After splitting four Missota tilts during the frantic final days of the year, the Lakers went into the May 15 conference finale with an outside shot at the title but lost 3-2 to Shakopee.

Holy Angels won the conference crown with a mark of 10-4, while Prior Lake finished 8-6 in the Missota.

The Stars swept the season series with Prior Lake, getting a 7-4 victory on May 12, but the Lakers bounced back with a 10-8 win over Red Wing May 13 and an 11-6 decision over New Prague May 14 to run their overall record to 11-6.

Junior Jeff Butler had a huge day at the plate in the win over New Prague, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two runs batted in and a pair of runs scored. Butler leads the team with a .450 batting average, 21 runs scored and 18 RBIs this season.

The Lakers also got two hits apiece from juniors Jared Wasik, who had a triple, an RBI and three runs scored, and Nick Reed, who had two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored.

Other Prior Lake hits belonged to Tyler Hoyt, who drove in two runs, Luke Thompson, Jake Pieper, Ryan Rose, Bryn Forstner, J.P. Fonder and Pat McDonald.

Fonder also got the win on the mound, going all seven innings and allowing five earned runs on five hits and five walks while striking out three.

In the win over Red Wing, the Lakers trailed 5-2 early before breaking the game open with a five-run fifth inning.

Hoyt, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored, and Butler, who went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs, helped fuel the offense.

The Lakers also got two hits apiece from McDonald, who scored three times, Reed, who drove in a run, and Alex Flaschenriem, who had a double and drove in a run. Flaschenriem ranks second on the team among everyday players with a .436 batting average this season.

Other hits belonged to Thompson, who also drove in two runs and scored once, Pieper, who also scored twice, and Wasik, who doubled.

Pat Galvin picked up the win in relief for Prior Lake, allowing two earned runs on three hits and two walks in four innings of work.

Dan Schroeder, meanwhile, threw two innings of shutout relief to earn the save, allowing just one hit along the way.

In the loss to Holy Angels, Reed had the Lakers’ best day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Lakers also got one hit apiece from Hoyt, Pieper, Rose, Butler, Flaschenriem and McDonald.

Prior Lake had taken on St. Louis Park in a non-conference tilt on May 9 and won an 8-2 decision.

Wasik was the offensive hero for the Lakers, as he hit for the cycle and scored twice.

Flaschenriem also had a productive day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Monin Ouk, meanwhile, went 1-for-2 with two runs batted in and a pair of runs scored.

McDonald picked up the win on the mound, allowing just one earned run and four hits in five innings of work.

Runs were much tougher to come by in the Lakers’ 12-1 loss to conference foe Northield on May 8, however.

The Lakers, who had beaten Northfield 13-5 earlier this season, managed just three hits this time around, getting one each from Butler, Fonder and T.J. Larson.

Prior Lake is slated to wrap up the regular season with a non-conference game at Wayzata today (Saturday, May 17).

The Section 2AAA playoffs begin May 23, and the Lakers will compete against the likes of Buffalo, Chaska, Eden Prairie, Mankato East, Mankato West, Minnetonka, New Prague, Shakopee, Hutchinson, Waconia and Willmar.