Staff photo/ Brian Yauger. Lakeview sophomore Ella Collins leads off toward third base during the Bulldogs’ 5-2 victory over Girard on Monday.

CORTLAND — The Lakeview Bulldogs gutted out another win on Monday, taking down Girard, 5-2, to push the team’s win streak to 11.

It hasn’t been easy, though, with teams pushing the Bulldogs as much as they can. Despite that, Lakeview locks down and keeps getting wins.

“We’ve been tested a few times on this run, whether it was low-scoring games or coming from behind or emotions swinging from the other side to somebody getting us out of it. Like just last week in South Range, (a 6-5 extra innings victory),” Bulldogs coach David Kelm said. “They’re mentally tough, and they’re ready to get into this postseason.”

It’s been a great season for Lakeview, who sits at 17-3 (11-0 in Northeast 8 play) with just three regular season games left before the tournament.

Starting the win streak down in Myrtle Beach, the team has been on fire since, with multiple run-rule victories, a 7-3 win over Champion, and a season sweep of league power South Range.

“I think the expectations were a little higher this year out of the gate, and that was fun, because this team had to rise to meet them, and they’re rising,” Kelm said. “It’s been another tough year with Northeast Ohio weather always bouncing that schedule around, so that’s always tough, but they’re getting through it, and we’re getting primed and ready to go into the tournament.”

Led by seniors Ava Bacon in the circle, Kennedy Bartlett at first, Hallie Capan in left field, and junior catcher Mackenzie Stowe, Lakeview has a solid and dependable 1-through-9.

After some heartbreaking tournament losses in years past, Kelm and the Bulldogs hope this year is the breakthrough.

“We know what the (losing) side’s like. I think we’ve proven ourselves this year. We deserve to see what that other side is like,” Kelm said. “We’re hoping to make it a little bit more notable this year.”

The loss drops Girard to 11-11 on the season. The Indians kept Monday’s game close, but Lakeview’s four-run fourth inning proved to be the difference-maker.

“Looking back real quick, (it felt like) just one bad inning,” Girard coach James Keagy said. “We were competing, competing, competing with them, and then, we knew eventually they were going to hit the ball, and they’d find some spots and they did. Hat’s off to them. I mean, they’re a great team.”

The Indians are gearing up for a tournament run of their own, but they have one last regular season tilt on the schedule with South Range.

Even though they walked off with a loss, that didn’t dampen Girard’s confidence.

“Our girls were upbeat, and they had a positive attitude,” Keagy said. “We didn’t hang our heads, and we put the bat on the ball. (Bacon is a) very good pitcher and we put the bat on the ball, we would just hit it right to them. Hopefully moving forward, we could find a couple holes and find a couple gaps.”

On Wednesday, the tournament begins at home for Girard against Doylestown Chippewa.

Lakeview hits the road today for its Northeast 8 finale against Poland. They close the regular season out with a home contest with Fitch and a road game against Howland.