LAKEVILLE – The Whitko softball team rewrote the program’s history book with the most successful season ever this Spring.

The Wildcats, unfortunately, could not write one final chapter with a happy ending Saturday night.

Top-ranked Elwood lived up to its billing by rolling past No. 10 Whitko 13-0 in five innings in the championship game of the Class 2-A LaVille Semistate at Newton Park.

The Panthers improve to 27-4 and claim the first semistate title in program history. They advance to the Class 2-A state championship game June 10 at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. Elwood will face No. 6 Indianapolis Scecina Memorial (25-4) in the title game.

Whitko, which claimed the first regional title and the first semistate win in program history, concludes an amazing run at 24-6. The Wildcats sensational season included just the fourth sectional title in history and the first since 2005.

The Wildcats, who had to use every ounce of energy to turn back No. 3 South Adams 1-0 in the second semifinal game Saturday afternoon, simply had nothing left in the tank.

Elwood ace Mackenzie Bryan twirled a no-hitter in the circle to put her team in the state title game. The senior right-hander, who is bound for Northern Illinois, allowed just one Whitko baserunner on an error in the second inning. Bryan fanned nine and walked none in her stellar showing and did not allow a ball to be hit out of the infield by the Wildcats.

Whitko just ran into a buzzsaw in this one.

Elwood scored in four of the five frames, including putting up a six spot in the top of the third inning. The Panthers piled up 14 hits, including four doubles and a home run, and took advantage of seven Whitko errors in the contest.

“We had such a tough game with South Adams, battling them and the heat and that made it tough tonight,” said Whitko coach Michele Garr. “You have to be on your game and we just cracked tonight. We booted the ball and we have not done that this year.

“I thought that we were ready to go when we came back out here tonight, but we just ran out of steam. Kudos to their pitcher. She was pretty awesome. Good luck to Elwood.”

The Panthers pounced from the first pitch of the game. Leadoff hitter Emily Booker cracked a double and Jillian Reese followed with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead.

Elwood scored a single run in the second to make it 2-0 before breaking it open in the third with six tallies for an 8-0 lead. The big blast came in the form of a three-run homer off the bat of Booker.

The Panthers put the game away by the mercy rule with five more runs in the top of the fifth. The Wildcats had four costly errors in the frame.

Bryan struck out at least one Wildcat in every frame, including a pair in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings.

Garr fought back tears when talking about what her gutty team had done the past few weeks.

“We had a great season and I’m just so proud of these girls,” said an emotional Garr. “This score does not reflect them at all.

“They should be super proud of what they did this season. They made history. They won the first regional and today won the first semistate game ever for Whitko softball. They have nothing to be upset about.”

The Panthers, who have four seniors, were making their third semistate appearance in the last four years. They beat Boone Grove, last year’s state runner-up, 2-0 in the first semifinal Saturday.

Whitko ace Ellie Snep showed the heart of a champion. The sophomore went the distance in the circle, despite being drilled in the lower leg with a line drive in the third inning. Snep finished a brilliant season 20-5 for the Wildcats.

Garr will say good-bye to three seniors in Riley Insley, Kennedy Krull and Andrea Snavley. All three started Saturday night with Insley in centerfield, Krull at shortstop and Snavley at first base.