The Edwardsburg softball team remained tied for first place in the Wolverine Conference West Division with South Haven following a sweep of Dowagiac Tuesday.

But it wasn’t easy.

After blowing out the Chieftains 11-0 in the first game, Edwardsburg struggled to hold off upset-minded Dowagiac 9-6 in the nightcap.

A pair of five-run innings to open the game left little doubt about the outcome in the first game.

The Eddies finished with 14 hits in the contest, including five doubles.

Lila Blough and Rachel Borden each had two-run doubles, while Kaley Frank added a run-scoring double. Bailey Thomas and Mckenzie Creed also drove in runs with hits.

Bre Bauschke had a double and a home run for the Eddies, who also got a double and a triple from Teryn Williams.

Dowagiac had six hits, including doubles by Amanda Craft and Alyssa Allen, but could not push any runs across the plate.

Delaney Peters picked up the victory as she scatted six hits and did not walk a batter.

The Eddies appeared to be headed to another easy win in the nightcap, up 3-0 after three innings, before the Chieftains came alive and erupted for three runs in the top half of the fourth to knot the game at 3-3.

Edwardsburg responded for four runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the game away. The Eddies scored a pair of insurance runs in the fifth, while Dowagiac capped the scoring with a two-run seventh.

In the top half of the fourth, Amanda Craft reached base on an error and advanced to second on a passed ball. Kourtney Mitchell singled to score Craft before Rachel Bailey doubled home Mitchell. A single by Brianna McCuddy tied the score at 3-3.

In the Eddies’ half of the fourth, Andrea LaPlace doubled a run home, Kaley Frank drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Creed singled home a run.

Sarver picked up the victory in relief of starter Peters.

Allen suffered the loss in both games for the Chieftains.

“We were much more competitive in the second game tonight against a very good Edwardsburg,” Dowagiac coach Mike Behnke said. “We battled back to tie the game at one point and had the potential tying run at the plate in the last inning.

“However, I am tired of saying we are competitive versus good teams. If we just make routine plays that is a totally different game. Once we figure that out, we won’t just be competitive, but start winning some games.”

 

First game

Edwardsburg 551 00 – 11 14 2

Dowagiac 000 00 – 0 6 0

Delaney Peters (W), Becky Sarver (3); Alyssa Allen (L)

2B: Teryn Williams (E), Lila Blough (E), Kaley Frank (E), Bre Bauschke (E), Rachel Borden (E), Amanda Craft (D), Allen (D)

3B: Williams (E)

HR: Bauschke (E)

 

Second game

Dowagiac 000 310 2 – 6 10 3

Edwardsburg 003 420 x – 9 14 4

Delaney Peters, Becky Sarver (W, 4); Alyssa Allen (L)

2B: Teryn Williams (E), Andrea LaPlace (E), Rachel Bailey (D), Allen (D)