Things were much closer than the final score indicated for the Superior Central softball team on Saturday.

The Cougars were battling Lake Linden-Hubbell in a Division 4 regional semifinal game at Ishpeming. The game was deadlocked 4-4 through four innings, but Lake Linden-Hubbell dominated the fifth and sixth to hand Superior Central a 15-4 season-ending loss in six innings.

“A lot of unearned runs in the game, but it was just fun to play in a regional,” SC head coach Rich Swajanen said. “The girls had a good time.”

Entering the third inning, the Cougars trailed 4-0. Alina Kolpack got on base thanks to a walk and later came in to score on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.

Kiera McDonnald singled and Hope Brunngraeber walked to extend the inning for Addie Frusti. That turned into a big moment for Frusti, as she smashed a three-run homer to tie the game at 4-4.

“She was really happy about her home run,” Swajanen said. “That was the first one she ever hit, and that was a hard-hit ball.”

Neither team scored in the fourth inning, but the Cougars gave up nine runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth.

“Things kind of fell apart on us a bit,” Swajanen said of the late innings.

Sammy Johnson took the loss in the circle. She went six innings and struck out six batters and walked eight.

Superior Central finished the season 21-5 overall and claimed the district championship along its way to the loss to Lake Linden- Hubbell.

“We had a good season,” Swajanen said. “We have all but two coming back. Of course, our pitcher [Johnson] isn’t coming back, but we just have to work on someone else throwing the ball. We already do have Kylie Stuer. She is throwing the ball pretty well. She will get there, she wants it and she is really an athlete. We just have to wait until next year and see what we can do.”