WATERVLIET — The Dowagiac softball team split a pair of non-league games with host Watervliet Wednesday.

The Panthers scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to edge the Chieftains 4-3 in the opener.

Dowagiac rallied from a four-run deficit with six runs in the fourth inning to take the nightcap 7-4.

“We did not have a very good first game and gave another victory away,” Dowagiac coach Mike Behnke said. “We couldn’t get down a bunt to save our lives and probably had six to seven baserunning mistakes to take us out of innings where we would have scored runs.

“Alyssa (Allen) pitched one of her best games of the year and deserved to win. We responded well in the second game after going down four runs in the first by scoring six with two outs in the fourth. Sabrina (Ruiz) totally shut Watervliet down after the first inning by allowing one more hit to pick up her first varsity victory.”

In the opener, Kourtney Mitchell, Rachel Bailey and Allen all doubled for Dowagiac. Bailey was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Kristyn Turner drove in a pair of runs.

In the second game, Turner was 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Bailey had two hits and two RBIs, while Corinne Kasper had two hits, including a double.

 

First game

Dowagiac 000 200 1 – 3 10 0

Watervliet 000 003 1 – 4 6 3

B. Rose (W) and K. Dabicci; Alyssa Allen (L) and Kourtney Mitchell

2B: Mitchell (D), Rachel Bailey (D), Allen (D), M. Marvin (W), J. McMiller (W). S. Green (W)

 

Second game

Dowagiac 000 600 1 – 7 9 3

Watervliet 400 000 0 – 4 5 3

Sabrina Ruiz (W) and Kourtney Mitchell; K. Liles (L) and K. Dabicci

2B: Corinne Kasper (D), M. Marvin (W), J. McMiller (W)