The Lake Mills softball team certainly got more than it bargained for Thursday night when it faced Northwood-Kensett in Lake Mills.

The 10th-ranked Bulldogs had their hands full in the final inning against the Vikings as Northwood-Kensett, who was coming off a 14-0 loss to St. Ansgar on Wednesday, rallied for two runs in the top for the seventh to climb to within a run.

Sarah Hovey hit a two-out triple that scored two runs to make the game 3-2, but that was as close as the Vikings would get to pulling off the upset.

Lake Mills took an early lead with single runs in the second, third and fourth innings, but Northwood-Kensett starter Maren Davidson didn’t allow any further damage in her first career varsity start.

Davidson, an eighth-grader, went six innings and allowed just three runs on three hits against the Bulldogs.

Vikings head coach Aaron Foster thought he’d just throw Davidson three innings to get some work in, but it quickly developed into an impressive start as she walked just four.

The defense behind Davidson was equally as strong as Northwood-Kensett committed just three errors and didn’t allow an unearned run to score.

“Our defense was great,” Foster said. “Defense was top of the line tonight.”

Lake Mills starter Josie Brackey turned in a sterling performance as she struck out 16 hitters and allowed two runs on three hits. She walked just one in the victory.

The Vikings play West Fork on the road Friday before returning to Northwood for their home tournament Saturday.

The Bulldogs travel to Buffalo Center to face North Iowa Friday before they head to Northwood Saturday for the Northwood-Kensett tournament.

Lake Mills 3, Northwood-Kensett 2

Northwood-Kensett 000 000 2 — 2 3 3

Lake Mills 011 100 x — 3 3 3

WP — Josie Brackey 7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 16 K

LP — Maren Davidson 6 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 0 K