From staff reports

EDWARDSBURG – The race for the Lakeland Conference baseball championship is beginning to look like it will come down to the final doubleheader between Edwardsburg and Brandywine later this month.

The Eddies kept stay a game behind the Bobcats with a sweep of visiting Cassopolis Wednesday afternoon.

Edwardsburg and Brandywine shared the championship last season after the Eddies swept the Bobcats at the end of the season.

Wednesday night, Edwardsburg held off a pesky Cassopolis bunch 4-0 in the first game and then scored a 10-0 victory in the second game, which lasted just five innings.

The Eddies scored single runs in the first and third innings to grab a 2-0 lead on the Rangers and then tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the fourth inning to complete the scoring.

Zach Thompson went the distance, allowing just four hits with 13 strikeouts and one walk for the Eddies.

Kevin Hatcher took the loss for Cassopolis.

Mike Kempton had three hits for Edwardsburg, which also got two hits each from Trevor Miliken and Wade Smous.

In the nightcap, Kyle Slack tossed a no-hitter with eight strikeouts in just five innings of work.

The Eddies finished with eight hits as Nate Blad took the loss for the Rangers.

Taylor Coquillard had a single and a double. Smous and Kempton each had two hits.
Wednesday’s doubleheader was a make-up from Tuesday.

First game
Cassopolis 000 000 0 – 0 4 2
Edwardsburg 101 200 x – 4 8 1
Zach Thompson (W)
Kevin Hatcher (L)

Second game
Cassopolis 000 00 – 0 0 2
Edwardsburg 341 02 – 10 8 1
Kyle Slack (W)
Nate Blad (L)
2B: Taylor Coquillard (E)
Varsity record: Edwardsburg 16-6, 6-2

Comstock at Dowagiac
DOWAGIAC – A solid pitching performance in the opening game and then some heavy hitting in the nightcap led the Dowagiac baseball team to a sweep of visiting Comstock Wednesday afternoon.

Zac Hyatt tossed a two-hitter with 18 strikeouts and just two walks to lead the Chieftains to a 3-0 win in the opening game over the Colts.

In the second game, Dowagiac pounded out 14 hits in a 15-3 victory.

“Zac Hyatt pitched outstanding,” Dowagiac coach Bryan Henry said. “Cal Cox got his first varsity hit for the game-winner in the first game.”

Cox finished the game with a pair of hits and a RBI.

Dowagiac, which finished with eight hits in the contest, also got two hits and a pair of RBIs from Aaron Blaske and a double from Hyatt.

Alex Miller, Cody Cox and Brett Scanlon collected the other three hits for the Chieftains.
In the nightcap, Cox Cody also pitched well as he scattered six hits and struck out five.

“Cody did his job,” Henry said. “Our bats are starting to come to life.”

Hyatt led the way with a double and five RBIs in the second game for Dowagiac.

Jason Turner had four hits and three RBIs, while Miller had three hits and an RBI.

Blaske had a pair of hits and three RBIs and Scanlon had a hit and two RBIs.

Cody Cox chipped in with a single, a double and three runs scored. Cody Carnell singled and drove in a run as well.

Dowagiac is now 10-11 on the season and 4-4 in the Wolverine Conference.

Wednesday’s doubleheader was a make-up from Tuesday.

The Chieftains will host Plainwell on Friday in another league twinbill.

First game
Comstock 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
Dowagiac 000 030 x – 3 8 2
Zac Hyatt (W, 4-2) and Brett Scanlon
Followell (L)
2B: Hyatt (D)

Second game
Dowagiac 322 107 – 15 14 2
Comstock 000 120 – 3 6 4
Cody Cox (W, 2-1) and Brett Scanlon
Major (L)
2B: Zac Hyatt (D), Cox (D)
Varsity record: Dowagiac 10-11, 4-4 Wolverine