The La Salle Junior League Softball team lost 12-9 to River Forest in the state championship game Thursday at Triton College in River Grove.

It is the second year in a row La Salle finished as state runner-up as most of the roster also was on last year’s Major League team that placed second.

“We were close again,” La Salle coach Mike Pyszka said. “It’s a great feeling, especially doing it with 80% of the same girls. The girls were great. The atmosphere was even better than last year. We had a great group of girls that understood teamwork. They all understood what their role was on the team. We were lucky enough to have some new girls who made a big impact.”

La Salle jumped ahead early with three runs in then top of the first, but River Forest responded with four runs in the bottom half of the frame.

River Forest scored four more in the second and tacked on a pair in the third to go ahead 10-3.

La Salle scored a run in the fourth before River Forest pushed its advantage to 12-4 with two runs in the fifth.

La Salle put together a five-run rally in the sixth sparked by a two-run double by Sophia Pyszka.

Ava Currie, Abby Smudzinski, Pyszka, Ruby Davis and Kelsey Fredricks scored runs in the inning.

“We played tough,” Mike Pyszka said. “We battled. We got off to a little bit of a slower start than we wanted to, but the girls dug deep through the whole game. In the sixth inning, Sophia Pyszka hit a double and drove in two and it really ignited a big inning. The other team was good. They played good defense and they hit the ball.

“Everybody from top to bottom in the whole tournament really made an impact whether it was in the field, batting or base running. That’s what makes this team so special.”

Mike Pyszka said the majority of the team will return next summer.

“I think we lose two girls,” he said. “I’m pretty excited for next year and what La Salle softball can be.”