LAKEVIEW WINS BIG OVER THE TIGERS
By Matt Maher
CORTLAND, OH – Two of the top teams on YSN went head to head in one of the most anticipated games of the week on Thursday evening, when Lakeview played host to Howland.The game had the making of being a classic and through the first two innings it surely seemed to be the case but Lakeview found something within and found a dominant beast that helped them cruise their way to a 17-7 victory over the Tigers!
Lakeview started Isabella Isenberg in the circle, a pitcher who was already boasting some fantastic numbers, and went out and pitched a good game against a dangerous opponent. Isenberg conceded the first 2 runs to Howland with Brianna Deeter earning the first with a single and Maya Kubancsek driving in the other. Isenberg would keep Howland to 1 run in the 2nd, a long RBI single from Madison Schmitz, and locked it down in the 3rd with no runs given up.
Isenberg would give up 2 more runs in the 4th and another 2 in the 5th and would blank the Tigers in the 6th. Isenberg pitched a complete game and finished with 6 IP, 7 ER, 10 H and 6 Ks.
Brooke Tatar started for Howland with equally impressive stats leading up to this game. Lakeview would score twice on her in the first thanks to an RBI groundout from Izzy Haines and a wild Pitch later in the inning. Lakeview got to her in the 2nd with 4 big runs that ultimately sealed the deal. Tatar would only go into the 3rd gaining 2 outs before being replaced by Kubancsek. Lakeview was able to earn 2 more runs off of Tatar thanks to a huge 2-run homer from the bat of Isenberg!
Kubancsek didn’t fair much better, giving up 6 runs in the 4th with the 2 most notable coming from another 2-run blast this time from Haines! Lakeview would score 2 more in the 5th being just 1 run shy of walking it off early but that honor would wait until the 6th inning where Makenna Werner hit a ball into left field to bring home Mack Stowe to end the game.
Tatar finished with 2.2 IP, 8 R, 8 H and 5Ks while Kubancsek finished with 3.1 IP, 9 R, 9 H and 2 Ks.
The bats were hot for Lakeview in this huge game between these two top teams and they came through in a big way. Howland struggled to get much going against Isenberg and the loss of Tatar and Deeter to injury did not help their case. The Tigers (10-4) shift their focus to Girard when they host the Indians on April 26th at 5:00PM while Lakeview (13-3) will make their way to Boardman for a tilt with the Spartans on April 27th at 11:00AM.
