THREE RIVERS – A late rally in the opening game that fell short may have played a big part in the Dowagiac varsity baseball team’s doubleheader loss to Three Rivers Friday afternoon.

The Chieftains scored five runs in the top of the seventh to take a 10-9 lead, but the Wildcats scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to pull out an 11-10 victory.
Dowagiac then went on to commit nine errors in the second game and was beaten by Three Rivers 11-1.

The sweep left the defending Wolverine co-champion Chieftains with a 1-3 mark in league play and a 6-7 record overall.

“We had a great comeback against a very good hitting team in Three Rivers,” Dowagiac coach Bryan Henry said. “We scored five in the seventh to go up one, and then gave two back to lose it in the seventh. Game one took a lot of wind out of our sails and we never got it back mentally after that. We hope to bounce back on Monday.”

Dowagiac will travel to Stevensville this afternoon to take on Lakeshore in a non-conference doubleheader.

The Chieftains had eight hits in the opening game, led by Cody Carnell’s double, home run and two RBIs. Brett Scanlon hit a 3-run home run, while Aaron Blaske and Andrew Kurdelmeyer both singled and doubled.

Zac Hyatt took the loss in relief. Cody Cox started and worked three and a third innings before giving way to Blaske, who pitched two innings. Kurdelmeyer worked two-thirds of an inning before Hyatt took the mound.

In the second game, the Chieftains were held to just four hits by Sam Shutes, who also picked up the win in relief in the opening game.

Alex Miller, Kurdelmeyer, Hyatt and Mike Pranschke all singled. Blaske drove in Dowagiac’s lone run.

Jason Turner worked four and a third innings and was saddled with the loss. Kurdelmeyer worked the final inning and a third.

First game
Dowagiac 001 031 5 – 10 8 3
Three Rivers 202 203 2 – 11 14 1
Sam Shutes (W)
Cody Cox, Aaron Blaske (4), Andrew Kurdelmeyer (6), Zac Hyatt (7, L) and Brett Scanlon
2B: Blaske (D), Kurdelmeyer (D), Cody Carnell (D), Drew Shutes (TR), Dan Hartig (TR), Dan Shutes (TR), Derek Adams (TR)
HR: Scanlon (D), Carnell (D), Drew Shutes (TR), Dan Shutes (TR)

Second game
Three Rivers 104 123 – 11 12 0
Dowagiac 001 000 – 1 4 9
Sam Shutes (W)
Jason Turner (L), Andrew Kurdelmeyer (5) and Brett Scanlon
2B: Drew Shutes (TR)
3B: Dan Shutes (TR)
HR: Drew Shutes (TR)
Varsity record: Dowagiac 6-7, 1-3 Wolverine