MAYVILLE — Thirteen Section VI Class C softball teams have watched their seasons come to and end in the last week, and only two remain following No. 2 Chautauqua Lake’s measured 4-1 victory over No. 3 Cassadaga Valley on Thursday afternoon.

The Thunderbirds (13-2) were able to take advantage of errors to build their lead while Olivia Anderson tossed another excellent performance in the circle that included 11 strikeouts and one walk to hand the Cougars (15-1) their first loss of the season.

The win has earned Chautauqua Lake a date with No. 1 Portville, which was an 11-4 winner over No. 13 Cattaraugus-Little Valley.

The Thunderbirds season came to an end last year in the Class C crossover final, which the Panthers claimed 2-1 in order to move on to regional play.

When asked if he though that holding the Thunderbirds to four runs might be enough to pick up the win, Cassadaga Valley Ken Balling was not so sure.

“If we could have held them to one or two, maybe, but we gave them a couple of unearned runs there. They’re a good team, they are a solid team all around, there is no doubt about it,” said Balling, whose storied career came to an end on Thursday. “(Anderson) is just a dynamite pitcher, throwing with speed and then that wicked changeup. I don’t know how many girls she got striking out — a lot — and a lot with that changeup.”

Anderson’s prowess through the first two innings did not allow the Cougars a chance to get a runner on base, while the hosts were able to pick up their first run of the day when Chadelynn Johnson smacked a double that caromed off the third-base bag.

Chautauqua Lake’s junior hurler then plated Johnson with an RBI double that was belted to deep center, but Anderson was thrown out attempting to reach third base.

In the second inning, Cameryn Hawkins singled and then was able to move to second on a bad throw before taking third base on a fielder’s choice. Lily Studley then had an infield hit that plated Hawkins to make it 2-0.

Cassadaga Valley hurler Brittyn LeBaron allowed one more run that frame, finishing with five strikeouts, one walk and one hit batter.

“With (LeBaron) on the mound we kind of talked a lot about being a disciplined hitter, making sure that you take a pitch you want,” said Chautauqua Lake coach Sue Teets.“I think you have to be disciplined. She likes the high and outside change-up. We had a few scouting reports on her, not a whole lot, but she did a heck of a job. I hand it to her. She kept her cool out there and her composure. I don’t know how many hits we had, but they took the bat out of our hands.”

Anderson would continue to support her own cause with an RBI double in the fifth that scored Katelyn Fardink, while the Cougars would finally get on the board when Hannah Edwards belted a long sacrifice fly to plate Bella Ruiz.

The final run of the evening began with a Cassadaga Valley error, which allowed Kendra Keyser to get on base. The junior then moved to second on a passed ball before Studley was hit by a pitch to move to first. Sophia Woodis then plated Keyser to make it 4-1 before being thrown out due to some miscommunication between baserunners.

While Anderson has been as one of the harder throwers in the area, Thursday was as much about the change-up for the junior star.

“Sometimes it’s not going to work, and sometimes they might pop one out there, but you’ve gotta keep calling it,” Teets said of the off-speed pitch. “You’ve got to keep your hitters off balance. I always say it’s the element of surprise, (so) throw a change-up on the first pitch, because batters aren’t expecting that, for the most part.”

As the Thunderbirds prepare to try and avenge last year’s season-ending defeat, they will try to get in two practices before Tuesday’s 5:30 p.m. showdown at St. Bonaventure University.