Photo by Samantha Davis. The Lakeview softball team huddles with head coach Linnea Stibbe in the pitchers' mound during a timeout at the Section 3A South subsection quarterfinals in Slayton Thursday night. The Lakers fell to Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota Christian 15-5 and end their season 10-11 overall.

SLAYTON — The No. 6 Lakeview softball team fought struggles on both ends of the field in a 15-5 loss in six innings to No. 3 Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota Christian in the Section 3A South subsection quarterfinals in Slayton Thursday night. The loss ends the Lakers season, finishing 10-11 overall.

“The big talk that we had is, we had Edgerton in the first round of last year’s playoffs,” Lakeview head coach Linnea Stibbe said. “We were studying what they’ve been doing this season and what they did against us last season. We really wanted to prepare for their slapping and their offense.”

The Dutchmen scored four runs in each the fourth and sixth innings to build up their lead. The Lakers had strong moments at-bat and defensively, but early fielding errors hurt them as E/SWC continued to make contact at the plate.

Makenna Anderson pitched the first four innings for the Lakers, before Emma Brusven came in as relief in the fifth. Stibbe put Anderson back on the mound in the sixth inning for the final two outs of the game.

“Our pitchers did their job for the most part, we just need to clean up our defense behind it,” Stibbe said. “You gotta stand behind your pitchers when they’re in the circle, whether they’re on top of it or if they’re struggling. We have young pitchers. They’re going to come back … They’re gonna be stronger because of this.”

E/SWC was prompt to get its offense going with three runs in the first inning, yet Lakeview found a response to score two in the second for a 3-2 deficit.

Brusven got on base with a single fly ball just behind shortstop, and made her way to third base off a Khya Gawrecki bunt, who got to second base off a Dutchmen overthrow error to first.

Brusven went home off an Adison Hinz sacrifice, moving Gawrecki to third base who next scored off a Makenzie Herrick single.

Edgerton brought in another run in each the second and third inning before hitting four doubles in the bottom of the fourth inning that led to its four-run rally for a 9-2 lead.

All of the doubles were line drives to the outfield, two of which went center.

Taylor Hinz scored in the fifth inning to bring the Lakers within 9-3, first getting on base with a slap bunt that got past the third baseman.

An Aubreigh Rausch double line drive to center field moved Adison to third, and she scored on the next play off a Brusven single pop fly to right center field.

After the Dutchmen scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth off a hit and defensive error, the Lakers scored their final two runs in the sixth inning from Anderson and Kiara Hinz.

Anderson was initially hit by a pitch to get on base, and ran home off Kiara’s double fly ball to center field. Kiara shortly after visited home with a Teagan Fiene double to short left field before Edgerton could complete its final out.

The Dutchmen had a pair of tag-outs at second base with a throw down from the catcher, coming in the second and fifth innings.

Edgerton put the game away in the bottom of the sixth with another set of four runs to build a 10-run advantage.

The Dutchmen had bases loaded when a double to deep left field scored all runners, and prompted Stibbe to put Anderson back in the circle.

With a runner on third after advancing off a passed ball, Edgerton got the day’s final run off another single hit to officially end the game in mercy-rule.

“We improved this season, through and through … We are far improved from the team we were last year,” Stibbe said. “Our defense is stronger. Our offense really got moving. Our pitching staff is there too. We’re a young team … We are going to keep battling back and we’ll come back stronger again.”

Lakeview’s 10-11 finish comes as an improvement from its 2024 8-11 overall campaign.

The Lakers graduate their two seniors in Herrick and Rausch.

“Aubreigh Rausch held down left field for us … She’ll be missed out there with her strong arm. Makenzie came in, she has a solid bat and is always working … She gets herself on base. We’re going to miss that in our lineup,” Stibbe said. “We’re going to miss their personalities … They’re positive players, and you hate when you lose girls like that.”