By SCOTT NOVAK
Dowagiac Daily News

STEVENSVILLE – Host Lakeshore scored early and then again late to eliminate the Dowagiac softball team from the Division 2 District Tournament on Tuesday.

The Lancers netted three runs in the second and fifth innings and then scored four in the top of the seventh en route to an 11-2 victory over the Chieftains.

After grabbing a quick 1-0 lead after an inning of play, the Lancers scored three times in the second on an error, an RBI single by Megan Hiler and a ground out by Kim Murphy, who opened the game with a double and came around to score the first run for the Lancers.

Dowagiac cut the lead to 4-1 on an RBI single by Sierra Herter, which drove in Torie Lowe who had singled and stole second.

Even down three runs, the Chieftains still felt like they were in the game.

That was until the fifth.

Lakeshore, ranked No. 1 in Division 2, got a pair of runners on in front of winning pitcher Maggie Hidebrand, who launched a towering homerun that ended up on the road behind the outfield fence.

The three-run shot gave the Lancers a 7-1 advantage and ended any thoughts the Chieftains had of making a comeback.

Dowagiac did score a run in the bottom of the sixth as Lowe walked, stole second and advanced to third on the play thanks to a throwing error.

Tara Sova, who took the loss for the Chieftains, singled her in to cap the scoring for Dowagiac.

Lakeshore would score four more runs in the top of the seventh as Lindsay McNair doubled home a run and Casey Turney singled home a run to make it 9-2.

Murphy then ended the scoring for the Lancers with a two-run single.

“We made some mental errors and then we made a couple actual errors and they got up early,” Dowagiac coach Mike Behnke said. “It’s 4-1 and we have runners at second and third and Kiele (Belew) hit that ball just over first base and she made that drop-step and went back and got it.

“If that falls in, we probably score two more runs and then it’s 4-3 and who knows that happens then. We knew we had to make plays and we knew we had to make every play and they took advantage of it when we didn’t,” he added.

Lakeshore will now take on Edwardsburg at noon on Saturday in the second semifinal.

The Lancers and Eddies split a pair of regular season contests.

Niles and St. Joseph will play in the first semifinals at 10 a.m.
Lakeshore 130 030 4 11 11 x
Dowagiac 000 100 1 – 2 6 x
Maggie Hidebrand (W), Megan Hiler (4) and Savannah Kennedy
Tara Sova (L, 11-6), Miranda East (6) and Torie Lowe
2B: Kim Murphy (L), Lindsay McNair (L)
HR: Hidebrand (L)
Varsity record: Dowagiac 22-11