CORTLAND OH-  Lakeview and Poland traded haymakers Monday in a wild one, but it was Lakeview who held on for a 16-15 win in a game that had just about everything.

Lakeview jumped out with a bang and built a 9-run cushion after four innings, but Poland nearly erased it with a massive comeback attempt, scoring 10 combined runs in the fifth and sixth. It wasn’t enough to complete the rally, though, as Lakeview bent but didn’t break.

Poland started hot, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the first with a sac fly and another run coming across on a miscue. But Mackenzie Stowe flipped it in a hurry with a three-run shot to dead center in the bottom half to put Lakeview on top.

Poland punched back in the third behind a Leanna Boccieri RBI single and a two-run blast from Lillian McDonald to take a 5-3 lead. That didn’t last long either—Lakeview took advantage of a few errors, a sac bunt by Hallie Capan, and some aggressive baserunning to retake the lead in the bottom of the third.

Then came the fourth, where Lakeview unloaded. Kennedy Bartlett drove in two with a single, Bartlett had a massive day for herself eclipsing her 100th career hit.  Isabella Isenberg cleared the bases with a three-run double, Capan brought home another with a single, and Linnea Kovac capped the frame with a two-run bomb to left. Eight runs later, Lakeview led 14-5.

Poland didn’t fold. They clawed back with an eight-run fifth that included a flurry of singles, walks, and defensive errors. Avery Jakubovic delivered a big two-RBI single in the rally, and McDonald stayed hot with another RBI knock. Cassie Blanch brought Poland even closer in the sixth with a two-run homer to center.

But Lakeview’s early fireworks proved just enough. Isenberg picked up the win in relief, tossing 2.1 innings and striking out four while giving up just three runs. Ava Bacon started the game for Lakeview, working through four-plus innings and eating up a lot of early damage. McDonald went five for Poland and took the loss despite adding three RBIs and two hits at the plate.

Bartlett was perfect at the dish for Lakeview, going 4-for-4. Capan, Isenberg, and Stowe each drove in three runs, and Rylee Barnot added two hits. The Bulldogs finished with 14 total hits in the win.

McDonald and Elliana Thompson each had two hits for Poland, which turned two double plays to stay in the fight. Round two between these two is set for Tuesday at Poland.