Photo courtesy of Devereaux Photography. The 2025 Lakeview softball roster consists of Morgan Velde, Avery Hinz, Aubrey Pederson, Emma Brusven, Kiara Hinz, Taylin Meier, Addison Boe, Taylor Hinz, Makenzie Herrick, Aubreigh Rausch, Khya Gawarecki, Makenna Anderson, Adison Hinz, Teagan Fiene, Gaige Keleher, Kendra Velde, Yasha Sleiter and Teagen Kompelien.

COTTONWOOD — Holding a roster of primarily underclassmen with two seniors, the Lakeview softball team is looking to make strides this season with more pitching depth while focusing on becoming stronger at the plate.  

“One of our big goals is to limit our errors. We have an error goal for the team, it’s less than three a game, and I’d like it to be lower than that,” Lakeview head coach Linnea Stibbe said. “We’re aiming to be over .500, we want to be in the top of the conference. We want to be competitive throughout the season, so those are our two big focuses.” 

Lakeview is led by its two seniors, Mackenzie Herrick and Aubreigh Rausch, with a group of eight freshmen, two seventh graders and a pair of eighth graders. The roster also holds two juniors and two sophomores. 

“Aubreigh Rausch is strong in the outfield for us, takes control out there and leads that side of it,” Stibbe said. “Our other senior [Herrick] is back from a year-long injury. She was out all last year … She’s really fitting in as a very utility player in the infield for us.” 

Lakeview head coach Linnea Stibbe said she has confidence in this season’s pitching talent, which will continue to mature in the coming months and years. 

Makenna Anderson, Teagan Fiene and Emma Brusven will split pitching duties. 

“We actually have a phenomenal pitching roster,” Libbe said. “We’ve honestly, so far, just been rotating them through based on who we’re facing, and that’s how we’re going to look at things. We don’t have a true starting pitcher. They all pitch a little bit differently, and all solid on the mound.” 

In the Lakers’ first five games this season, standing 2-3, Anderson has pitched 13 innings as of Friday, leading the team. She’s thrown 15 strikeouts and seven walks, with six hits and three earned runs. She currently holds a 1.61 ERA. 

Fiene follows with 10 innings so far, with 13 hits, one earned run and five strikeouts with a .700 ERA. 

Rounding out those who have seen the mound in the season’s start, Brusven had thrown for nine innings with 13 hits, three earned runs, four walks and 10 strikeouts with a 2.33 ERA. 

“Our pitching has been strong [to start], our defense is strong behind them,” Stibbe said. “Our first two games were against two teams who 10-runned us last year [Russell-Tyler-Ruthton and BOLD]. While we lost this year, we only lost by a run each game. We played very, very solid defense, and when we play good defense, I think we’re going to be a tough team to beat.”

Anderson was on the team last year as a seventh grader, who did not see pitching time. 

Fiene last season saw 57 innings, and finished with a 6.55 ERA with a 2.20 WHIP. She threw 40 strikeouts and 36 walks, while allowing 91 hits and 54 earned runs. 

Brusven led the Lakers on the mound with 51 innings and a team-low 3.29 ERA and 1.67 WHIP. She threw 51 strikeouts and 32 walks while allowing 53 hits and 24 earned runs. 

Lakeview also returns a core of strong hitters, such as Brusven, Rausch and Taylor Hinz, who will look to continue their successes this season. The three currently lead the team offensively as well.

“I don’t think we have a true power-hitter on the team right now, but we have a couple girls who can step into that role,” Libbe said. “It’s just getting comfortable. Like I said, we got some young girls. A lot of the girls have been playing together for many years, but it’s a step above and it’s good competition in our conference.” 

Through the first five games, Brusven, Rausch and Hinz have recorded the most hits, with eight, six and eight respectively. 

Hinz holds a .533 batting average with one RBI and five runs. Brusven sits at a .500 with three doubles, three RBIs and three runs. Rausch has also had three doubles and three RBIs with one run and a .400 batting average. 

Last season, Hinz averaged a .373 batting average with 19 hits, 12 RBIs and 16 runs with 14 stolen bases. Brusven finished the year with a .395, 15 hits, four RBIs and 13 runs with eight stolen bases. 

Lastly, Rausch performed well at the plate last year with a .393 batting average, 22 hits, a team-high 16 RBIs, 11 runs and 14 stolen bases. 

Stibbe said Hinz and Adison Hinz will be this season’s catchers. 

Lakeview is coming off an 8-11 overall 2024 campaign, an improvement from its 5-12 season the year prior. 

The Lakers season last year ended with a 14-1 loss to Edgerton in the Section 3A Tournament South’s subsection first round. 

Freshman Teagen Kompelien and junior Paige Walker are expected to be out this season, both recovering from surgeries. 

Lakeview is led by Stibbe with assistant Cassie Evans. 

“We went with kind of a leadership council type atmosphere this year. We have a lot of young girls on the team,” Stibbe said. “We have a couple younger girls that we’ve asked to step up into more of a leadership role, and just make sure we have unity throughout the team.”