WHEATFIELD — Kankakee Valley fell short of a softball sectional title with its 7-2 loss to Hanover Central last Friday (May 29) in the Class 3A KVHS championship game.

The Kougars, who end the season at 19-10, held a 2-1 lead through five innings with ace pitcher Mallorie Rose in the circle. But Hanover, which finished 3-0 against the Kougars this season, including a pair of Northwest Crossroads Conference wins, scored three runs in the sixth inning and three more in the seventh to pull ahead of KV.

Rose allowed five earned runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and a walk. The Kougars committed three errors behind Rose.

Hanover sophomore starter Jillian DeYoung, who started in the Class 3A state finals game last year as a freshman, went the distance, allowing two earned runs on six hits with 10 strikeouts and two walks.

DeYoung recorded 10 or more strikeouts in each of her three appearances against KVHS this spring.

The Wildcats (22-6) advance to play Griffith (25-2) in the regional round on Tuesday. Griffith beat Hanover during the regular season.

Hanover hit a pair of home runs off Rose, including two-run shots by Sienne Stilley and Kaylee Blocker. Stilley, who hit home runs in all three meetings with the Kougars this year, was 2 for 3 at the plate. DeYoung was 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and Brooklyn Oostman added an RBI double.

For KVHS, Maddy Hemphill, Aubrey Hanger and Anika Oezer all had doubles. Danielle Gidely was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Julia Mahmet added a single.

The Kougars reached the title game by picking up early round wins against Lowell (4-1) and Illiana Christian (4-3).

Against Lowell (9-12), the Kougars scored all four of their runs in the fourth then turned the game over to Rose, who struck out 11 and walked three over seven innings. She allowed no earned runs and scattered four hits.

Offensively, the Kougars got solo home runs from Jessica Beauchamp, Rose and Mahmet. Hanger added an RBI double and Patience Cole also doubled. Gidley had a single.

In last Thursday’s semifinal, the Kougars rallied from a 2-1 deficit by scoring three runs in the third inning to take a 4-2 advantage. The Vikings (16-10) did pull within a run, but Rose kept the opposition from tying the game behind another strong complete-game outing.

The junior right-hander allowed three runs on six hits with 11 strikeouts and a walk. Illiana freshman Grayce Scheeringa tried to match KV’s ace, allowing three earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts and four walks, but suffered the loss.

Cole’s two-run double was the big blow for KVHS. Oezer also had a double and Mahmet, Gidley, Hemphill and Beauchamp all had singles.