LAWRENCE >> Head coach Tony Pina and the Silver Lake softball team didn’t want Tuesday afternoon’s matchup with Central Catholic to be a figurative walk in the park.

It’s why Silver Lake bolstered its non-league schedule with formidable opponents.

While the Lakers didn’t intend for their bus to arrive some 20 minutes prior to the scheduled start time, a little extra adversity only fueled their desire to play spoiler on the road against a Div. 1 perennial power.

Behind a complete game gem by Delaney Moquin, who registered nine strikeouts, and a solo home run by Elise Tartaglione, the Lakers pulled out a 3-1 win at Kennedy Park to remain undefeated and hand Central its first loss.

“It kind of gives us a little bit more legitimacy,” Pina said. “I think that our non-league schedule, we really wanted to make it a point to challenge ourselves. Today was the perfect example of that.”

Silver Lake (6-0) silenced the Central bats until Caitlin Milner drove in a run in the seventh as the hosts attempted to mount a comeback.

But that’s the only run the Lakers and Moquin would relinquish. Central Catholic loaded the bases in the second and third innings only for the Fairfield-bound pitcher to escape both jams unscathed.

“With the bases loaded, it’s more so focusing on each batter,” Moquin said. “As the game goes on, even though the batters get used to the pitches, I have to get used to the batters as well. So just making sure that I hit my spots and my spin is on is really key.”

Delaney found her groove from there, retiring the next nine batters until securing the win in the seventh. She allowed just five hits.

“She didn’t change her game plan against their batters,” Pina said. “So that’s hats off to Delaney for just being a warrior and getting through.”

Meanwhile, the Lakers couldn’t solve Central starter Chloe Salerno until the fifth inning when Silver Lake broke the ice with a solo home run off the bat of Tartaglione.

“She’s one of the top players in the league,” Pina said. “A sophomore coming up in that situation and getting us on the board, that’s some toughness that really impressed me about her today.”

Silver Lake extended its lead in the sixth when Mady Bryan notched an RBI single to set the table for the Lakers to draw a trio of walks to plate a third run. Kenna Slyker’s walk provided Silver Lake with a 3-0 lead ahead of the seventh.

And despite a late-arriving bus and a strong opponent, Silver Lake proved its mettle as a premier state-wide threat.

“What these girls have been able to do is to focus on the game and focus on softball and block out the noise,” Pina said.