The Silver Lake High softball team’s first round playoff game did not go the way that they had hoped.
The No. 7 seeded Lakers hosted Marshfield, the 10 seed, on Friday afternoon to start off the MIAA Division 1 South playoffs. Marshfield brought their best bats with them and topped Silver Lake 9-3, ending the Lakers’ season.
The Lakers finish the season at 15-6 overall.
Marshfield set the tone in the top of the first inning, tacking on four runs–which made the difference in the game. Each of their first four batters reached base and eventually, Marshfield knocked in all of them.
The Lakers trimmed their deficit to 4-1 in the bottom of the first inning; Izzy Ruprecht shined in the game, collecting three hits and reaching base three times. Ari Sylvester knocked her in on a sacrifice fly the first time Ruprecht reached base.
Ruprecht also scored a run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Lilly Gustafson hit an RBI single to make it a 9-3 game. However, the Lakers were unable to make a comeback when down six runs.
Bri Belfort pitched for the Lakers and took the loss, but was sharp for much of the game. She had a stretch towards the end of the contest in which she retired eight straight batters. She also escaped a bases loaded jam in the sixth inning without surrendering any additional runs.
An experienced team, the Lakers will lose seven players to graduation now that their season is over.
These include: Izzy Ruprecht, Amanda Harris, Jessica Stas, Hayden Wechter, Hannah Mitchell, Stephanie Bennett and Eleanor Swanson.
Even so, pitching should be a strong suit yet again next season with the team’s ace, Bri Belfort, set to return; Ari Sylvester will also be back next season at third base.