. Joe, which has seven seniors, boasts a much-improved offense this season. The Indians are led by the sister act of Berkley and Riley Zache. Junior catcher Riley, a Missouri recruit, hit a program record 10 homers in 2022 and has six this spring. St. Joe also counts offensively on seniors Maddie Wroblewski, Maya Newton, Selena Botello, Morgan Sandor, Erin Rudge and Savannah Hamilton.
Penn has outscored its opponents 197-46 this season, while St. Joe has a 174-53 advantage on its foes.
St. Joe has not defeated Penn since a 5-0 win during the 2014 season. The pair could meet again in a one-game regional on May 30, which would also be played at St. Joe. St. Joe plays in the Mishawaka Sectional and Penn hosts its own sectional later this month.
Monday's clash of titans is set for 5 p.m. at the St. Joe field, located at the Northfield Athletic Complex across the street from St. Patrick's County Park.
Conference standings
Northern Indiana Conference (through May 5)
Penn 8-0, Saint Joseph 6-0, New Prairie 6-1, Adams 5-3, Jimtown 4-3, Clay 4-4, Bremen 2-4, Riley 2-4, Marian 3-5, Glenn 2-5, Elkhart 1-7, Washington 0-7.
Northern Lakes Conference (through May 5)
Mishawaka 7-0, Wawasee 4-3, Goshen 3-3, Concord 4-4, Northridge 4-4, Plymouth 3-5, NorthWood 2-5, Warsaw 2-5.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Mishawaka softball hitting all the right notes as tournament time approaches
