MATTAWAN – Visiting Niles earned a split with No. 8-ranked Mattawan in Big 16 West Division baseball action Tuesday afternoon.

The Vikings and Wildcats traded the lead five times in the opener, but Niles ended up on top with a 3-2 win in eight innings.

The Vikings took the lead in the eighth inning and held on for the victory. A wild pitch scored Matthew McLauchlin with the winning run.

Taylor Weldy had a hot bat for Niles. Weldy went 2-for-3, drove in one and scored one run. He singled in the second inning and homered in the fifth inning.

Mitchell Dehn kept contact to a minimum, striking out 10 Mattawan batters. Dehn allowed two earned runs, five hits and four walks over seven innings.

The top of the first saw the Vikings take an early lead as Tate Brawley stole home.

In the nightcap, a five-run third inning wasn’t enough for Niles.

Mattawan scored three times in the second, four times in the bottom half of the third and twice in the fourth to earn the one-run victory.

The Vikings finished with nine hits, including a pair of doubles by Tyler Parish. Dehn, Taylor Campbell and Logan Harpenau also had doubles for Niles.

First game

Niles 100 010 01 – 3 7 0

Mattawan 000 200 00 – 2 6 1

Mitchell Dehn (W), BJ Butler

2B: Taylor Campbell (N), Trevor Fink (M), Butler (M)

HR: Taylor Weldy (N)

Second game

Niles 105 20 – 8 9 0

Mattawan 034 2x – 9 12 1

Tyler Sinotte, Josh Schacht (W, 4); Tate Rudlaff (L)

2B: Tyler Parish (N) 2, Dehn (N), Taylor Campbell (N), Logan Harpenau (N); BJ Butler (M), Ryan Jess (M)

Varsity records

Niles 3-5, 1-2 West