Softball Game Preview: Howland Tigers vs. Lakeview Bulldogs

Howland is 1-8 against Lakeview since April of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Tigers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m.

Howland fell victim to Canfield and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They took a 4-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Cardinals. The matchup marked the first time this year in which the Tigers were not able to get on the board.

Fans were treated to a battle of the Bulldogs on Thursday. Lakeview was the clear victor by a 14-6 margin over Poland Seminary. Considering Lakeview has won seven games by more than seven runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.

Ava Bacon spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and three unearned) runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks.

At the plate, Kennedy Bartlett was incredible, firing off two triples, two stolen bases, and three runs while going 4-for-4. Those two triples gave her a new career-high. Kalyssa Werner was another key player, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with five runs and one RBI.

Lakeview was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .382. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .344 or higher in three consecutive contests.

Lakeview pushed their record up to 18-4 with the win, which was their eighth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Howland, their loss dropped their record down to 10-9.

Howland might still be hurting after the 17-7 defeat they got from Lakeview in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will the Tigers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.