The Northeastern softball team fell to visiting Eastern Hancock on Tuesday, June 2, before an overflow crowd with a trip to semi-state on the line.
The Lady Royals program has previously played in eight regionals and won four of them. The Lady Knights’ only other regional appearance in softball came in 2017. The comfort level on the big stage between the two teams was apparent.
The first two innings were scoreless before the Lady Royals scored two runs in the top half of the third inning to take a lead they would never surrender. Eastern Hancock added two runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth inning to take a 6-0 lead into the seventh.
Kelsie Culbertson hit a two-out triple in the seventh inning and Macey Oler doubled to drive her home and avert the shutout.
Five of the Royal starters were freshmen. Alivia Willis was the winning pitcher, and Hailey Elsrod suffered the loss. Adalyn Willis collected three hits for the Royals, and Hannah Wittgen had two hits. Jocelyn Allen and Oler each had two hits for the Knights.
The Royals had nine hits and the Knights had eight, but they did not get their first hit until the fourth inning. The Knights committed six errors, a season high.
Northeastern head coach Jason Allen said he feels good about what his team accomplished this season.
“One of our preseason goals was to win the sectional,” Allen said. “We achieved that and we played tonight in front of our biggest crowd of the season. We made some mistakes tonight defensively, but this experience will give us confidence for next year. There is no reason for the kids to hang their heads—they had a great year.”
It was the last game in a Northeastern softball uniform for seniors Brooklynne Adams and Addisyn Wright.
Eastern Hancock (19-6) 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 6
Northeastern (16-4) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Eastern Hancock hits: Nieko Engleking, Chloe Spong, Addisyn Trackwell, Adalyn Willis (3), Alivian Willis, Wittgren (2)
Northeastern hits: Brooklynne Adams, Allen (2), Culbertson, Jayden Hildebrand, Oler (2), Izzy Peed
A version of this article will appear in the June 10 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.