Staff photo / Dan Hiner. Lakeview’s Ava Neilan singles to left-center field during the fourth inning of a Division IV regional semifinal against Field at Kent State’s on Wednesday.

KENT — The Lakeview softball team had its chances, but they didn’t come through on the scoreboard.

The Bulldogs stranded nine runners during a 2-1 loss to Field in eight innings on Wednesday in a Division IV regional semifinal at Kent State’s Devine Diamond.

“This moment is one of the toughest moments because it’s the end. It’s the end of one thing, but luckily I’ve been able to do this a few times and I told them we had another great season of Lakeview softball,” Lakeview head coach David Kelm said. “So many great memories, and in a couple of weeks, we’ll be thinking about those the rest of the way.

“Always fun to get to coach this group, and I’m super excited.”

Isabella Isenberg gave the Bulldogs everything she could in the circle. She pitched a complete game in the loss, allowing two runs — one earned — on five hits and two walks.

“She’s a senior this year. Can’t even put into words how important she is to us as a senior,” Kelm said of Isenberg.

Mackenzie Stowe had three hits and an RBI for Lakeview, and Ava Neilan and Isenberg both had a single and a double. Kalyssa Werner singled and scored the team’s lone run.

Lakeview had the first crack at putting a run on the board in the bottom of the second inning.

Annaliese DeJulio got a one-out single for the Bulldogs’ first hit. Then Neilan then doubled to left field to put runners on second and third. But Field pitcher Adrianna Berry got a strikeout and a lineout to end the inning.

The Bulldogs (23-6) got another shot in the third when Stowe and Isabella Isenberg recorded back-to-back singles with two outs. But once again, Berry got a flyball to strand the runners.

The Falcons (21-3) got the first run when Gracie Hoskin reached on a leadoff walk, and an error allowed Julianna Baker to reach. Ryann Huddleston plated the first run with a one-out RBI single up the middle, scoring Hoskin.

Lakeview had a shot to tie it in the fifth after Werner singled to lead off the home half. A sacrifice bunt moved her to second base, and Stowe drove her in with a bloop single to left field.

Stowe never stopped as the throw went home and tried advancing all the way to third base, but she was thrown out by the catcher.

Rylee Barnot kept the Falcons from another potential scoring threat. With one out in the top of the sixth, Hoskin hit a deep liner to center field, but Barnot coned the ball while on the run, holding onto the out as she fell on the warning track and preventing an extra-base hit.

“She’s one of the reasons why when we see that great senior class heading out, you know we’ve got greatness still (in the program),” Kelm said of Barnot.

Sophia Neilan got things started for Lakeview in the seventh with a single to right-center field. With two outs, Stowe recorded her third hit of the game, moving Sophia Neilan to second.

But Berry struck out Isenberg to send the game to extra innings.

Hoskin reached on a two-out error in the eighth. She came around to score from first when Averi Weis tripled to right-center field, putting the Falcons ahead 2-1.

The Bulldogs got the potential tying run on base when DeJulio reached on a fielding error to leadoff the bottom of the eighth. But Hoskins caught a blooper into shallow right field and doubled DeJulio off first.

A flyball ended the game.

“We had just so many not-quite opportunities. We had a few there,” Kelm said. “I think we were always threatening, but couldn’t quite fulfill that threat. We out-hit (Field), we did the things we should have did there. Just couldn’t execute and get the run all the way (home).”

With the loss, the four-girl senior class ended a notable run with the Lakeview softball program.

Carley Brainard, Isenberg, Werner and Stowe helped lead a memorable three-year stretch for the Bulldogs.

In 2023 and 2024, they reached the district championship game. Last year, they finally broke through, winning the division and the region to make a state semifinal appearance. And this season, the Bulldogs and their seniors captured another district title and made it back to the regional round.

“They were there my first year. They were the freshman group,” Kelm said of his seniors. “They learned, I learned, we had some fun together. They pushed so hard. Without a doubt, Lakeview softball is what it is because of that group right there.”