Lake is playing good softball when it matters. With the sectional tournament starting, the Flyers have won three of four and seven of their last ten games.

Lake is looking to win its first league title since 1995 under fourth-year coach Dave Rymers. As of Thursday, the Flyers were 2-1 in Suburban Lakes League play, tied with Genoa and Woodmore for second place behind defending champion Elmwood.

Despite a non-league loss on Wednesday night at Evergreen, which dropped the Flyers to 11-4 overall, this is the first season in which the Flyers have started the season 11-3 since 1995.  Prior to 1995, the Flyers started the season 11-3 or better in 1991 and advanced deep into tournament play.

Lake softball team. (Photo courtesy of Innovations Portrait Studio)

However, to win the final Suburban Lakes League championship ever played, Lake still has games left with several league opponents, including Genoa, Eastwood, and Elmwood

“I think our league is one of the toughest around in any division. We are a game back of Elmwood but we still have two left with them," said Rymers. "We have a majority of our schedule left at home, so we’re looking forward to these upcoming weeks and we’re in a good spot, right now.”

Because of an earlier rainout on April 20, the Flyers have yet to play Elmwood. The two foes will collide on May 11 at Lake, a game in which could make or break the Flyers’ championship aspirations.

The Flyers were able to stay in the race last Monday when they knocked off Eastwood and its ace Christine Foster, who is approaching her 50th career victory.

After holding Eastwood to one hit through the first six innings, the Flyers weren’t exactly tearing the cover off the ball against Foster. The Flyers entered the top of the seventh inning tied 0-0 with only three hits, but the bats awoke, carrying them to a 2-0 victory over the Eagles.

The rally began when senior designated hitter Bailey Mannon reached on an error to begin the inning.  Rymers summoned the speedy Leighann Duncan off the bench to pinch run for Mannon and Duncan’s first stolen base of the season couldn’t have come at a better time.

With the go-ahead run in scoring position and nobody out, Foster punched out Lake center fielder Kaysie Brittenham for the first out in the inning. Foster did her job to get the next hitter, Lauren Densic, to hit it on the ground, but Eastwood’s second defensive miscue of the inning allowed Densic to reach safely.

Following a groundout and a walk to leadoff hitter Adrienne Lowe that loaded the bases, Encalado, who, previously was 0-for-3 in the game with two strikeouts and a groundout, hit the 0-1 offering up the middle, scoring the game’s first runs to put the Flyers ahead 2-0.

“We’ve struggled in close games in finding a player to step up and get a big hit when we need it and you couldn’t have gotten a bigger hit out of a junior than the one Kayla gave us,” said Rymers, who is eyeing his first league title in four seasons as head coach.  “Hopefully this helps us get over the physiological aspect of winning the close games instead of letting them slip through our fingers.”

Rymers hopes the momentum gained from Monday's big win will carry over into the final weeks of this season.

Lake will rely heavily on starting pitcher Lauren Densic. In 97.1 innings of work this season, the hard-throwing right-hander is 10-4 with a 2.08 ERA in 15 starts and has held opponents to a .198 batting average.

Rymers has been pleased with his ace's performance all season long and says his defense has done a terrific job behind her.

“She has been getting ahead in the counts — throwing a lot of first pitch strikes. If we can make the other team swing the bat, we’re going to be a lot better as a team defensively.”

Lowe has also been key to the Flyer's success the last four seasons and is a table setter atop the lineup, while playing well defensively. The switch-hitting second baseman leads the Flyers with a .518 batting average and leads the league with 21 stolen bases.

Third baseman Megan Schnell provides pop out of the three-hole and leads the Flyers with two home runs and 18 RBI.

Lake's cleanup hitter and first baseman, McKenzie Whiteman, is second on the team with a .400 batting average and catcher Hillary West is second on the team with seven extra-base hits, one behind Schnell.

With this combination of speed and power at the top of the order, Lake will look to continue its success on Thursday when they play the winner of Saturday's sectional opener (Genoa or Gibsonburg) for a chance to advance to districts.

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